Jim McSmith
Posts: 515
Aldershot, England, United Kingdom
Just a quick message to models to say they should use a colour shot on their profile main image because it allows the photographer to see the skin colour without viewing the whole portfolio. Thanks.
I'm not sure a photographer with a picture of a camera as his own avatar shoud be lecturing models on their avatars.
An avatar is a shop window, it has to grab the viewer's attention and encourage the viewer to click through to the portfolio. An avatar which shows skin colour might not be an attention grabber.
'I'm not sure a photographer with a picture of a camera as his own avatar shoud be lecturing models on their avatars.'
+1
If you want to photograph a model, not sure only one single picture is relevant. You need to browse her portfolio just like I would look at a photographer's whole work. It makes sense.
Jim McSmith wrote: Just a quick message to models to say they should ...
Uh oh!
In all reality, picking an engaging avatar is what's important, regardless if it's B&W or color, just make someone click on you -- someone will look at more than just the avatar before contacting to shoot anyway.
As an aside, a model could have a portfolio full of in-color shots, and still have none of those accurately represent her "true" skin color due to lighting, make-up, post work, etc. It's good to have one natural shot, IMO, but it doesn't have to be the avatar.
If you're looking for a model based on skin tone, try the browse models feature looking for what you want.
J M Wills
Posts: 137
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Kent Art Photography wrote: I'm not sure a photographer with a picture of a camera as his own avatar shoud be lecturing models on their avatars.
An avatar is a shop window, it has to grab the viewer's attention and encourage the viewer to click through to the portfolio. An avatar which shows skin colour might not be an attention grabber.
The point of the avi is to grab the attention of others be it photographers, models, MUA etc. black and white has nothing to do with anything. If you like the look of the model you should look at her whole port regardless. And just an FYI. It's not wise to tell us what we should and shouldn't do.
Jim McSmith
Posts: 515
Aldershot, England, United Kingdom
Many photographers don't shoot black and white. When searching profiles I look for tanned models but if the avatar is in b/w I then need to view the whole portfolio which wastes time and slows down the search process.
Shon D.- Homme
Posts: 3,074
Virginia Beach, Virginia, US
Jim McSmith wrote: Many photographers don't shoot black and white. When searching profiles I look for tanned models but if the avatar is in b/w I then need to view the whole portfolio which wastes time and slows down the search process.
You might need to be more thorough then, as AJ said, the top modeling agencies in the world use often use black and white photos.
salvatori.
Posts: 2,604
State College, Pennsylvania, US
Jim McSmith wrote: Many photographers don't shoot black and white. When searching profiles I look for tanned models but if the avatar is in b/w I then need to view the whole portfolio which wastes time and slows down the search process.
'Many photographers don't shoot black and white...'
Many do. (what this has to do with anything is beyond me...)
'I then need to view the whole portfolio which wastes time and slows down the search process...'
So you would decide to hire a model based on a single photo...?
Interesting vetting process.
And it does beg the question... Why does your portfolio have more than picture?
Evan Hiltunen
Posts: 2,860
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Jim McSmith wrote: Many photographers don't shoot black and white. When searching profiles I look for tanned models but if the avatar is in b/w I then need to view the whole portfolio which wastes time and slows down the search process.
This site, then, should have a box for the model to check if they are tan or not tan. It would make your search much quicker.
Are there other criteria this site, or models, can meet so you don't have to look at portfolios?
Jim McSmith wrote: Many photographers don't shoot black and white. When searching profiles I look for tanned models but if the avatar is in b/w I then need to view the whole portfolio which wastes time and slows down the search process.
Use the browse feature that allows selection by skin color, including "tanned"
Realize that a tanned avatar pic may be from a previous summer and the tan has faded.
Ever hear the expression, "Don't judge a book by its cover"?
In all reality, picking an engaging avatar is what's important, regardless if it's B&W or color, just make someone click on you -- someone will look at more than just the avatar before contacting to shoot anyway.
As an aside, a model could have a portfolio full of in-color shots, and still have none of those accurately represent her "true" skin color due to lighting, make-up, post work, etc. It's good to have one natural shot, IMO, but it doesn't have to be the avatar.
If you're looking for a model based on skin tone, try the browse models feature looking for what you want.
Yuuuup!
Ya know Miss Emily... you're pretty smart! Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night?
Jim McSmith
Posts: 515
Aldershot, England, United Kingdom
Models are tanning less these days than they once did. Those in colder environments are typically very pale unless they make efforts to tan properly. If they had a colour shot on the avatar that would speed up the search a bit. B/W doesn't help if you're a colour shooter seeking a tanned model.
RKD Photographic
Posts: 2,989
Iserlohn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Kent Art Photography wrote: I'm not sure a photographer with a picture of a camera as his own avatar shoud be lecturing models on their avatars.
An avatar is a shop window, it has to grab the viewer's attention and encourage the viewer to click through to the portfolio. An avatar which shows skin colour might not be an attention grabber.
Evan Hiltunen
Posts: 2,860
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Jim McSmith wrote: Models are tanning less these days than they once did. Those in colder environments are typically very pale unless they make efforts to tan properly. If they had a colour shot on the avatar that would speed up the search a bit. B/W doesn't help if you're a colour shooter seeking a tanned model.
Ahhh, that makes sense.
So, models should have a colour shot that is no older than 2 weeks. Also, we should now have a criteria box that says, "Tanned; not faded".
Jim McSmith wrote: Just a quick message to llamas to say they should use a colour shot on their profile main image because it allows the photographer to see the skin colour without viewing the whole portfolio. Thanks.
And when you start up your own llama networking site, you are more than welcome to tell everyone how they should do things....
Jim McSmith wrote: Many photographers don't shoot black and white. When searching profiles I look for tanned models but if the avatar is in b/w I then need to view the whole portfolio which wastes time and slows down the search process.
I wish "guys with cameras" would just put that up as their avi so it would be easier and faster in my searching for photographers.
Just take the 2.5 seconds it takes to look at a models port. Jesus.
Shon D.- Homme
Posts: 3,074
Virginia Beach, Virginia, US
Jim McSmith wrote: Models are tanning less these days than they once did. Those in colder environments are typically very pale unless they make efforts to tan properly. If they had a colour shot on the avatar that would speed up the search a bit. B/W doesn't help if you're a colour shooter seeking a tanned model.
We seem to have the opposite problem. I live on the beach, and I do not like tans, so I seek out pale models. Anyway, a tan isn't hard to do in Photoshop or even by a skilled makeup artist.
Either way, just take the two extra clicks to go through the model's portfolio.
kane
Posts: 1,279
Albertville, Rhône-Alpes, France
Jim McSmith wrote: Just a quick message to models to say they should use a colour shot on their profile main image because it allows the photographer to see the skin colour without viewing the whole portfolio. Thanks.
Or how about you do whatever you want and let other people do what they what to without preaching at them from your high horse (which should probably be your avatar btw).
Jim McSmith wrote: Models are tanning less these days than they once did. Those in colder environments are typically very pale unless they make efforts to tan properly. If they had a colour shot on the avatar that would speed up the search a bit. B/W doesn't help if you're a colour shooter seeking a tanned model.
....sounds lazy and quite silly to me Jim ... isn't here on MM an advance option to browse models by colour skin as well (tanned included) or is that to many clicks away as well?
Jim McSmith wrote: Models are tanning less these days than they once did. Those in colder environments are typically very pale unless they make efforts to tan properly. If they had a colour shot on the avatar that would speed up the search a bit. B/W doesn't help if you're a colour shooter seeking a tanned model.
Why would you use "tanned" as a search criteria when a model can get a tan prior to a shoot that requires it in about half an hour? Would you do a search and only look for models who had a certain style of makeup application or manicure...and pass over the rest? Those things can all easily be changed in a very short amount of time.
And how do you know the "tan" you're seeing isn't done in post. It's very common and very easy to do.
Jim McSmith wrote: Many photographers don't shoot black and white. When searching profiles I look for tanned models but if the avatar is in b/w I then need to view the whole portfolio which wastes time and slows down the search process.
Same thing might be said about models searching for photographer when they don't have an actual picture of their work as their avatar.
Jim McSmith wrote: Many photographers don't shoot black and white. When searching profiles I look for tanned models but if the avatar is in b/w I then need to view the whole portfolio which wastes time and slows down the search process.
It's all the messaging that slows it down for me. When is this site going to add a shopping cart to put the models in when you want to order one?
Jim McSmith wrote: When searching profiles I look for tanned models but if the avatar is in b/w I then need to view the whole portfolio which wastes time and slows down the search process.
I'm glad to have finally met the most important person on MM. It's really a shame that there are models out there who are wasting so much of your valuable time. It's so thoughtful of you to try and educate them though.
Jim McSmith wrote: Just a quick message to models to say they should use a colour shot on their profile main image because it allows the photographer to see the skin colour without viewing the whole portfolio. Thanks.
Genius!!
Or.... the photographer could actually take a few seconds to look at the portfolio and decide based on that.
Of course, if you prefer to shoot only Caucasian or Black or Asian models then you can also do a search to exclude the groups you don't wish to shoot.
Kent Art Photography wrote: I'm not sure a photographer with a picture of a camera as his own avatar shoud be lecturing models on their avatars.
An avatar is a shop window, it has to grab the viewer's attention and encourage the viewer to click through to the portfolio. An avatar which shows skin colour might not be an attention grabber.
Now all we need is a model doing a post in the photography forum on how they will not do a shoot with anyone photographer with a camera for a aviator.
I double dare any model too do that.
Jim McSmith wrote: Models are tanning less these days than they once did. Those in colder environments are typically very pale unless they make efforts to tan properly. If they had a colour shot on the avatar that would speed up the search a bit. B/W doesn't help if you're a colour shooter seeking a tanned model.
You know you can give a model a tan in post processing. That may be a good solution to your "tan" dilemma or you could use "model of color".
Jim McSmith wrote: Just a quick message to models to say they should use a colour shot on their profile main image because it allows the photographer to see the skin colour without viewing the whole portfolio. Thanks.
Jim McSmith wrote: Just a quick message to models to say they should use a colour shot on their profile main image because it allows the photographer to see the skin colour without viewing the whole portfolio. Thanks.
Wow . . . . between this and your opinion on models breast augmentations, is there anything else the modeling world should do to make you happy?
this OP is so much fun
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