Christopher Ambler wrote:
Go clubbing, with business cards. Take a bunch of models with you, and make sure they spend the night giving you attention. You'll find that you attract a lot of women, and they'll ask the models who you are. Have the models tell them that you're a photographer, and make sure they have your card.

Your card should hava your web site on it and the site should be impressive enough to show that you're not some random pervert with a camera. Have the kind of photography you want to do on the site so there's no confusion.

Treat the models you work with like gold. Respect them, be funny and personable, and generous when you can. Over time, you'll make a name for yourself and people might recognize you when you go out. Indeed, and I kid you not, you will find boyfriends and husbands who are familiar with your work introduce you to their girlfriends and wives in hopes that you'll shoot them.

I'm a complete nobody and I live in Seattle and this works. You live in Florida, where I expect this would work an order of magnitude better.

You're right. This is a fine way of establishing connections, both in the local fashion scene and for this project as well. I'm not much of a clubhopper - I don't drink and I don't dance - but I see myself doing this in the future.

Gabriel wrote:
but then, I'd hate to lose a potential great date by boring her with photography...

You can tell a potential great date by looks alone? Damn, man, what's your secret?

Seriously, you're after models. Go that route. Worst case, you discover that the girl has a personality and you're attracted to her, and you can say, with all honesty, "You know, I was hoping to get you to model for me, because you're just stunning, but after talking to you for a while, I'm more interested in taking you to dinner - and since I never date the models I'm shooting, we have a problem."

And if that works for you, you owe me a beer :-)

Christopher Ambler wrote:

You can tell a potential great date by looks alone? Damn, man, what's your secret?

Seriously, you're after models. Go that route. Worst case, you discover that the girl has a personality and you're attracted to her, and you can say, with all honesty, "You know, I was hoping to get you to model for me, because you're just stunning, but after talking to you for a while, I'm more interested in taking you to dinner - and since I never date the models I'm shooting, we have a problem."

And if that works for you, you owe me a beer :-)

I'd buy you a six-pack if that worked.

OK, I was kidding about the man moment and the street casting - you can ask any of my models, who mostly see me as the brotherly type (which most girls don't), that I know how to separate the "man" from the "photographer."

As for being able to tell a great date from looks alone, it all depends on your criteria for "great"

Gabriel wrote:

Shadowscape Studio wrote:
Not wanting to sound like jerk, but try your neighbors, friends, etc. 
I have photographed most of my neighbors and friends nude.  It's a good place to start.  Friends of your wife (sig. other) , or friends of the family.  Heck, if you can't ask someone you know to model nude for you, how do you expect stragers to model nude for you. 
My 2 cents

Well, I mentioned before most of my friends are unsuitable for this, unfortunately. I also don't have an SO right now, I became tired of the non-English speaking illegals in Miami, looking for a U.S. citizen sucker to marry, and I've become a little antisocial lately - but that is way, way beyond the scope of this post.

I'm not sure of the connection between asking friends and asking strangers to model for me, unless you mean in reference to street casting. The strangers I would be asking are judging me by different criteria - my work - since ordinarily they are part of the industy, or trying to get into it, as well.

Sounds like you are scared to ask.  Have you thought of walking up to your next door neighbor and asking her to model? 
Now comes the excueses......
No, they are not the type.  They would not model for me.  They are different type of people.  They are married.  They are not in tune to the art world.
Forget all that crap and ask them.  The worst that can happen is they say no.  The best that can happen is they say yes.   
I live in the middle of the WOODS!!!! (as in Sherwood Forest) and most of the wives in the area have modeled for me.  Five years ago I would have said the same thing as you.  Never!  Get one to model and the rest will be lining up at your door for thier turn.................if you do your part right.

Gabriel wrote:
Dr. Sketchy?

And yes, I know about the nerdy girls, but I am not trying to hit on them in this case Actually, this brings up a thought I had while reading a thread on street casting - won't a man moment interfere with this? I mean, I have the attention of this beautiful girl, why on earth would I start talking about photography? LOL I'd have to remind myself of my original purpose. I'd hate to lose a potential great subject by hitting on her, but then, I'd hate to lose a potential great date by boring her with photography...

Many women hit on me at a shoot ...
Its just EL Natural for EL PIC.
The date comes after the shoot.

Search Dr. Sketchy in your city - its drinkin drawing and photo
in a model supplied bar. The tables up close cost more.
Also try Midnight Cowboy Modeling - they will even give u a camera. But film is extra.

And dont forget to post signs in College student unions.
Girls Gone Wild u know ...

EL

Tori L wrote:
This forum gives me the creepy feeling, that every photographer on here is out looking for a date or a woman who will get naked...thier not really interested in taking photos as much as they are in getting "perverse" women to pose for them.

Thanks for listening to my rant..if this has in any way made a few photographers a bit less creepy, then I feel this post has been helpful.

No, it's just shown that you need to get over it. Photographers who shoot nudes do not, in fact, want to date you or get into your pants. And those who joke about it aren't unprofessional, they're like everyone else, with a decent sense of humor.

If anyone is unprofessional, it's you, with comments about looking for a model's clitoris. Please. Grow up.

DezLand Studios wrote:
For private client nude projects, my best bet was going to strip clubs. Some girls are very anxious to make some kind of name and most dont mind posing nude. True some clubs dont like their dancers modeling...im not too sure why...( I usually offer the Manager some shots on the poles or on stage for their advertising.) But I have had a good turn around, clients are happy..models are happy I am happy.
How I approach it is my husband and I go to the club and watch, dancers come and sit after their dance or while working tables. Ill throw out "have you ever modeled?" I know its cliche but it starts a conversation, after some more small talk, Ill leave them my card and so on. Usually they'll call back within a week, some the next day.

Some Managers let me hang a flyer or leave cards, so its cool. Plus most of the girls are pretty cool, very few divas.

just my opinion[/qu

I just wanted to expand on the importance of a business card (mentioned above).  If you do not have a separate website for your photography, you might want to go ahead and build one.  Having a site is important because a propective Model can check out your work online.  I put a picture of me on my card for several reason.  I want the person I gave it to - to remember me and what I look like, also it gives you more credibity because you are willing to show your face on a card with contact information on it.  Ever since I built my own website and printed cards with my info and face on it, I have had good success finding fresh faces to shoot.

I say print some cards and get a separate website.

Just my two cents worth...

Tori L wrote:
No it is unprofessional. You would never hear a nurse in the hospital talk about trying to date a patient. You would never have a doctor taking pictures of a patient and then asking them out for a date after the appointment is over. A lawyer does not post his business card at strip clubs..

Are you kidding me? I've been asked out by a nurse. Me, personally. Doctors date their patients all the time. Some of my best friends are lawyers and they go to strip clubs and hand out their card for dates.

And your analogy is flawed - a photographer handing out their card at a strip club is like a lawyer handing out their card at a business meeting. Yeah, that never happens, does it?

Yes, I tell you to grow up. You're living in a dream world, and you obviously have personal moral issues at play here. That's fine, you're welcome to them. But as they taint your viewpoint, may I suggest that you quit modeling now? It'll save you a lot of trouble in the future.

Tori L wrote:
I am a registered nurse, and a fine arts painter, I am a multiple patent holder at age of 22.

And you tell me this, why? Does it help your argument? I, too, hold multiple patents. That and $2.50 and you can get a really good latte downtown.

Are you saying that doctors and nurses don't ever date? Wow, all this time I thought that Gray's Anatomy was a reality show!

Tori L wrote:
As for grow up. I'm not a middle age man, telling a young naive model to "grow up"

Indeed? So you're a naive model?

I rest my case.

Tori L wrote:
(snip)

It should be professional. A thank you at the end, a CD of images...
(snip)

You just labeled yourself an Internet model by saying that...

As for the rest of it, where did all this come from? I don't know about the other guys, but I am not serious about dating any of my models. Never have, and I've shot dozens over the years. Doctors and nurses and lawyers never dating clients and patients? Wake up! We're all human, and it happens sometimes. Get over it.

I don't see anything that was said in this thread - none of the SERIOUS stuff - as anything you need to be offended from. It's a bunch of like-minded people with real-world experiences discussing a genuine subject. Thank you for derailing an otherwise OK topic...

Shadowscape Studio wrote:

Gabriel wrote:

Shadowscape Studio wrote:
Not wanting to sound like jerk, but try your neighbors, friends, etc. 
I have photographed most of my neighbors and friends nude.  It's a good place to start.  Friends of your wife (sig. other) , or friends of the family.  Heck, if you can't ask someone you know to model nude for you, how do you expect stragers to model nude for you. 
My 2 cents

Well, I mentioned before most of my friends are unsuitable for this, unfortunately. I also don't have an SO right now, I became tired of the non-English speaking illegals in Miami, looking for a U.S. citizen sucker to marry, and I've become a little antisocial lately - but that is way, way beyond the scope of this post.

I'm not sure of the connection between asking friends and asking strangers to model for me, unless you mean in reference to street casting. The strangers I would be asking are judging me by different criteria - my work - since ordinarily they are part of the industy, or trying to get into it, as well.

Sounds like you are scared to ask.  Have you thought of walking up to your next door neighbor and asking her to model? 
Now comes the excueses......
No, they are not the type.  They would not model for me.  They are different type of people.  They are married.  They are not in tune to the art world.
Forget all that crap and ask them.  The worst that can happen is they say no.  The best that can happen is they say yes.   
I live in the middle of the WOODS!!!! (as in Sherwood Forest) and most of the wives in the area have modeled for me.  Five years ago I would have said the same thing as you.  Never!  Get one to model and the rest will be lining up at your door for thier turn.................if you do your part right.

You're right, I am a bit shy about asking something like that. Posing for fashion is one thing, this is a whole other ballgame. Like I said, I'm gonna have to try it.

Kenzphotos wrote:

DezLand Studios wrote:
For private client nude projects, my best bet was going to strip clubs. Some girls are very anxious to make some kind of name and most dont mind posing nude. True some clubs dont like their dancers modeling...im not too sure why...( I usually offer the Manager some shots on the poles or on stage for their advertising.) But I have had a good turn around, clients are happy..models are happy I am happy.
How I approach it is my husband and I go to the club and watch, dancers come and sit after their dance or while working tables. Ill throw out "have you ever modeled?" I know its cliche but it starts a conversation, after some more small talk, Ill leave them my card and so on. Usually they'll call back within a week, some the next day.

Some Managers let me hang a flyer or leave cards, so its cool. Plus most of the girls are pretty cool, very few divas.

just my opinion[/qu

I just wanted to expand on the importance of a business card (mentioned above).  If you do not have a separate website for your photography, you might want to go ahead and build one.  Having a site is important because a propective Model can check out your work online.  I put a picture of me on my card for several reason.  I want the person I gave it to - to remember me and what I look like, also it gives you more credibity because you are willing to show your face on a card with contact information on it.  Ever since I built my own website and printed cards with my info and face on it, I have had good success finding fresh faces to shoot.

I say print some cards and get a separate website.

Just my two cents worth...

I have a site for the fashion work, and a calling card with my logo on it, but nothing for the nude series.

jade_friedrich wrote:
wow i did not know looking for a right model is that difficult, i mean in this whole crowded world internet of models.

You'd be surprised. Way too many girls think a photo on the Net makes them a model. And that makes for way too many people to search through.

Tori L wrote:
-Stop trying to hug llamas at the end of the shoot...unless she initiates the hug. DON'T DO IT!!!

Okay, I had worked with a certain photographer. Well known advertising photographer, client list of RL, CK, Valentino, etc....and you know what?

He hugs everyone. I've seen him hug llamas, stylists, artists, other photographers, his assistant, me (infact, that's the first thing he did when I met him), designers, directors, etc...

Never seen any kind of problem.

-----
Also, many of the famous photographers ended up marrying llamas who they had shot at one point in time......I wonder....

Aaron S wrote:
Also, many of the famous photographers ended up marrying llamas who they had shot at one point in time......I wonder....

I'm not famous, of course (at least not as a photographer), and I did just that. We'll be celebrating our ten-year anniversary this year.

Go figure.

Gabriel wrote:
You're right, I am a bit shy about asking something like that. Posing for fashion is one thing, this is a whole other ballgame. Like I said, I'm gonna have to try it.

I thought about this after I said it earlier. Before you ask, you might want to take a look at the online portfolios of girls in the agency, and then determine if it is worth your time asking.

Christopher Ambler wrote:

I'm not famous, of course (at least not as a photographer), and I did just that. We'll be celebrating our ten-year anniversary this year.

Go figure.

And I'm going out (at least, I think we are), with someone who I met at one of my current workplaces...funny how this stuff works out.

Tori L wrote:
No it is unprofessional. You would never hear a nurse in the hospital talk about trying to date a patient.   [snip]

you need to hang around the nurses station on the night shift?!!?  My last GF is a RN, when we met, I was stuck in bed, and she was attending?!!?  GO figure..some people connect!

You hear alsorts of things hangin at the nurses station....I know I do!

Charlie

Jeff Marsh wrote:
Local nursing homes. they don't get hit on everyday. might want a van that is wheelchair accessable, tho.

Dude, that's... just... wrong. lol

EL PIC wrote:
But Agree - Europe is better.
EL

What part of Europe?  I'm thinking of heading to prague where else is a good place for art models.

PN Photo wrote:
i had a model hug me yesterday with her boyfriend standing there...

(wow, this is post 100 for me -- better slow down)

I'll be hitting 1000 very soon... took almost a year and a half.