Details

Model Mayhem #:
7991
Last Activity:
Jan 03, 2024
Experience:
Very Experienced
Compensation:
Depends on Assignment
Joined:
May 25, 2005

Lists (2)

Check My References

18 Photos

What photography is all about

36 Photos
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About Me

Rhodora! if the sages ask thee why
This charm is wasted on the earth and sky,
Tell them, dear, that, if eyes were made for seeing,
Then beauty is its own excuse for Being;
Why thou wert there, O rival of the rose!
I never thought to ask; I never knew;
But in my simple ignorance suppose
The self-same power that brought me there, brought you.            --Emerson


Thank you for visiting my page. I have been fascinated by photography for as long as I can remember. Inspired by the photos in National Geographic, I started out shooting Kodachrome film on my dad's old SLR over 30 years ago, around the age of six. Later I began shooting Tri-X and processing it in a makeshift darkroom in my basement. There's just something magical about watching that image appear. My passion for photography, along with music, has followed me through to this day.

More of my work:
500px
Publicize Me
Purple Port


My philosophy and how I work:

Compensation - Ok, here's the skinny. There are times when I am hired by a client to shoot, and there are other times when I test. If I am being paid, naturally I will share the wealth with my cast and crew. If it's a test shoot (that's "TFP" in MM slang), my compensation to my colleagues (that's you) will be my 30+ years of experience, my talent, my equipment, my style, and the best images I am capable of producing. I've been fortunate to have worked with some fantastic models on a test basis, so when paying work comes my way, they get the first call. It would be unethical of me to offer such gigs to just anyone when they have worked so hard for me in the past. I also know that they can be trusted to show up to the gig, ready to work. Want to be on my first call list? Then prove to me that you can deliver. Let's shoot!

Touring models, save your PMs, I know the game. You needn't contact me unless you're looking to test (for the reasons stated above). I check the travel notice section every day, and I'll let you know if I have a gig for which you are perfect, AND none of my regulars are available. Please don't send me messages saying "I really love your work, let's shoot!! Here are my rates..." To me that says, "I'd really love for you to pay me." It just smacks of insincerity.

Professionalism – I often hear “My dream is to be a fashion model some day", or some variation on that theme. Well, it's great to have a dream, but unless you are willing to do the hard work to make it a reality, that's all it will ever be – a fantasy. If it were easy, everyone would do it. It all starts with a commitment to professionalism.

Have the integrity to show up to the shoots that you schedule. Write them down on your calendar!! Don't double book. Learn the phrase, “Let me check my schedule and get back to you," and then do it! When someone contacts you, respond promptly.  When someone asks you a question, answer it. When someone asks you multiple questions, answer them all, not just one. Just because you use your smartphone to check your MM inbox, doesn't mean it's ok to reply to a message as if U wur sending a txt to ur BFF. Be articulate! Use proper grammar and spelling, it's ok to be a little colloquial though, you don't have to sound like a robot. Show up to your gig prepared and ready to work, early if possible. Don't party too hard the night before a shoot. If you're running late or get lost, call and let someone know. DO NOT cancel a gig at the last minute, and DO NOT just no-show. Your reputation is at stake. If you absolutely have no other alternative than to cancel, try to find a stand-in, preferably someone who matches your description. Remember, an entire creative team and a paying client may be relying on you to show up. Stand them up, and you'll never get a call back from them, worse yet, they'll likely tell their colleagues about you. Treat your reputation like it's your most valuable asset, in some ways, it's more important than looks.

If you can do all that, you will give yourself a HUGE advantage over the vast majority of models on this site who can't seem to grasp these simple concepts. You don't really have to be the best, you just have to be good enough, but you MUST be professional if you want to succeed. It's easy to earn a bad reputation, but hard to earn a good one, it is, however, easy to lose a good reputation if you don't practice professionalism.

Travel - My studio is located in Cincinnati near Reading, [Update: I am currently without a studio. The one I was renting with a group of photographers was sold out from under us. Don't let that be a hindrance, I have several work-arounds.] I do like getting out of the studio and shooting on location. I am happy to travel within about two hours of Cincinnati (so Cinci, Dayton, Louisville, Lexington, Columbus, Indy; basically if I show up in your 100 mile search filter, we're golden), or longer trips might be feasible at times. I also may be able to cover certain travel expenses if you'd like to shoot in Cincinnati. Let's talk and see what we can work out. I do own a portable studio lighting setup and backdrops, or it's always hard to go wrong with natural light.

Escorts - I am a trustworthy fellow, but if having an escort along will make you feel more comfortable, then I'm all for it. No, that's not a typo, I want you to be able to relax and be yourself in front of the lens, and it's hard to do that if you are nervous. That being said, it is also hard for me to work when someone is staring daggers at me or worse. Please make sure that if you bring an escort, they are supportive of your modeling, and up to speed with what you will and won't be doing. No one likes surprises. I have never had a bad experience with an escort, so please don't be the one to make me rethink this policy. I reserve the right to turn your escort into a human reflector stand. Haha!

-Michael

My Do Not Recommend list:
Regrettably, I do not recommend working with the following individuals. Contact me for details:
Nicseb - MM# 3533184

Fun facts about me:
I've been on this site for eighteen years, and only have 107 friends, and that's just fine by me. Most of the folks on my friends list are actually my friends, and others at the very least I plan to work with in the future. It all starts with communication, show me that you know how to communicate like an adult. (Hint: just sending a friend request ain't it.)

I don't own a an iPod, a Bluetooth, a Blackberry, a "device", a "surface", a GPS, a TiVo, a TV, a wristwatch, a twitter, a facebook, an instagram, a tik-tok, a snapchat, a tinder, or a myspace. Really. Oh, and by the way, what the hell is a hash tag? Some new way to label your marijuana? Now if you'll excuse me, I have to chase some damned kids off my lawn. [update: this joke is so old that when I came up with it, Myspace was still a thing.]

I am the alternative to "alternative"; I am traditional.

Superpowers: I can drink my own weight in coffee in a day.

I like "classical" and jazz music.

Models, I am not here looking for a date, so please stop asking!

I have a great sense of humor. Don't know if you'll find it funny, but I think I'm hysterical  tongue

I shoot 35mm, medium format and large format film, and digital. When I want that shot-on-film look, I shoot on film.

I photograph lots of other subjects besides people.

Verified Credits (22)

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"Michael is an awesome photographer, one of the most professional photographers i have ever worked with, very kind and patient and what i love most is he is well mannered! He knows how to make models feel comfortable and he comes up with many great ideas. He is easy going, fun and extremely respectful! It definitely was a pleasure working with him. I highly recommend him to any model! :)" Read less

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"Maxfield Photography has been wonderful to work with. His attention to detail, knowledge of posing, and creative ideas makes him great to collaborate with! Highly recommend him!" Read less

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"Michael was an absolute pleasure to work with. Incredibly professional and kind. He lead the shoot very gracefully and was very knowledgeable in adjusting the lighting for my difficult deep set eyes. Haha! I certainly recommend Michael as a photographer and I would love the opportunity to work with him in the future." Read less

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"Michael is an absolute pleasure to work with, he communicates his ideas well and is extremely enthusiastic about collaboration. His shoots are run smoothly and professionally, he promptly delivers (excellent!) photos, and he is remarkably considerate with regards to the needs and comfort of the model. I would shoot with him any day of the week!" Read less

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"Such a kind and professional photographer, I really enjoyed working with him and we got some wonderful images. He is very good with communication, and very organized. Can't wait for our next shoot!" Read less

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"Great photographer ! Made me very comfortable will definitely be working with him again 😊" Read less

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Credit Notes


PotD Winner April 4th, 2019 - Model: A N O N Y M
PotD Winner January 11th, 2018 - Model: A N O N Y M


Published in:
Newtype USA
Vizual Magazine March 2015

6x Picture of the Day winner on Model Insider
Picture of the Week winner on MI