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Am I wasting my time?
Dagmara did nude ! Wow. Feb 23 13 05:55 pm Link Hi, OP  Firstly, the reason more US photographers than UK photographers seem interested in shooting with you is that this site is US dominated - you don't have to go across the pond to get yourself going If you're struggling to book shoots with creatives who inspire you, be proactive! We all go through periods of feeling stagnant, and it's easy to hide out and hope that some amazing photographer will come along and light up your inbox (hint hint, universe!) but, sometimes you've got to just take the bull by the horns and send out messages. Be polite, be friendly, and if you can be, be funny! Take rejection with good grace and don't dwell on it, say your prayers (to whomever, or not if you prefer  ) take your vitamins, and be very, very careful from whom you take advice. So, you might not be fashion stats, and you might not want to shoot nudes. You are bright and pretty, and you seem to have a balanced head on your shoulders - which will serve you better in the internet modelling world than almost anything else. Feb 23 13 06:39 pm Link Art of the nude wrote: OP used the phrase "wasting my time" without qualifying it. I assumed she felt that doing this as a hobby was time-wasteful. Feb 23 13 11:18 pm Link Feb 24 13 12:03 am Link Keep at it! Come up with fun concepts, photographers love concepts. Start building a nice collection of wardrobe or props to work with. Come up with some awesome locations. Bring more to the table than just a pretty face. Good luck... Feb 24 13 01:09 am Link Sarah Louise Gater wrote: You'll not make money like Elle MacPherson or Dean Johnson. Feb 24 13 01:43 am Link What does any one expect from a hobby? Feb 24 13 03:00 am Link If it's fun for you then keep[ it up. You won't likely make any $$ at it with your stats unless you get famous for something else, do nudes (and even then Art nudes don't really guarantee you much of an income. So you'd be WAY out of your comfort zone to resort to the glamour nudes that might) or glamour. Maybe group shoots for sexy stuff you could make a some $$ but probably not a lot there either. But for fun, why not. I do my photography for the love of it. I get paid from time to time. I've been published a lot and not paid much for that but I still get a charge out of seeing my work in print. Wouldn't you feel great if a shot of you appeared in a real magazine some where? Vogue IT (The mag not the website..though the website loves me too. LOL!) is using one of my pics in next months issue and doing a short story about me. Can't wait to see it. Know what they are paying me for it? ZERO> But I did a story for Photo Techniques last year and they paid me $2K. So you never know. Just don't give up the day job and keep having fun shooting what you like and feel comfortable doing. Feb 24 13 03:20 am Link In order to answer your question"am I wasting my time?".......you must decide exactly what your purpose for modeling is/what is your goal? I would gladly include you in photo projects if the geographical distance between us was not so great. But, would you want to participate in my projects? Feb 24 13 03:36 am Link OP, Fashion and Internet (nude or not) modelling are not your only choices, even at 5'-3" there are other options. Think of ideas (and agencies) that can get you work as: Event Promotional Spokesperson Hostess Lifestyle etc. Build yourself a good portfolio in some of those genres, then contact some agencies that specialize in promotional type work. Feb 24 13 05:45 am Link Yes (to the question that the OP asked originally) in my opinion, you may very well be. The reason I say this is that if you study your current portfolio, in the photos that were professionally taken, you don't look very comfortable, there's not much personality on show and only a very limited range of expressions. (Mind you, everything about those photographs is so old fashioned that none of it might be your fault.) On the other hand, the photos I assume are amateur/student ones, including the one you took yourself, show someone far more comfortable in their own skin, prettier and a lot more interesting. On that evidence alone, there must be a few questions. On the plus side you say you're "determined" and IMHO determination, commitment and enthusiasm ought to be more than enough for you to accomplish your goals. But to come on the MM forum asking about whether you're wasting your time after only 3 months, doesn't show that much determination. So... on the basis of the evidence I see, there has to be some doubt. And I wouldn't fixate myself with working with photographers in the USA if I were you because this could just be a grass is greener type thing. I'll bet there are hundreds of talented photographers a lot closer to home if you only knew where to find them. This is where your determination will serve you. Feb 24 13 08:59 am Link Colorado Model Amber wrote: You're also 8 months pregnant right? Although that might attract some, it's also a niche that some may not have interest. Feb 24 13 03:27 pm Link Jennifer Jurca wrote: +1 Feb 24 13 05:48 pm Link If a model writes a profile FULL of issues and then inserts an irrelevant advert for a local photographer in there, it just says to me that the model is totally unfocused on the task in hand, which is selling HERSELF. It's a wasted opportunity. I had to wait 4 years from being published in iD to being published anywhere else. I had to wait 4 years from being offered a job by Vogue, to being published in Vogue. I had to wait about 15 years before being exhibited. I'm still waiting to achieve all my goals, I've been doing this on and off 20 years. Feb 24 13 06:46 pm Link Sarah Louise Gater wrote: Feb 24 13 06:54 pm Link It depends on what kind of success you want in the industry. Agencies really look for women who are 5ft9 or taller, because they want them to be close in height with the men and it just makes outfits look better. Tall girls can get away with a little extra weight on the sides much easier than short girls because being tall makes a person look more slender... It's sad that has to be the rule, but it just is... I have heard that girl won't get represented if they aren't willing to do nude, but that is not the case. It's a misconception. If a girl has the features and the stats then saying no to nudes won't stop an agency from hiring... The thing is though, many unfortunate girls with regard to height and looks think that 'resorting' (i do agree with that word, if a person does not feel comfortable doing nude and then decide to do so because they think they are 'expected' to, it most certainly is 'resorting') to doing nudes will get them in. In reality the majority of models get refused daily, regardless of stats, features etc; only because it is such a huge industry and there are so many other models to choose from. So many women I know weren't tall of pretty enough and badly wanted to be models, so they did nude shoots and kept applying, only to be refused over and over again and where does leave a person? Disappointed, distraught and now having hundreds of but naked images all over the internet... (I can only shake my head.) I would say though, if you enjoy it and don't want to make a living off it, never stop. I do the same. I'm an artist so I love what I do and most of what I do doesn't not earn me a penny, but it makes me happy and that is so worth it. Feb 24 13 07:41 pm Link Yes...for anything major. BUT why can't you still have fun shooting? Feb 24 13 07:49 pm Link Sarah Louise Gater wrote: I think we have all been here, as Sarah...we all have a moment of questioning if what we are doing is the right thing. Let me ask you this, Sarah... Feb 25 13 10:36 am Link |
