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"I'm in your area, looking for paid shoots only.." So?
"Hi, I'm ________, a llama from ________, __ who will be in your area from ________ to _________. I am looking for paid shoots only; no TFP." Every time I see one of these emails or forum posts I wonder just how many agencies and photographers are sitting around with this project in their laps, wondering how they will ever find a llama to work with, when suddenly a llama publishes a notification that she will be in town during the exact timeframe that a llama is required. Seriously, do you llamas *ever* book paying work in this manner? I can't see how, aside from a photog who can't find *anyone* to shoot in his area and pays you for that reason. Personally, I delete all emails (especially omp referalls) where a llama thoughtfully informs me that she will be in my area for paid work. 95% of the time, I am NOT the one selecting llamas for paid work, and when I am, I will take referrals from an agency or (prefereably), use someone I have already worked with. There's essentially zero chance that I won't be successful in this case -- so I can't see how I would ever be left wanting for a llama, much less happen to have one who is coming to my area on the scheduled shoot days. Models? Oh, by the way, a small admission... Sometimes when I am in a less than cheerful mood and a llama informs me that she'll be in the area and is looking for paid work only, I innocently reply with a list of my rates and open dates in the studio. Once in a while I am rewarded with an email that comes back saying, "No, you don't get it -- YOU PAY ME..". Laughter - the best medicine. May 05 05 05:28 am Link rofl!!! Too true. You're, uhhh... like the Andy Rooney of photographers. May 05 05 06:01 am Link Sadly enough, there are plenty of photographers who do pay these llamas. More sadly enough, some photographers who pay these llamas will bitch at me for complaining about them paying. May 05 05 06:09 am Link Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: What is worse VM is there are people that will bitch at you for saying that they will bitch at you for complaining...... May 05 05 06:11 am Link Posted by Ty Simone: Say wha? It's too early in the morning for this. lol May 05 05 06:12 am Link they need to ask? well good luck to them! Spam is always annoying . . but I hope u r not saying that gals should pose nude for free? May 05 05 06:36 am Link Posted by Britt: Hells yes! May 05 05 06:43 am Link Posted by Britt: You're positing that they are being asked to pose nude... They aren't being asked anything. They are blindly throwing out statements of availability in the hopes that someone will hire them for whatever it is they shoot. My question is if these "shots in the dark" ever result in paying work - the basis being that I don't see what paying work an unsolicited llama might expect to get when she's non-local and only in town for a short period of time. In my experience, these llamas are usually on vacation (or "holiday", for the Brits!), and are looking to recoup the costs of the trip. May 05 05 06:55 am Link Should restate the Travel Notice. "No one in the area will shoot with me.So will you pay me becuase you DONT KNOW my work history" I love shooting with new faces anytime in a new area.But see it as a BONUS or perk of the travel.Not as looking at it as Please Pay For My Vacation or already planned travels May 05 05 06:57 am Link Posted by jimmyd: Huh... so like like what would you say I am? You know I get a lot of "Fan Mail" saying, "Thanks for be being the smart-ass that you are... keep it up... You make me laugh..." May 05 05 07:52 am Link I posted on the MC work listings last time I was in Ohio. (I was there for over a month) Only work listing I ever put "pay only, no TFP/CD". I did get sevral offers, one fell through because of a flood. I also got one TFCD offer which I took because it was close and I liked his work. (one of his is my avatar now) Also a while ago (a little over a year) I wanted to go to Ohio, and I emailed a couple of Photogs from there asking if they would help with my travel costs. They agreed and got some good shots from it. So yeah, if you do it right, it can work. But I knew what the later photogs were asking for and what they were offering and that as long as they liked my look they would prolly agree. The work listing post was blind, but thats what the work listing section is for. I would never blindly pm a msg asking for paid work just because the photog is in a certain area. I might blindly pm a msg asking for TFCD because the photographer is in a certain area and I like thier work.... May 05 05 08:34 am Link Posted by Joe Tomasone: My favorite part of this equation is when the "model" has worked with one photographer (read "guy-with-camera"), 1 semi-decent head shot and some "high quality" webcam shots of her face and ass which comprise the bulk of her portfolio. May 05 05 08:53 am Link Well stated.As you said it was more of an OFF THE CUFF notice and you were willing to do both.Which promted more interest.Glad you liked the images you got.And the new found contacts and friends you made May 05 05 08:56 am Link WEB CAMS..dont make me LOL and hurle at the same time.Could prove hazardous May 05 05 08:57 am Link Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: Strangely enough, or so I read here, many photographers do pay llamas instead of the other way around. That being the case, I would think those llamas sending out those notices are targeting an audience that probably does hire them for photo shoots. Even better still if they will be in town over a weekend when the photographer isn't working the day job. May 05 05 09:35 am Link That really is what this is boiling down to While I agree it is irritating (just get off omp - they're the worst anyways), the llamas probably are booking shoots and making a couple of dollars. And as stated most the time is ONE TIME SHOT llamas wanting high pay.There are some that are ESTABLISHED..thats a whole other story.They are HERE or THERE on a PAID assignment.And looking to add a couple more if possible while in the area. May 05 05 09:46 am Link I tried that once. I decided to try the LA thing and I posted travel notices on omp and various message boards. I got quite a few responses, but most were for porn (well... it was LA) or photographers who weren't interested in answering questions or confirming ahead of time. It was really not worth the effort. For the record, I said I was looking for mostly paid work but was willing to consider TFP if the offer was exceptional. I would also be so bold as to say I've already got a pretty strong portfolio (by internet standards), so I don't think I came off like a nobody just looking for saps to fund my vacation. I really have no idea how much luck anyone else has with this, but I'd guess glamour types probably do all right wih the GWCs. I forgot: I actually did this twice. A couple years ago I went to VA to visit my parents and put up an omp travel notice. I got much better results for my little trip to BFE. Maybe traveling to the middle of nowhere is the real key. May 05 05 02:29 pm Link Ya, those emails bug me too. I think there are situations where it's perfectly acceptable for a photographer to pay a llama but the llamas that need to spam photographers to get paying work typically aren't the type of llamas I want to hire. It really is just thowing a handfull of darts hoping to hit something. It makes me wonder how many llamas get email from photographers asking the the llama to hire them.... Theda, puting up a travel notice is much different than finding photographers and sending them emails asking them to hire you. IMO, travel notices are a perfectly respectable way of seeking work in other areas that you may be traveling to. May 05 05 05:17 pm Link Posted by theda: Yeah, we're not exactly scratching our heads out here in L.A. wondering "where are the llamas?" middle of nowhere is a good bet to find something May 05 05 05:20 pm Link I get the same thing from photographers traveling to AZ. Cute rate sheets. May 05 05 05:28 pm Link [b]Posted by Austin llamas May 05 05 05:43 pm Link Photographers actually pay llamas??? Usually I get them a hot meal and some warm clothes and they're happy. haha. I'm kidding. I'm so very very sad. May 05 05 07:30 pm Link Posted By theda: What did you expect? It's LA. Everyone out here is just a GWC. Especially that Eric Muss-Barnes guy. He's the worst. I hear he actually flirts with his llamas. How unprofessional is that? Bastard. May 05 05 08:22 pm Link Posted by EricMuss-Barnes: I heard he's really 64 years old and just uses an old edited picture of Dava Gahan to get chicks to shoot with him. He drools a lot too. May 06 05 01:04 am Link Posted by theda: That's all true. And I heard he's dating Theda and that she's a post-op transsexual man. May 06 05 01:07 am Link Posted by EricMuss-Barnes: I heard she was pre-op. She just tucks. May 06 05 01:11 am Link Posted by theda: What? Us LA GWCs only shoot tan and busty llamas- I resemble that remark! May 06 05 01:14 am Link Posted by theda: Posted by EricMuss-Barnes: I heard she was pre-op. She just tucks. Hot. Hot. Hot. May 06 05 01:17 am Link Posted by Reese, VA . MUA: "glamtician" is a great word! very catchy, professional, and technical sounding. sorta like a pornographer calling himself a "fornicatician" May 06 05 11:56 am Link |
