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Why are models so difficult lately?
I have been lately trying to move the conversation to some form of communication other than MM. Email and text are a lot easier than MM's PMs. Lots of models don't check it regularly so even if you have started "talking" its very easy to read a message and think "ill get back to them tomorrow" then forget. Sep 16 14 09:36 pm Link interested Sep 16 14 09:50 pm Link If a model is serious about her career, she will keep consistent in communication, and let you know if she is unavailable after all. Things come up and people get busy, but communication is so important, especially in the model/photographer world. I always politely let a photographer know if I don't want to shoot with them, and even give them an explanation if they want one. My only other guess would be working a full time job and trying to make a career out of modeling, which I am currently doing. Although, I always reply to photographers, MUA, and stylists because I want to show I am the professional they are looking for. Sep 17 14 01:19 pm Link This may or may not be an issue in your area, but another thing to consider, especially with online 'communities' like MM is that quite often a model will post profiles under a variety of names. From a photographer's standpoint, this can be confusing, to say the least. By the same token, I'd think it would make the model's in/out box harder to manage. It may be that some of the models you've contacted have over-extended themselves and are having problems keeping up with messages in a timely fashion. Anyway, good luck! Sep 17 14 01:33 pm Link Herman Surkis wrote: Doesn't help my modeling, but thanks! And I prefer green! Sep 17 14 01:42 pm Link Erin Holmes wrote: I have taken some of my best photos in the Arizona desert. Sep 17 14 02:13 pm Link How are you contacting them? I find initial messages that state all the pertinent details (client/project info, date, time, compensation, usage) rather than vague "would love to work together sometime" communication is far more effective. Anyway, hope your luck improves! Sep 18 14 10:47 pm Link cast your net wide (even beyond mayhem) and if you can't get them with words consider paying them. Sep 20 14 09:46 am Link somedelightfullife wrote: Amen^^^^ If you ever come to N.C lmk...This is the type of attitude a model should have...Thanks.. Sep 20 14 09:54 am Link Kate Eaton wrote: I contact them here..Then always via email/text/phone after that.. Sep 20 14 09:55 am Link It was a pain when I first started shooting, then I got better, and people were more responsive. Just gotta keep truckin' regardless. Though, working with agency models, at least I know they get an earful from their bookers when they don't show. The best part of agencies is you keep one PoC but the girls keep changing. Sep 20 14 10:53 am Link So it continues..I had a flake yesterday 2 hours before say they had a family emergency come up..MmmmmHmmmm What a quinky dink...I suspect it was because I did not favor them to bring an escort.. Sep 24 14 09:53 am Link Seems to be a sign of the times. Communication lately with models has been labored here too. Maybe it's a sign I should get caught up on my editing. ;-) Sep 24 14 09:57 am Link ShootRaw wrote: Perhaps it is time to look at the one thing that has been common to all your woes... Sep 24 14 11:17 am Link I have found that a great deal of models do not have the courtesy of s simple reply in order to cancel. As a photographic artist; I spend a great deal of time and energy in planning and preparing a shoot. Before booking a session with a model, I always spell out what my compensation for the shoot will be. Even after booking, I have had some models that don't even give you the courtesy of a phone call back to confirm . On my last shoot, I called the model the day before to make sure she was coming. I got her machine and I asked her to call back. Nothing! The day of the shoot, I kept calling, asking if there was a problem. Nothing! I keep calling to find out if there was a problem and I even e mailed her. Still no response. HOW RUDE! There should be a blacklist with her name put on the top. She should at the very least be removed from Model Mayhem. Lets be professional. Thanks, Steven Klein Sep 24 14 11:18 am Link Marin Photography NYC wrote: +1 Sep 24 14 12:29 pm Link You're new here, just get used to it. Sometimes they may have a reason (maybe not a good reason) but sometimes they get distracted by something shiny and forget what they were doing. Sep 24 14 01:18 pm Link JoJo wrote: That, and more and more people have the attention span of a sand flea. Out of sight, out of mind, ex task to the next task ... stuff happens. It happens to all of us at one point in time or another. I probably do it myself sometimes without realizing it (if I realized it, I wouldn't do it). Life goes on. There are other models/photographers out there. Sep 24 14 01:36 pm Link My belief is that Internet modeling was a fad and is on the way out. Maybe it is just perception, but the environment feels quite different from when I started over three years ago, and even then I was a late-comer. Sep 24 14 01:43 pm Link I find that it comes in waves. For a while everyone shows up, and then the reverse happens. Just go with the flow. -- Martin Sep 24 14 01:47 pm Link 5 Tips for Better Shoots with Models: 1) Do not set any expectation for a shoot with a model or client until you have met with them personally. Nothing counts until you have the personally commitment to a specific shoot on a specific date. 2) Use planning meetings to confirm a models interest and current look. Social media and the internet and no substitute for direct personal communication and verification that the models look and terms are right for your shoot. 3) Your success with publication and top clients will increase every models interest to work with you. Just creating pretty pictures for digital media is not enough to motivate most good models. They want paid work and tearsheets. 4) Use top MUAs, hair stylists, clothing stylists, for your shoots and rely on their personal recommendations for reliable talent. I talk with other photographers often about positive experiences with clients and talent. Personal experiences are much stronger than any website or social media connection and top talent will see that you have the resources to get excellent results. 5) Expand your clients and opportunities for paid work for models. Only the photographers that shoot client assignments every month have get solid interest from models in my market. All top talent will gravitate towards the photographers who recommend models for client work. Sep 24 14 02:57 pm Link Herman Surkis wrote: Speak for yourself. It takes a lot more than a model not messaging me back, regardless of where we are in the shoot preparations, to drive me nuts. Sep 24 14 07:39 pm Link DougBPhoto wrote: I try to Pick out people that are active on the site..My communication is stellar..I reply fast, and am very thorough about what is planned..it seems a lot here are having equal problems as I am having..I would not go as far as saying that I am having more issues then the rest here..I assure you I am doing things the right way and it is the models issues that has caused this dead end. Sep 24 14 07:58 pm Link I don't find actual models difficult in the least, they are communicative, punctual, and usually are a delight to work with. I do however find arrogant GWP's (girls with pictures) on line misrepresenting themselves as models without even having the most fundamental understanding of what the work entails, to be far more grief than they can possibly be worth. Models will understandably have something critical to say about the many fauxtographers on this site as well. Sep 24 14 08:01 pm Link I think that we all had that problem as photographer. I would just say to anyone out there that take there craft serious, just take your book to top modeling agency in your area.And show them your work you would be surprised on the great results you would get. You as a artist are just trying to market your craft, and give excellent services to these modeling agency. You don't have to deal with people that are not serious. A text message or a phone call shows the respect of how people feel about you and your craft to let you no they can't make a shoot. Antonio, Sep 24 14 08:35 pm Link Fotopia wrote: True.. Sep 26 14 10:43 am Link I believe the majority of "models" on here are people who posed for a few photos and were told they should get into modeling when in truth they shouldn't have. They create a profile, add a few photos, and then forget all about it never to be heard from again. They don't answer mail even to say not interested. As far as MM goes I've had much better luck posting casting notices and getting responses than contacting models directly. When I do search through models I limit the search to those who have been active in the last ten days or so. I think any profile that hasn't been updated in the last ninety days should auto self destruct and be removed from the system. Sep 26 14 01:15 pm Link what gives? you haven't worked it out yet? there are literally MILLIONS of flakey 'models' on MM. learn how to spot them so you don't waste your time. Oct 01 14 07:43 am Link As someone pointed out on page one, school is back in session. If this is not someone's primary profession, of course it will get put on the back burner. Save yourself the headache and set your expectations lower; don't expect a response, don't expect to confirm a shoot until it is in writing. Be realistic. What are you offering? Does the other person really seem invested in the shoot? You are not owed a response; yeah it would be nice but to expect it is to set yourself up for disappointment. I book models too, and can tell from the first few messages usually whether a shoot will come from our communication or not. Oct 01 14 08:02 am Link How much are you offering to pay them? Oct 03 14 12:21 am Link ShootRaw wrote: Let's see, what a great question with so many answers. They are being so difficult lately for several reasons, like because they can! And honestly, with the amount of white knights here in the fourms and other photographers that just cave into their unrealistic demands like excessively high rates, allowing escorts, references, and feeding their ego's, that pretty much covers it. Now, that's not to say all photographers are sweet and innocent, but yeah, I see what you're saying though. Oct 03 14 07:21 am Link Sometimes when you can't get a problem figured out, just step up to the mirror and you may see what the problem is. Oct 03 14 07:29 am Link JoJo wrote: I TOTALLY agree with your statement but TOTALLY disagree with no response is viable. Oct 03 14 07:35 am Link Light and Lens Studio wrote: OR...you may not... Oct 03 14 07:37 am Link Mark C Smith wrote: I will speak for myself here...I personally don't have the luxury of wasting time nor enjoy wasting it on bullsh*t or flakes...inadequate or the null set of contact is flakey.... Oct 03 14 07:44 am Link ShootRaw wrote: Maybe it's to much ability and to many messages. All that tech makes messages get buried on page 2 or 3 of some set of screens and people don't go back that far (like all the way to yesterday). Or maybe I'm just old. Oct 03 14 08:49 am Link At two year ago I needed to make some serious adjustments to what I thought was timely communication when realize that good number model's primary tech were their phones. They emailed, posted, texted and scheduled everything through thier phones. Imagine how much of a bottleneck that must be between friends, family, work and photographers. As photographers we almost all have computers, phones and tablets allowing us to sort through all messages and junk we receive on a daily basis. I try to plan all my first shoots with models three weeks in advance (try being the optimal word). Once you are on a model's radar they are more likely to able see our message through the pile requests they must receive constantly. As photographers we really need to read profiles and look out for things; third person wording, too good to be trues, duplicate wording (if this is your third time seeing this wording it probably a photographer having fun), too much personal info and photographers are a$$es references. Oct 03 14 10:35 am Link Steven Klein wrote: Not just models. I've been flaked on by photographers plenty. Newsflash, photographers are just as guilty of this shitty behaviour. Oct 04 14 01:28 pm Link I don't usually have models vanish on me but the few times it's happened I haven't really given it much thought because if they don't want to work with me, or communicate with me properly, then who cares? I'll just go out and find someone better that wants to shoot with me. Why would you waste any time thinking about a model that clearly doesn't care enough about you and your work to tell you what's going on? Sounds more like you dodged a bullet to me. Oct 04 14 01:48 pm Link I wonder if it has to do with the change of schedules for some models - going back to classes etc..... but I have noticed the same trend - it's been a couple of years since the last time a model cancelled on me or flaked but it is becoming common lately.... Now I could just stay with agency models - never had a flake - but I have drifted away from the editorial fashion and portfolio work that agencies like in favor of more ALT and conceptual work, and I like to have a bit more control over my images.... all that being said I am losing patience with the internet modeling scene.... hell I recently shot a model for her first national publication and was going to shoot her for another and she cancelled on me lol..... I don't give second chances..... Oct 04 14 02:01 pm Link |
