rp_photo wrote:
Although I was into photography a long time ago, I have only been doing model-type work since last year after a long absence from the field.

I have trouble even comprehending how we showed our work and found models in the days before the Internet!

Easy.  Word of mouth or through an agency, or through a referral.  You went and met the person and showed them your book.  The model liked your book, they hired you.  (Way back then, photographers did not pay models, but did test occasionally to try new stuff.)

Hmmm, how times have changed.

Andy Meng wrote:
Hmmm, how times have changed.

I would guess that fewer contacts were made and sessions shot, but that each session and contact were taken more seriously. For example, in the past, 10 contacts would lead to 5 shoots. Today, perhaps 100 contacts might lead to 5 shoots.

The internet in a sense cheapens the value of a contact because they are so easy to make (and blow off).

Did models give the same goofy cancellation excuses in the pre-email and wireless days?

Ross Morrison wrote:
in the end, digital deflowered photography, and turned it into a cheap hooker.  now anyone can do touch up in photoshop and people used to specialize in spotting and printing, it was an art form.  and the skill of exposing a chrome perfectly with color temp balance and the perfect highlights have been washed away.  most who shoot couldn't properly expose chrome if their life depended on it.  i know how daguerre felt.

Those cameras really put the painters out of business, too.

And don't get me started on photographers who don't coat their own plates, or  use roll film, or  color!

Kevin Connery wrote:
Those cameras really put the painters out of business, too.

And don't get me started on photographers who don't coat their own plates, or  use roll film, or  color!

And painters made long term visual memory obsolete. 

-Don

rp_photo wrote:
Did models give the same goofy cancellation excuses in the pre-email and wireless days?

Only twice... the first time and the last time; and it was usually at the same time. LOL

Studio36

Kevin Connery wrote:
And don't get me started on photographers who don't coat their own plates, or  use roll film, or  color!

Coating plates aside... have you heard the one about the wedding where the bride and groom wanted some shots in B&W and demanded that they be done on B&W FILM? When they actually found a photographer that could do it and would do it [no mean task I am told] he charged them extra... and they paid it, too.

Studio36

rp_photo wrote:
Although I was into photography a long time ago, I have only been doing model-type work since last year after a long absence from the field.

I have trouble even comprehending how we showed our work and found models in the days before the Internet!

In the 60's phoptographers had plenty of paying customers, and we just ask them to do a few test images, after the paid shoot, or ask them back in at a later time.

In the 70's I would ask them to pose, for a print.  Got so many takers I could not shoot them all.

In the 80's I gave then two prints and a meal.

In the early 90's I upped the offer to $20.00 , and a print.

In 1998 I raised the amount $50.00 for a two hour shoot. (I still pay this amount, plus give them some prints, or digital images.)

In 2000 I bought a computer, and started looking for models.

In 2000 I quit looking for models on the internet, but realized that the internet was a good place to put some of my sample images. I put an Internet link on my Models Needed card, and went back to looking in markets, malls, restaurants, and on the streets.

Still do it this way, This is the reason I have images on MM, OMP, premier models, and glamour models. It allows the locals that I meet to check out my images.

studio36uk wrote:

Coating plates aside... have you heard the one about the wedding where the bride and groom wanted some shots in B&W and demanded that they be done on B&W FILM? When they actually found a photographer that could do it and would do it [no mean task I am told] he charged them extra... and they paid it, too.

Studio36

A lot of the high end wedding photographers still offer some images on B&W film, and  deliever silver gelatin prints.

Marvin Dockery wrote:
A lot of the high end wedding photographers still offer some images on B&W film, and  deliever silver gelatin prints.

Very much so and that specialised photographic market is getting bigger the longer and deeper digital intrudes into everyday life. When it comes to digital the discerning bride and groom today, and usually at the well educated and moneyed high end of the paying client list, often think "Digital? Hell I could do that myself" - but for the wedding they want something that they perceive is really, really special and so are now seeking out the film guys... those that are left anyway.

Studio36

Marvin Dockery wrote:

A lot of the high end wedding photographers still offer some images on B&W film, and  deliever silver gelatin prints.

damn, I totally want a couple nice silver gelatins from my wedding. I've always LOVED them so much... thanks for the idea!

Im'age NY (INY) wrote:
I would walk 20 miles, uphill, in both directions to shoot...and back then, we used candles and old maxwell house tins for reflectors. Sometimes the indians would come down from the hills...

And in three feet of snow with no shoes of course because we had to buy more fix or developer for our darkroom in the back shed that was once the outhouse...

;P sorry I had to make soooo back in the day.

Oh i'm sorry i missed the point. The internet is wonderful for networking especially locally. But again, back in da day, it was plain word of mouth and alot of footing it promoting yourself.

I do know how it was back in the day etc, but i miss the smell of that fix, developer and having my fingers because i refused to wear gloves, handling the prints that were left to dry in my bathroom on old clothes pins.