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Compensation for a Destination shoot
Hello All. I am in the process of setting up a week-long Photo Adventure in the Caribbean this winter and I am looking for advice on proper compensation for the models I will invite to shoot. The plan is to pay for their accommodation, most meals during the week (not paying if they choose to eat out at restaurants), and airfare. They will be required to have at least one shoot per day and maybe two if time permits. If required by the photographer, they will be asked to do tasteful nudes/implied only(No Erotica). I will be looking for experienced models with solid portfolios. I am interested in hearing from any models and photographers who have any experience with such a shoot. What do you guys think should be the minimum compensation for the week of shooting? Should I pay per shoot or for the week? Jul 14 18 12:41 pm Link I've done many long term shoots & location jobs of several sorts. Here are a few notes: I prefer to pay for my own travel with an agreed upon travel expense budget. I like to keep all my miles in 1-2 places and I keep track of my own expenses. If you're paying room & board those details need to be very clear. Is this a private room? Shared room? Couch? Fridge? Microwave? Tents? Exactly how many meals are covered each day? What type of food? Time slots for shooting need to be planned out and adhered to. The most common issue I come across is I am offered pay for 4 hours a day, yet I am REQUIRED to spend 6-8 hours a day with the person who booked me. 4 hours is just that, 4 hours, not scouting then 4 hours, not group breakfast then, 2 hour shoot, then catered lunch, then scouting, then 2 hours, then image review, then dinner..... Location: Is this in a town where I can walk to a market? Is this a remote cabin with a 30 min drive to a store? What are my options for my free time? For 99% of my jobs I require an upfront deposit, then payment upon job completion. Jul 14 18 12:56 pm Link Ionalynn wrote: Thanks so very much for your informative reply. I have thought about the time required in a day for each model. However, based on your feedback, I will make those time requirements quite clear to photographers and models so no ones time is taken for granted. For the models, the rooms will be shared with one other model, and all meals will be provided by a local Chef that is available for all meals and would be able to provide various options. I see your point regarding a travel budget, but at the moment, I am anticipating at least 3 of the models will be coming from Europe and its better to have central coordination of travel. The Villa will be located outside of town on a beach, but there will be local transportation options. Jul 14 18 01:07 pm Link As for hard numbers: Those will depend on several things: location of model for airlines room rates model rates food general expenses + MSY to BGI is around $600 + the room rate for 6 nights + food each day + model fees $600 for .5 day of shooting x 5 days $3000 There are two long travel days that also need to be accounted for $ Jul 14 18 01:12 pm Link It sounds like you would be providing a ton of resources for the models already, and will also coordinate the shoots between individual photographers and models. Perhaps the individuals who shoot the subjects should be paying a flat fee, directly to the model, per shoot. Your contribution would be covering room and board, while participants paid a fee per model, per session. Just a thought. Jul 14 18 01:24 pm Link Alexandra Vincent wrote: I did think about this, but I do not want to get into a situation where a model is there and for whatever reason, doesn't get enough shoots to justify her time. The idea is to have everyone arrive and not have to worry about money or finances. Just create in a laid back atmosphere. I will be the "Ring Master" making sure that everyone is getting time to shoot with their model of choice in various locations and the train keeps moving ;-) Jul 14 18 01:50 pm Link Hello Mr Jack, Here are my two cents... I have been flown abroad (from London to LA) a couple of times as a model with the client covering airfare, hotel etc. and I was paid $250 for a day's work and was happy, seeing as I got to travel, discover a new country and all I had to do was pose in front of the camera. More recently, I was flown to Paris as an actor, with my travel fare, hotel etc. being covered and I was paid a much more substantial amount, but that is simply because acting requires much more work, skill etc. As a model, however, I am just grateful to be flown somewhere and I feel in no place to demand a high fee. Like I said, these are just my two cents  Jul 16 18 10:59 am Link Morefamousjack wrote: Ok, what is normally covered in cases like this are as follows: Sep 03 18 03:15 am Link One of the main areas where I've seen people who wanted to do this in the past fail with the model side of coordinating, is that they want to act like they're giving these girls some magnificent "free vacation" because they picked somewhere with a beach on it. That's never what this is. She's not there with her friends or her family, she has work obligations every day (which despite everyone's best efforts dont always go to plan and wind up being more work/work in different timeframes than was negotiated), etc etc so no, the location might be pretty but this is not a luxury relaxing get away, this is WORK So treat your negotiations as if you were hiring them to come shoot in a plain ol' studio for the weekend. Just because the work is done in the sunshine doesnt mean its not work. As for expenses, I dont know the exact numbers but I'd expect to pay day rates. Regardless of how much time is actually spent shooting, due to the nature of location shooting like this, there's nothing else the models can be doing with their time once your shoots are over. When models tour on their own its not at all uncommon for them to book multiple shoots in a day to reduce their downtime. And again, its not like they get to go home to their own beds or see their families or whatever they do after a normal day of shooting, the location might be nice but stuck is stuck and that requires compensation. Sep 03 18 01:23 pm Link I flew a MM model to the Caribbean for a few days on a boat. Compensation was travel paid for, room on the boat, food and lots of free time every day. Certainly full time professional/agency models will want pay in addition to this, but there are plenty of good, amateur/part time models who would be thrilled to have a free trip to the Caribbean. I think the real issue with such arrangements with independent models is you could drop some serious bucks on a ticket, accommodations, etc., and have a no show. Unlike agency models, you have no recourse. In my case, I had some frequent flyer miles and was planning to take my boat out regardless, so the risk was minimal. Sep 03 18 04:32 pm Link |
