Sean Armenta wrote:
we all need to get our start somewhere, someway, somehow, but there's a lot of misinformation going on about the way to go about this, which actually affects new photographers more than it affects the industry as a whole, or more established photographers. there's a distinct difference between "building your book" and giving your work away.
i've shot stuff for free to get my book started. i have also made the mistake of giving my work away when i shouldn't have. i hope this will help those starting out to understand the difference.
if the resulting images are going into everyoneâs portfolio, then shoot it for free.
if everyone involved (you, model, makeup, hair, etc) are all at the same level (i.e. just starting out), shoot it for free.
if someone involved is at a level higher than you, is actually willing to work with you, and itâs a portfolio shoot, shoot it for free. you will be benefitting greatly from this shoot by learning from someone who has been in the industry longer than you, whether that person is a model, makeup artist, etc...
if a clothing designer is willing to lend you clothes for your shoot in exchange for images for non-commercial use, shoot it for free. at this point in your career, designer clothes are a godsend.
if you walk into a modeling agency like elite, ford, next, etc... and they actually like your work enough to send you home with a stack of comp cards, shoot those girls for free.
after all these free shoots, you should have a pretty decent portfolio. so when do you get paid?
if the resulting images are going into everyoneâs portfolio but yours, stop it, you need to get paid cause you are giving your work away.
if you are at a level much higher than everyone else involved, stop it, you need to get paid cause you are giving your work away.
if a clothing designer is looking to shoot her lookbook, which is a catalog aimed at clothing buyers of stores which will be carrying her fall line next season, and she wants you to shoot it for free because itâs great exposure for you, stop it, you need to get paid cause you are giving your work away. the truth of the matter is, your images on that lookbook is what is really selling her clothing, and her success is SOLELY dependent on your photography.
if the modeling agency that sent you home with a stack of cards is happy with the resulting images from those free test shoots, and is now calling you to test with their new girls and wants you to shoot if for free, stop it, you need to get paid cause you are giving your work away. your work is now an asset to them and by calling you they are telling you that your images are getting their girls booked for thousand dollar jobs. models need to invest in these images, because the return is much greater.
if your images will be used in ANY commercial sense and you are asked to shoot if for free, stop it, you need to get paid cause you are giving your work away.
NEVER compete on price or rate. you need to value your own work before anyone else will deem your work valuable. everything is visual. photographs are responsible for selling everything. everything. when you look at a print ad, the first thing you see is a photograph. not the text, not the catchphrase. itâs the half naked girl sitting on the tire. without photographs, companies would have a tough time selling products. thatâs why they are worth a thousand words.
there is enough work out there for everyone. it may not seem like it, but there really is. those not getting any work are just going about it the wrong way, and/or are giving their work away constantly.
Fantastic advice for anyone and everyone even remotely involved in the modeling business. Thank you.
Well said!
