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Not responding to paid shoot messages?????
Hi, I'm new to MM and wanted to build my portfolio up so I have been contacting models offering to pay them their market rates. I state in the email that I am new and that our shoot would be a collaboration. I have most of the models ignore my email and the few that respond, don't write back after our initial exchange. Am I doing something wrong??? Any insight is appreciated. Thank you! Feb 11 13 06:01 pm Link Post a casting call that details the shoot, when you want to shoot it, and the pay for the shoot. Pick from the replies you get and discuss the shoot with them and see if you get better results. Randomly messaging models is like throwing darts in the ocean hoping to hit a fish, you may hit one but it might not be what you want. Feb 11 13 06:06 pm Link conflicting info...are you paying them or collaborating with them?  Feb 11 13 06:07 pm Link Sadly you'll do better from Craigslist. Also try a casting here. If you want two models book five and maybe two will show. Get a MUA also. If your budget allows. Get phone numbers and tell models to call and confirm. Good luck, you'll need it. Feb 11 13 06:07 pm Link I'm paying the models their usual rates and I offer to give them a little extra (25%) because I would need a little help with the poses, etc...I make this very clear in the email. I even encourage them to bring an escort if they are uncomfortable (yes, let's hold off on the pro vs con of that topic). Still puzzled....how often do people turn down good money in a safe environment (I was planning on renting a studio for the shoot)????? Feb 11 13 06:11 pm Link oCEAN iNK sTUDIO wrote: Maybe you're trying too hard and coming across as desperate, which could be a red flag (or even seem creepy) to many models. Feb 11 13 06:23 pm Link there are so many workshop/shootouts in cali, you should spend your money on those.. Feb 11 13 06:23 pm Link oCEAN iNK sTUDIO wrote: Depending on what type of models you're contacting (and the genre you want to shoot), it's not really that unusual for models to not respond, even to paid offers. Feb 11 13 06:25 pm Link My experience has been that sadly internet models -- not just here, but all the web sites I've tried -- are mostly pretenders. There are a few, perhaps 10%, that actually do model and are worth your time booking. The other 90% are what you are finding: supremely uninterested in actually doing what they claim they want to do, i.e., pose for the camera. When you find one of that 10%, praise the Lord and treat them well, they are worth their weight in gold. The rest? Pffft. If you inquire once and get no response, maybe the email got lost in the great beyond, try once more. If you got no response to that, give them no further thought. Congrats, you've found another faux model. Write 'em off and move on to another. There ARE worthy ones out there, it's just a matter of finding them, and the less time and emotional energy you waste on the fakes, the better. Feb 11 13 06:25 pm Link I don't know which models you are choosing, but be aware that many who have profiles are not active. If the "last activity" date is more than a month old they may have not even seen your message. Young women will set up a profile expecting everyone to throw money their way and become famous. Since it doesn't work like that they become disillusioned and quit. I do find that casting calls are more effective in figuring out who is working (and interested). Also be aware that models also put up casting calls looking for photographers (not as many, but there are some). Feb 11 13 06:31 pm Link Michael DBA Expressions wrote: +100 Feb 11 13 06:34 pm Link oCEAN iNK sTUDIO wrote: Maybe but there are plenty of factors out of your control as well. My advise is to keep contacting them and you'll find and develop working relationships with a handful of reliable local models, then, work with them multiple times. In the meantime, expect poor to no communication, expect immaturity, expect 80% no response rate, if you survive the frustration, it won't last. I wrote a post just like yours about two months ago. Today, I can choose between several awesome local models to work with. The models who did not respond or took two months to respond, I don't care how good they are, I won't work with them. I tell them that too and on one occasion when I did, one model made a good effort to improve (switch conversation to cell phone), we worked together and I plan to work with her on an ongoing basis. Feb 11 13 06:35 pm Link A few things to consider although you're new but have 13/15 photos up: 1-You don't list models you worked with in your profile 2-I didn't check all, just top row - no photos credited to models, none posted by them credited to you (edit: maybe the models you shot weren't on mm) 3-most shots in your portfolio are headshots, maybe consider removing a few and if you possibly have access to any of the models who you already worked with, add a few different types of shots? 4-not sure what you mean by the phrase "My interest is in bringing out the inner self of the model" in your profile 5-maybe rephrase "the right model" here in your profile "I am also very interested in 1940's look photo shoots with the right model" 6-I think you can consider leaving level of experience in the fill-in-category on the left and not reiterate it in the text of your profile. The way you phrased it also could imply to some-not that that should be your first concern-that professional photographers don't shoot TFP (I know your target audience is models, not photographers), and saying the right model, especially twice, might not be ideal, though others do write stuff like that too. Hard to specify sometimes, know it when you see it kind of thing. "I am not a professional photographer and therefore would prefer TFP shoots; HOWEVER, for the right model, I am open to providing compensation." 7-Even though you mention you can help someone build her portfolio, that is general, of course, chicken and the egg (no reference to my avatar...)but the sooner you can provide examples of what you can offer, the better-of course you need models, but even if you get ideas of stuff you have seen on the site, try setting up as best you can without the model to see if you can imitate, and say you'd like to try etc.,etc. 8-Sometimes providing an email very soon isn't a good sign (mostly as only way of contact when the avatar is blank saying newb and the profile is under consideration or gone and the offer is too good to be true...), but you provided it as an alternative so probably fine. Feb 11 13 06:39 pm Link Yeah, I agree, take out the "bringing out the inner self" line. You're not their therapist. What genre are you looking to shoot? Feb 11 13 06:47 pm Link oCEAN iNK sTUDIO wrote: Yes! It's a communication breakdown. You're not being clear with them in your messages. It's either a trade or paid. Take your pick. If this is happening to you on multiple occasions, you need to make changes in your strategy. Also, models tend to look at your portfolio before writing back. If your work isn't going the same direction as them, it time to move on to the next one. The better move is go to the critique forum. Feb 11 13 06:54 pm Link S W I N S K E Y wrote: +1 Feb 11 13 06:59 pm Link Do you have a cookie-cutter message you're sending to people? Can you share that in this thread so we can see it? Feb 11 13 07:01 pm Link I wanted to thank all of you for responding. I will take the advice to heart and make some changes to the profile. As far as crediting the models, they are not on MM, so I couldn't credit them. And regarding the lack of depth of my pictures-its the chicken or the egg situation. This is pretty much all I've got. Update: I've changed my profile. Any advice on further improvement is appreciated. Feb 11 13 07:15 pm Link I like some of the text changes you made! Feb 11 13 07:28 pm Link You can credit non-mm models, I did for one on my credits, many others do as well. Feb 11 13 07:31 pm Link Much better profile! I'd use a different word/phrase than "partner", maybe "work with." Other than that, looks much improved. Feb 11 13 07:33 pm Link Jackson frontier photos wrote: yup, but check whether they want to be credited/how they want to be referred to with their photos, some people lead separate modeling/non-modeling lives and don't want their names appearing with their images in a google search... Feb 11 13 07:34 pm Link Feb 11 13 07:42 pm Link Awesome advice. Changes made and casting call posted. Thanks!!!!!! Feb 11 13 07:46 pm Link Feb 11 13 07:50 pm Link oCEAN iNK sTUDIO wrote: If I work with a non-MM model, I ask her how she wants to be credited. I do this as she is signing the model release. I then place her "model name" in the Caption area. Feb 11 13 07:53 pm Link Jackson frontier photos wrote: Same. This helps prove that you are a legit photographer and not some person who swiped photos from someone else. Feb 11 13 08:07 pm Link Are you contacting professional models who have good reputations or just any girl that says she likes money on her profile? Most of the decent models on here with good reputations will be willing to work with you if you pay their bill. You just have to do some research to separate them from the ones that are a waste of time. I can personally vouch for Tiffiney who posted a few posts up  The suggestions to attend a local workshop or two are good too. It's an easy way to get a port started. Feb 11 13 09:07 pm Link Little Ginger Lamb wrote: With all due respect providing someones first name means nothing. We don't know them and you could have still 'swiped' their images. I also find some of the other suggestions made curious. OP, its doubtful most of the models you've contacted even looked at your work much less cared about your written profile. You aren't writing The Catcher in the Rye. Most of us are over thinking all this. Do a general casting. I think you have one up now. Offer what you can. A model has offered her services. Tiffiney is pretty. She's a poser with a great figure. Get on Craigslist. Hand your card out when you shop. Be friendly and if you have a tablet or printed book try and keep it close by. Feb 11 13 09:15 pm Link consider the traveling models. they need to work to pay for their trip (and sometimes more). Feb 11 13 10:09 pm Link Ah yes, the age old problem with Model Mayhem. You said it, you're new here. Over time you will see that there are loads of flakes, people who don't respond, and other types of inconveniences. It was better 5 years ago.. It was mentioned earlier that Craigslist is better, for casting I agree! Have fun! Adam Feb 11 13 10:15 pm Link Just keep at it. Maybe stick to a flat rate of $50.00 for an hour of modeling and post your castings religiously. Side note; are you a photographer or tattoo artist? Just wondering cuz of your name  Feb 11 13 10:34 pm Link Tony Lawrence wrote: If OP is being honest about who they have used as a model, it's up to the models looking at OP's profile to decide whether or not they're being truthful. They're at least CREDITING the models. If the models are normal, everyday people who aren't models, there's absolutely no guarantee they want their last name splashed about. I certainly don't. Feb 12 13 01:23 am Link I respond to paid offers unless its not content I shoot. Surprised girls don't respond in this case but oh well, there's always others interested Feb 12 13 01:35 am Link Jessica Vaugn wrote: This is an offer worth considering, for the images you could come out with! Feb 12 13 02:08 am Link If I ever go to California I would gladly work with you Feb 12 13 02:54 am Link Thank you to the MM community. I finished my first shoot! And I plan on getting better with each model I shoot. Feb 13 13 02:07 pm Link oCEAN iNK sTUDIO wrote: YAY! CONGRATS! Feb 14 13 04:25 pm Link Besides some of the other comments. You're saying "Huntington Beach/Long Beach area". Huh? I'd say something like "Seal Beach (just above Huntington Beach). There really is no "Huntington Beach/Long Beach area". Feb 14 13 05:00 pm Link Tony Lawrence wrote: Sadly, this is true. Feb 14 13 05:03 pm Link |
