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Biggest lessons learned?
I learned that as an older man I did not have "the eye " to have become the truellly skilled and succesful photographer that as a younger man thought that i might have become if I had pursued photography as a career -( so it is fortunate that I did not) Jan 11 13 12:07 am Link StefaniG wrote: and most difficult to not fall prey of... "Don't believe your own press" Jan 11 13 12:15 am Link Emily Hayworth wrote: I walk away from work with clients who appear to be sketchy all the time. I even walk away from sketchy companies that want to hire me full time to be their in-house shooter. If a company just hired someone 6 months ago and in the process of hiring again and won't answer simple basic questions about the job (such as gear, #of shots per day, workflow, pecking order, etc.) then the company is one I don't want to work for. Jan 11 13 12:25 am Link Lumatic wrote: Hehehe ghost busters! Jan 11 13 12:28 am Link Don-Jones wrote: Great advice and I'm going to take you up on this! Jan 11 13 12:33 am Link -Everyone in this business is replaceable. Remembering this makes you humble and more pleasant to work with. At the same time, if you kick ass at your job, kick it. Humbly. -There is no amount of talent that makes up for a lack of professionalism. -Hold your breath while working on models who smoke. -Humility, a sense of humor and mad problem solving skills/flexibility are everyone's best ally on set. -It is your job to make everyone on set look good, not just in the makeup and hair department. -Communication that is clear, direct yet kind is most effective. -Work for money, pictures, tears, or whatever makes you happy...but do not work for free and do not work without a deal memo. Unless it's Kabuki calling for an assistant. -Do not wear shoes you cannot stand in for at least 10 hours without crying. -Do not accept a job you are not qualified for. Ever. -Do not lie about your work or experience. Ever. -If something in your kit doesn't come out every third job at the least, edit it out. You don't need it. Jan 11 13 12:34 am Link That on MM....Haters will always continue to Hate. Jan 11 13 12:54 am Link DOUGLASFOTOS wrote: I hate you! Jan 11 13 12:58 am Link One of the biggest is don't work with someone that offers terms you don't really agree with. FBY1K Jan 12 13 08:14 am Link Only take on projects that you really want to do, don't be a flake, always be on time, and be careful about what you say and who you say it to. Jan 12 13 10:25 am Link Always bring a water bottle and don't forget to eat. Jan 12 13 01:27 pm Link Be okay to make changes. There is always something on set, that in theory and in planning worked great, but on set, just ain't doing it. Be ready and able to be flexible. Jan 12 13 01:53 pm Link That "TR" in a model's name does NOT stand for "Tomb Raider." Jan 13 13 07:59 am Link If she looks a little like a man in her shots... make sure she isn't a man before she shows up. If you notice that the photographer has scheduled 10 models and only has one makeup artist and no hair person... go to lunch and come back in two hours when it all blows over. Drunk does not make things more beautiful... the next day. People are good. Be quick to say yes... until they give you reason to say no. Then say no once and be prepared to get the fuck out. Jan 13 13 08:21 am Link No matter how much they offer to pay you or how awesome their work is, do not shoot with someone you don't feel comfortable with. Jan 13 13 08:32 am Link Lesson learnt!... Cancel the shoot immediately when:- 1) The model asks for a 'car' to pick her up (when she isn't Dean Johnson or Naiomi Campbell). 2) If a model asks....for your details (when you've already given them TWICE!) 3) If a model.......Calls you on the morning of the shoot to ask what time/where is the shoot. CLASSIC FLAKE BEHAVIOUR........AVOID! ........AVOID! Nikita Marriott Model Mayhem # 2725110. Don't book her! You will be wasting your time/money. Disrespectful. Cowardly. Illiterate. Useless. Sinister....Photographers, please learn from my mistake. PLEASE! Jan 17 13 11:31 am Link Anthony-Ray wrote: LOL I have a gizmo stuck to the window of my truck! Jan 17 13 12:27 pm Link Get a good accountant. Jan 17 13 12:31 pm Link Cut the green wire first. Jan 17 13 12:39 pm Link Raff wrote: Outing is not allowed in the forums. Please remove the identifying information from your post! Jan 17 13 12:41 pm Link NEVER, EVER...... take on a job for free, be it photographing/painting, or exhibiting your work, for "the wonderful exposure and future work you will get out of doing this for me for free"! Jan 17 13 12:52 pm Link If your shoot location is littered with elderly people move to a back up location, the cops are probably already on the way. Jan 18 13 06:23 pm Link Always check references. Don't just look to see who a person has worked with.. I recently worked with someone and ended up leaving a shoot with no pay because things got uncomfortable. I had driven an hour to get there. And that person had worked with models I know, so I just assumed it was cool. Don't assume anything about anyone, model or photographer! Jan 19 13 10:31 am Link Lessons I've learned since becoming an MM member: 1. Never invest anything in a shoot with an internet model I'm not willing to loose/walk away from. 2. Stock has low returns, but still pays more than art nudes. Art nudes are much more fun than stock. Stills offer a better return than models, but models are more fun than stills. 3. The rates stated in model rate threads bear almost no resemblance to what models actually accept. 4. Models here seem to be either extremely dedicated, reliable and dedicated or the exact opposite. There's little in between. 5. Get the released signed whenever possible before the shoot starts. 6. Pass on the models that have many demands (Escorts, want references, want RAW images, etc.) - Easier and more reliable to move onto a compatible model than try to compromise. Jan 19 13 10:41 am Link Abbitt Photography wrote: Lol aww we can't ask for references?! I've heard many complaints directly from photographers about some really really ridiculously good looking and popular models being total flakes, so I'd think to cover yourselves you'd check our references too. Just sayin'. Jan 19 13 11:23 am Link Always take a 50% deposit. Jan 19 13 02:25 pm Link Abbitt Photography wrote: Leenah wrote: Escorts are widely scorned, references not so much. Mostly, that's his thing. Jan 19 13 03:16 pm Link Biggest lessons learned? Cameras don't bounce! Jan 19 13 03:22 pm Link don't work with hookers Jan 19 13 04:03 pm Link never ask anyone to take their clothes off unless you're willing to see them naked Jan 19 13 04:34 pm Link Garry k wrote: That may or may not be true . . . . . Jan 21 13 08:08 pm Link Vincent Arthur wrote: "WORD!" Jan 21 13 08:10 pm Link Never leave the camera on a high table with PC cord attached... Jan 21 13 08:13 pm Link SYCF wrote: I was sad to read that. That's a lot of work undone! Jan 21 13 08:17 pm Link Never hang off a bridge to document floodwaters without support. I'd recommend strapping ropes around the body instead. Lesson learned. Jan 21 13 09:10 pm Link Ken Marcus Studios wrote: +1 for sure Jan 21 13 09:12 pm Link Don't forget your sandbags on a windy day, It can be a costly mistake. Jan 21 13 09:15 pm Link Michael Charter wrote: Oh huge. I lost a 550ex back in the day. Jan 21 13 09:21 pm Link The most important lesson I've learned since I started pretending to be a Photographer.... "To end up with a small fortune in Photography, one must begin with a large fortune." Jan 21 13 09:51 pm Link What I've learned: If a model is more than 10 minutes late with no communication, they're probably not going to show. Go home. If a model shows no or too much enthusiasm, they're probably not going to show (ie I *LOVE* your work and can't wait to shoot with you, for me, = flake). Don't start threads that deal with llama herders. Don't start Canon vs Nikon threads. If you are going to shoot, be prepared for all the negativity everyone will have to say about why the shot is a "snapshot" and/or otherwise terrible. When an llama herder starts recommending poses and angles, end the shoot immediately, if not, sooner. If you are shooting a model who is married, don't let them pose with another model. Always, ALWAYS confirm a shoot before leaving to go there. This is true even if the shoot gets set up just 12 hours before the shoot is supposed to happen. The list could go on and on ... but I think the biggest lesson I learned is really simple: ignore everyone who has "great advice" because it's usually not that great. If it is great, I'll be the judge of it. Jan 21 13 09:54 pm Link |
