glumpy wrote:
A.
Ask them when they are available to do a shoot.

Never ceases to amaze me how many times I contact a model on a site such as this or they contact me and we have a discussion where they tell you how much they love your work and are keen to shoot with you,right up till the time you ask when they are free?

After that, Crickets.

Still very, very true.

There is a local group of models and photographers here.
3 times I have tried to set something up. Everything is great, until I try to pin down a time.
Then... crickets.

Meantime I have managed to set up some shoots with various agency models.

And I keep getting asked why I never shoot with any of the models from the group.
Duh!!!
Now others have shot with these models, admittedly, but even they admit it is pretty much hit and miss.
The frustration is NOT worth it.

glumpy wrote:
A.
Ask them when they are available to do a shoot.

Never ceases to amaze me how many times I contact a model on a site such as this or they contact me and we have a discussion where they tell you how much they love your work and are keen to shoot with you,right up till the time you ask when they are free?

After that, Crickets.

I'm about double most models age so I'm wondering if asking " When are you available to shoot?" is some modern day sort of code for " I'm a criminally insane deviot who wants to hack your body into little pieces" and I missed that somewhere along the line.

You might want to try being more specific, as in, can you shoot on Wednesday or Thursday?

Not being sarcastic, just saying that it's easy to get lost in the shuffle on both sides of the coin and if I don't hear back for a while, and I really want to work with the model, I'll initiate contact again or offer a few firm dates so you can get on the model's calendar.

EDIT: Sorry zombie thread!

CHAD ALAN wrote:
You might want to try being more specific, as in, can you shoot on Wednesday or Thursday?

Not being sarcastic, just saying that it's easy to get lost in the shuffle on both sides of the coin and if I don't hear back for a while, and I really want to work with the model, I'll initiate contact again or offer a few firm dates so you can get on the model's calendar.

EDIT: Sorry zombie thread!

Zombie thread, but still shuffling around eating peoples brains.

And how much more specific can I be then Sunday Sept. ...?  Ans: Yes, after work. Me great, when do you finish work? Ans: crickets

Or Me: Ok, so you like what I have been doing. So let's set up a shoot this month. Ans: Great idea, love it.  Me: So how about these days ..., or something else if you are free? What works best for you? Ans: Crickets

Me: did the message get lost? Ans: Crickets.

And on FB I know they have been on. Recently.

And since I am not terribly keen on working with either one, but they are nice enough. And I might get something usable, or at least some practice playing.

And then there is the one constantly begging for somebody to shoot with her, and when I decide I'll do a mercy shoot, she starts getting demanding. Ok, this last kind of answers why she is begging.

And I went the several emails routine with both.

And there are a few that I have chased.
Agency lady that I have previously shot.
Life got a little weird for her.
So I sent a reminder.
Ans: "My life has straightened out. So anywhere, anytime".
3 emails and we have the style, date and time locked down.

Nico Simon Princely wrote:
In the amount of time that it takes to post and then read  the responses and discuses this I could have gone out and found 3 models in person that would shoot with me. And if it was a fully clothed shoot all three would probably show up. Nude or implied 1 or 2 of the 3 would probably follow through.

My point is I think people are not being proactive enough.

If you have ever been involved in sales you will see two types of sales people.

1. Those of bitch, moan and complain and make few to no sales.

2. Those that are persistent, keep prospecting and closing and rank at the top of the board.

This is really no different. You can't change other peoples actions but you can change yours.

Very true.

Slots now are filled with 3 agency models.
One just got back from Paris.
One we will shoot when she gets back from Hawaii.
And another is finished with a move.
3 shoots per month is pretty much my limit.

And bad on me for thinking that anything in life had really changed.

Nico Simon Princely wrote:
In the amount of time that it takes to post and then read  the responses and discuses this I could have gone out and found 3 models in person that would shoot with me.

Very true.

But you are forgetting that for many people MM is a source of entertainment while they are doing some editing, or something else. So these people do not concern themselves with "geez in the amount of time etc." because they have already done something else.

Entertainment.
Commentary on a life situation.
Dark humour.
Laughing at how the real world, really works.
Sometimes simply venting.
Talking to a sympathetic ear.

Anyone THAT busy and time conscious should not even be on MM.