I was so excited about moving to the Seattle area only to be incredibly disappointed. That being said I am very much a silver lining optimistic kind of person...so for me to get this down is unusual. Anywhere else I've modeled (other states, countries) I've had (what I consider) a lot of success. Here it's difficult to come across talented photographers whose work I resonate with, let alone one who wants to collaborate with me.
I'm considering giving up my efforts while I'm in this state (another year and a half).
I can't believe you'd have trouble finding someone to work with.
Maybe they're not up to your caliber?
I'm having a bad time right now. Even models I've met are not answering my messages. I'm extremely po'd but I ride it out. I might go punch a kitten later.
I feel that way with Nashville sometimes, that the market is smaller then detroits and I struggle to get confirmed jobs. But I am finding a new idea. Come March/April, I'm going to branch into art nudes, because a lot of photographers around here do that stuff. Getting more offers, and trying something new helps.
I wouldn't give up. Even if its shooting once in a while, its still fun, and you still will get gorgeous shots from it.
When i get discouraged I like to look back and see how far i have come. and then i look for baby steps i could take to get to my goal. like instead of looking at the whole situation look at the small part. for example if you are having issues finding work then instead of focusing on finding work; focus on working on making yourself better at what you do. Like if you are a model taking a couple of classes in cosmetology. If you are a photographer then you could take a couple classes in digital editing or hair/makeup. This makes it easier to find work because you bring more to the table. i hope maybe this helped u out a little
but if you know all else fails....you may want to think about getting a snack...maybe some chocolate chocolate always helps a little here is some inspiration for you http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/26YU2q/:1 … key-fight/
you can't find photographers who will pay you? or you can't find photographers to do trade with?
maybe you'd be better off in oregon. everyone here (including the models) is a photographer! maybe more glamour than fashion here in salem (kind of stripperpalooza around here) but there are fashion/commercial guys in portland. and guys like julian wilde (sort of glamshion). and some amazing landscape shooters who like to put models in their shots (art nudes on driftwood sort of thing).
or head north to canada. can you just go for a visit like you used to be able to back in my day? seems like a lot of activity in canada.
i have heard from traveling models that seattle isn't usually as good for them as portland.
when i get discouraged i try to switch gears, avoid or get rid of toxic people/clients. take some mental health days. or just distract myself learning/trying something new. and i have a few models i shoot on a regular basis and i schedule a shoot with them (doesn't really matter what we shoot it's just something positive).
i guess the thing about models is that the sweet spot of your career may only last so long. so potentially having to sit it out for 18 months sounds like a bummer.
maybe you should become a photographer. do self-shot and also get some models. organize the kind of shoots where you'd want to be the model. "the world is what we make of it" type of mentality. i'd love to get more involved in fashion but i don't have money to pay a team and it can be hard to get people signed on for trade.
Why not do some shoots as a photographer? That way you still get your creative outlet.
I looked at your port and I honestly don't see why someone wouldn't want to work with you.
When I get discouraged I tend to wait it out. I stay away from MM until I feel better again. Sometimes it takes a couple days, sometimes longer. I'm not really sure what I do to make myself feel better - I just eventually do.
Karl Johnston
Posts: 7,234
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
I sleep, a lot. Then when I wake up..do something completely different, for a time, maybe a different job. Go travel somewhere. Go back to school and do something. Meet people. Get in the face of the right people, go where they go. Talk the way they do. Eventually you find opportunity.. and when you find that vein running low you just do it all over again and tap in to find a new vein..work somewhere where the potential prospects are going. It's hard when you work for yourself in a new city and network when you know next to nobody there.
For you, try workshops as a photographer. I haven't tried it personally..but been thinking about the idea of hiring someone else to, haha. I'm in that spot now, too damn burnt out/overtaxed right now to pick up a camera, sadly...2 years of doing more than what most may manage to do in 20 will do that to you..so i need to rest and take my own advice
Well, I for one would love to work with you again. And I would like to (for what it's worth) give my full endorsement to all other photographers in the region. You were easy to work with, professional, intuitive, and above all else... Photograph beautifully.
I think a good deal of the best photographers in this region are extraordinarily talented hobbyists, I'm guessing all of the stars have to align in order to work with many of them (proper project, work schedule, enough money to shoot, so on and so forth). That being said, I wouldn't give up just yet, it's a new year and no longer a political season, I'm sure if you send a couple of flattering remarks (remember we are a notoriously egotistical breed) you should be able to fill up your dance card.
What do I do when I get discouraged? Usually step back and figure out a way I can redouble my efforts in a non-redundant fashion.
Evie_Wolfe
Posts: 651
Nottingham, England, United Kingdom
When I am discouraged, I send out messages to the most impossibly out of my league artists. The guys that shoot stuff so far out of my style and at such a high level that it makes me cringe to think of them ever actually reading what I have written, and then I try and forget about it. Usually if I am feeling discouraged it is because I have gone as far as I can go in a particular area for that time and I need to shake things up! So I do, and most of the time I get ignored or politely refused, but if I am already feeling low I don't have anything to lose.
Oh, and sometimes they say yes - sudden onset insanity seems to be more common than you would expect among the MM elite!
In all seriousness, you have an amazing look and I can't see why anyone would not want to work with you, so maybe chalk it up to the natural lull that happens every so often in anyone's artistic career and pick yourself up, because this kind of thinking erodes you over time, and you deserve better than that from yourself
When things don't go my way for a while I assume there is something I'm not doing right, so I change my approach.
Could be what i shoot, how I shoot, the marketing, whatever. In all cases, I still present myself in a positive way and stay far away from the drama.
I got like that here since there aren't nearly as many photographers here as in other cities I've been. Right now, I'm focusing on other things and just modeling when the mood strikes. It definitely helps being married to a great photographer
1) The cure for being disappointment is being thoughtful & busy. Sitting home & complaining just digs the hole deeper.
2) Hanging out a shingle does not guarantee customers. You have to go out there & drum up business.
3) This is a good opportunity to try new things. What about acting in community theaters? This is a good time to take that adult education class in business. Try that dance or yoga class. Just get out there.
4) A modeling (or photography) business is 10% modeling & 90% business. Get yourself your own web site. Create business & comp cards. Use the "browse" feature & find promising local photographers. Introduce yourself; take them out for coffee & leave a couple business/comp cards with them. Meet other people in the industry (MUAs, stylists, etc.).
5) Become an asset to your local photographic community.
Samantha Emme wrote: I feel that way with Nashville sometimes, that the market is smaller then detroits and I struggle to get confirmed jobs. But I am finding a new idea. Come March/April, I'm going to branch into art nudes, because a lot of photographers around here do that stuff. Getting more offers, and trying something new helps.
I wouldn't give up. Even if its shooting once in a while, its still fun, and you still will get gorgeous shots from it.
I no longer do any shoots for pay, I just want to do creative shoots for publication and artistic merit. I thought that would leave me more open for all these people who used to bombard me for tf, but not so much. I'm even doing art nudes for tf if it's the right photographer and concept.
twoharts wrote: you can't find photographers who will pay you? or you can't find photographers to do trade with?
maybe you'd be better off in oregon. everyone here (including the models) is a photographer! maybe more glamour than fashion here in salem (kind of stripperpalooza around here) but there are fashion/commercial guys in portland. and guys like julian wilde (sort of glamshion). and some amazing landscape shooters who like to put models in their shots (art nudes on driftwood sort of thing).
or head north to canada. can you just go for a visit like you used to be able to back in my day? seems like a lot of activity in canada.
i have heard from traveling models that seattle isn't usually as good for them as portland.
when i get discouraged i try to switch gears, avoid or get rid of toxic people/clients. take some mental health days. or just distract myself learning/trying something new. and i have a few models i shoot on a regular basis and i schedule a shoot with them (doesn't really matter what we shoot it's just something positive).
i guess the thing about models is that the sweet spot of your career may only last so long. so potentially having to sit it out for 18 months sounds like a bummer.
maybe you should become a photographer. do self-shot and also get some models. organize the kind of shoots where you'd want to be the model. "the world is what we make of it" type of mentality. i'd love to get more involved in fashion but i don't have money to pay a team and it can be hard to get people signed on for trade.
I am a photographer and I don't do modeling for money at all anymore. I'm a "free" model but can hardly find anyone of quality interested.
Berghammer wrote: Well, I for one would love to work with you again. And I would like to (for what it's worth) give my full endorsement to all other photographers in the region. You were easy to work with, professional, intuitive, and above all else... Photograph beautifully.
I think a good deal of the best photographers in this region are extraordinarily talented hobbyists, I'm guessing all of the stars have to align in order to work with many of them (proper project, work schedule, enough money to shoot, so on and so forth). That being said, I wouldn't give up just yet, it's a new year and no longer a political season, I'm sure if you send a couple of flattering remarks (remember we are a notoriously egotistical breed) you should be able to fill up your dance card.
What do I do when I get discouraged? Usually step back and figure out a way I can redouble my efforts in a non-redundant fashion.
... And play video games, but that's just me.
Aw thanks, I would absolutely love to work with you again too! I think part of why I'm so frustrated is I have a very stressful, physically and mentally demanding full time job that is as far away from modeling as you can get. I come home and fall asleep for hours after work I'm so tired, instead of getting myself inspired.
It could be because its winter everything slows down. Keep trying and see if you can't get more responses in spring/summer modeling seems to be the most active when its nice out.
Lisa Andresen wrote: It could be because its winter everything slows down. Keep trying and see if you can't get more responses in spring/summer modeling seems to be the most active when its nice out.
This may not be helpful but my mom used to say "If its free then its no good."
For me once I updated my page to include half/full day rates I seemed to have more people contact me. I agree with doing TFP for quality pics, someone above mentioned that photographers in your area maybe feel under par. I feel you, I get ya', I understand.
So to answer the question.....Throw a party. Invite some college boys from the photography class, find all the photographers at the local agencies, create a MEETUP.COM invite and get your creativity on. Prove my mother wrong!
The Winter Wonderland! He he he.
Finding a creative equal is difficult. When I get discouraged, I usually double down, and press even harder. I make 50 contacts to people that I know full and well aren't going to respond to me, if they even read my email. I go around town, talk to business owners, etc. I push back. Then there's this.....
I have taken to doing the genres of photography that I have no interest in. Things like Fashion, Fantasy, some Glamour, genres that I like, have a great respect for, but no interest in shooting for myself. So, I'm going to shoot them for myself! It's a way that I can put my creative side into something and not care any at all how it comes out. If it ends up stellar, great! If not, well I didn't want to do it anyway. Maybe try this with your modeling. Cosplay? Fantasy? You are a photographer as well as a model, try something that is 180 degrees off from what you want. Try to see the beauty in it for yourself, and try to create that same level of beauty. Hell, I've been trying for almost 3 years to get my sister to get me some landscapes from up there! Find me a waterfall!
[Edit] I forgot! Chase Jarvis is based in Seattle. I'll bet he could match your creative level. Hit him up. You never know......
http://www.chasejarvis.com/
i hope maybe this helped u out a little 
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