Shatter Leaf wrote:
This is largely for the models out there:

I am having a really hard time getting responses to messages from models, even if they messaged me with interest first.  I've handled professional relationships and clients through emails for years and usually feel rather good at it, but it seems messaging models is quite different. 


If I'm just hoping to plan a collaboration with a model, how should I approach it?  I assumed that since it was a trade, they would want to contribute some thought, so I don't say, "Here's the date, can you do it?" I try to keep it open and flexible and ask for any ideas they're wanting to shoot as well.  Is this a bad approach?


Kind of at a loss...

I do believe the way a casting or message is worded can have a lot of impact, both negatively and positively.

I know this isn't entirely relevant, but here is a great post from a model on why a model may turn down a TF shoot.

https://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=897844

There's was also a thread asking if models prefer to have input in a collaboration, or if they want the photographer to have the vision, and more than a few of the models chose the latter.

NM, that was your thread LOL.

Include a Pinterest board showing your vision, get a MUA on board (if you haven't already) and I think interest and follow through will increase.

Shatter Leaf wrote:
This is largely for the models out there:

I am having a really hard time getting responses to messages from models, even if they messaged me with interest first.  I've handled professional relationships and clients through emails for years and usually feel rather good at it, but it seems messaging models is quite different. 


If I'm just hoping to plan a collaboration with a model, how should I approach it?  I assumed that since it was a trade, they would want to contribute some thought, so I don't say, "Here's the date, can you do it?" I try to keep it open and flexible and ask for any ideas they're wanting to shoot as well.  Is this a bad approach?


Kind of at a loss...

A few weekends ago a photographer friend of mine here in Chicago had a few of his MUA's and Hair Stylists free and they all did an open call at his studio. He asked if I could come help with other things such as setting up but to also meet some local models since I am not from Chicago, I had nothing much going on so what the heck.....

Well guess who shows up?
4 Models that have either wrote me or I them who read the messages yet never responded and these were messages from months ago.
It so happens that I never forget a face and recognized them as soon as they arrived but I said nothing. I had my camera with me and snapped shots of all the other Models that came but ignored the ones who don't know how to reply to messages.
After the day was done and I was home, I messaged them all on MM and said it was nice to have met them. This time I got replies and they all asked when did we meet, said they liked my work and that we should book before I leave Chicago.
I messaged them back from the message they never replied to and said remember me now, the only other guy at my friends studio?

..... all messages read and no response again but thats ok because my offer is no longer valid anyways.




You never know when you'll run into someone from here that you ignored.

David Shinobi  wrote:
A few weekends ago a photographer friend of mine here in Chicago had a few of his MUA's and Hair Stylists free and they all did an open call at his studio. He asked if I could come help with other things such as setting up but to also meet some local models since I am not from Chicago, I had nothing much going on so what the heck.....

Well guess who shows up?
4 Models that have either wrote me or I them who read the messages yet never responded and these were messages from months ago.
It so happens that I never forget a face and recognized them as soon as they arrived but I said nothing. I had my camera with me and snapped shots of all the other Models that came but ignored the ones who don't know how to reply to messages.
After the day was done and I was home, I messaged them all on MM and said it was nice to have met them. This time I got replies and they all asked when did we meet, said they liked my work and that we should book before I leave Chicago.
I messaged them back from the message they never replied to and said remember me now, the only other guy at my friends studio?

..... all messages read and no response again but thats ok because my offer is no longer valid anyways.




You never know when you'll run into someone from here that you ignored.

My initial reaction is, "YES!"

My subsequent reaction is, "NO!" as regards to the response back to the models.  Here are a couple thoughts.

This was your friend's gig, not yours.  On some level, I get not photographing the non-responsive models.  That's certainly fine, and your prerogative.  Your response back to the models however is unprofessional and could easily get back to your friend, not exactly strengthening your friendship.  It could also easily get back to the local models and other fashion professionals in Chicago, lessening your chance of doing model photography.

Also, while you have a range of models in your port, if you're in Chicago with the intention to shoot models, why waste the opportunity?  If four previously non-responsive models that you were interested in shooting appear before you in your friend's studio, this is a choice for you.  It's either an opportunity to photograph these four models or an opportunity to be vindictive to these models for having previously ignored you.  You apparently chose the latter.

I don't know why the models didn't respond previously.  I also don't know why you had the good fortune of a second chance with them.  Just lucky, I guess.

Btw, I didn't mean to take this a bit off-topic, but non-responses happen all of the time and they're not usually personal.  Non-responses happen from both models and photographers.  Yes, there are challenges in getting responses, but we still need to remain professional.

a raw muse wrote:
I'm one of those people that needs to set a specific date and time. Even for collaborations.

The vast majority of models I trade with (me as the photographer), like to plan something more short-notice, and without too much planning for a first shoot. I think it is MUCH easier to schedule a "get to know you" shoot, see how everything works with that individual, and from there plan more ideas. Maybe see if that approach works better?

This is sensible but has never worked for me. I remember a couple of years back models saying they don't have time to do things like that. I think on MM their is not a desire to build relationships with others among models. It is just get images and move on to the next person.

The people I have always had the best relationships are the ones that are more experienced and serious. They are the ones that refer others to you and stay in contact over the years.

Ash Photographic wrote:
Have you tried offering them money?

I hear that helps.








Ash.

Not in my neck of the woods.

Sal W Hanna wrote:
Be grateful that you didn't plan anything with then. If you had this thread would have been about the high number of flakes.

That's the upcoming thread for later this evening .

Sineann wrote:
Also, your work is great and I'd happily test with you!  That said, your profile states that you're looking for fashion models 5'8" and up.   I would imagine that the girls with professional model measurements get a lot of offers for work . . . . I get a fair amount and I'm in a much smaller network being in the Midwest.  If it's in your budget, a hair/makeup artist may attract high quality models to an otherwise unpaid testing.  I know a lot of girls who only ever "test" without pay but none of them are close to 5'8".
....

Yeah, I'm wondering about this too. Your profile states that you only shoot with models with fashion stats --are you also only contacting models who fit this description? That can be seriously limiting.

It might also scare away the people. I know I've seen that on some photographers' pages and navigated quickly away because I exceed agency stats by a bit. I take people's word at face value. Sometimes it ends up that they want to shoot anyway, which confuses me.

Koryn wrote:
Well, it goes both ways. Don't feel like it's just you.

I had a guy contact me back a few weeks ago, wanting to do a trade shoot the following weekend. His website showed very nice work and he is fairly local to my area, which almost never happens and means commute costs to reach him are low. I responded immediately, letting him know that if he was willing to push the shoot out a couple of weeks, we could spend time planning something mutually beneficial, and I'd supply and pay for an MUA.

He replied within 24 hours, stating he would love to do that, sounded great, yada yada yada. We started to discuss dates, and he promised to dropbox me some ideas. I contacted the MUA, coordinated her schedule and we all agreed on a day.

Of course, I started getting excited, though he'd not dropboxed me any ideas - which I needed, because the MUA wanted to come prepared for what sort of styles she needed to create.

Shoot was supposed to be tomorrow. Photographer has never sent me a phone number for himself, or called me (I gave him my number and regular email), so I have no number for him. I sent him an email a few days ago, asking please for an address to meet him at, a time, etc. No response.

Looks like he's totally dropped the ball on that, after I reserved a day out of my schedule, and agreed to supply a make-up artist. When I didn't hear back from him in a timely manner, I told the MUA to go ahead and find some other gig for that day, that I didn't want to waste her time with a flaky dude who wasn't going to come through on a shoot.

*shrug*

This happens to everyone. It sucks, but it happens.

*Double Shrug*

Shatter Leaf wrote:
This is largely for the models out there:

I am having a really hard time getting responses to messages from models, even if they messaged me with interest first.  I've handled professional relationships and clients through emails for years and usually feel rather good at it, but it seems messaging models is quite different.

If its you're specifically speaking about communication through MM versus email in general, you're not alone.

Since MM's latest "coding fix", I've noticed my response rate has been lengthened by a good 2 weeks if not longer. Longer if their modeling activities does not require them to generate an income.