Alan from Aavian Prod wrote:
List of qualifications to be a photographic model:

1. You have to enjoy having your picture taken; and
2. You have to have the right look: and
3. You have to enjoy having your picture taken; and
4. You have to be available and responsible; and
5. You have to enjoy having your picture taken; and
6. When in doubt, see numbers, one three and five!

amen

M9 Photography wrote:

How I wish it was. Trust me. I hope this is not the way MM is going..

To late!

Gennavive Leigh wrote:
um excuse me...i bring my OWN release...thanks

by the way did i mention this is my 2nd shoot and my rates are $100 an hour for casual and lingerie...I DONT DO NUDE.

Now thats funny!...lol..but your forgot your escort...poor poor person.  I am sure they are feeling incredibly left out about now....go to your corner bad model!...lol

Studio 9 West wrote:

No offense but it they want to start somewhere they should start by PAYING a photographer to get them images which in turn will get them work. Unless you just have so much money that 30-40K in gear,education, training, studio space, comuters, programs etc etc is a drop in the bucket to you.  If thats the case then god bless you.  This is how I...and alot of other photogs eat.

I understand what you mean, I have just moved to a new state about 3 weeks ago, and all where models are few and far in between until I network. I on the other hand cannot afford to pay for professional models either. I'm too busy making payments on my gear. lol

I was looking to expand on my portfolio while helping someone I thought had potential out. I need to expand my portfolio so I'll finally start getting paid myself! MM is the only place where 1 our of 5 models for me are pretty excellent to work with and get an equal exchange in quality. I'm hoping after all this TFing, It'll pay off.

Studio 9 West wrote:

Now thats funny!...lol..but your forgot your escort...poor poor person.  I am sure they are feeling incredibly left out about now....go to your corner bad model!...lol

hahaha! Yeah where's the escort?? I need someone to get in my way constantly and maybe if im lucky they will hold this reflector. :p

Spade wrote:
uhhh

like this?

LOL I don't get it!  This is MM not myspace.

M9 Photography wrote:
So I see this beautiful girl with a profile full of pictures taken on her camera phone. I message her because hey, I'm always up for getting people to expand my portfolio and always willing to help someone get started. So I ask if she wants to shoot.

I get this reply:

"hey, thanks for the offer, i sincerely appreciate it.
but to be honest, i absolutely hate having my photo taken! so i'm really not interested at this time.
but i will keep your offer in mind, in case i ever decide otherwise."

I'm not ticked at all, she was honest, but why be on MM if thats the case??
I guess I know why she only has camera phone pictures now!

Anyone else ever have this happen? I don't get it.

Obviously her lover/escort/agent has a problem with her posing for photos.

T R Willmitch wrote:
Hi,

There are many gals that dream about becoming a “model”, just as some might want to be a rock star, country singer, actress… even a surgeon or astronaut.  A few gals snap MySpace-style images and put them up here at Model Mayhem.  Doing this allows them to live their dream risk-free.

Such individuals often check their portfolios on a daily basis, reading messages and apparently enjoying the attention of picture comments and tags from hopeful photographers.  A few may even participate in the forums.  However these gals will never set foot in front of a camera apparently for fear that the bubble will burst.

Over the years I’ve gone round and round with a few such gals that I hoped had potential.  I’ve spent months trying to sort out precisely what each individual was looking for in the way of a photo session and truly work along those lines.  Yet nothing has ever comes of it with any of these gals. 

It seems that is also the case with everyone else that corresponds with these potential models since their portfolios are never updated beyond the original images. 

Another breed of similar individual is the “one-session” model.  She actually shoots one time – often with a good photographer, willing to take a chance on her.  However that’s it.   Pictures in hand, this gal never steps in front of a camera again.  Now that she is a model, why should she?

It is a complex mix of individuals here on both sides of the camera at Model Mayhem.  And these modeling dreamers -- often with with real potential that they sadly don't see in themselves  -- are a large part of that mix.

Take care,
Tom Willmitch
Host, Model Mayhem’s Picture of the Day competition

Tom,

Amen to that.
Well said and well thought out.

I guess i'm learning more about MM than expected!

M9 Photography wrote:
hahaha! Yeah where's the escort?? I need someone to get in my way constantly and maybe if im lucky they will hold this reflector. :p

I don't have a problems with models who bring escorts. I can always use a hand changing backgrounds, adjusting lights holding reflectors, etc. And I don't even have to pay for an assistant.

As far as the original "problem" I have no problem shooting a model with camera phone pictures as long as they want to put in the time and effort to get a good portfolio. With your girl I would do a CAM and send them both your initial message and her reply. People that don't want to be part of the industry don't belong here.

Mz Pocahontas wrote:

LOL I don't get it!  This is MM not myspace.

Duh.

The picture was a joke illustrating the situation....

It's me taken with a camera phone with my middle finger in front of my face as if I hated having pictures taken of me.

M9 Photography wrote:

hahaha! You are awesome.

haha...thanks so are you.

Studio 9 West wrote:

Now thats funny!...lol..but your forgot your escort...poor poor person.  I am sure they are feeling incredibly left out about now....go to your corner bad model!...lol

damn escort...you mean my boyfriend who is 6 5 and 200 lbs and will beat you up if you even look at me with a squinty eye from behind your camera...

SouthFLpix wrote:

I suppose it's possible that she wants to be an artist's model and would rather pose for paintings or drawings.

I guess that's true, but it would of been mentioned on her profile?

danniepiggott wrote:

I guess that's true, but it would of been mentioned on her profile?

Yeah I agree. It was not on her profile at all.

M9 Photography wrote:

How I wish it was. Trust me. I hope this is not the way MM is going..

i wonder if this is an issue that can get someone kicked out/off the site?

Spade wrote:
uhhh

like this?

That's how I look in pictures most of the time!  I hate to have my pictures taken too, but that's why I became a photographer! 

danniepiggott wrote:

Baaa Myspace..... stupid site

Sites are only as stupid as how people use them.........

re- photography wrote:

Sites are only as stupid as how people use them.........

I can't stand myspace so I don't use it