Isis22 wrote:
Too old? I had a shoot with a 64 year old photographer. I was the first model(original first flaked so I stepped in) of a 3 day shoot! I don't know how many models he shot all weekend but there were at least 6 the first day.  Maybe taking polaroids was more time consuming than how you usually work?

One hour of clean natural lighting, and then an hour of experimenting. So 6 hours of shooting time each day, plus setup time. Same less setup, but take down on the following day.

And I'm a 120 years old, or at least that's what it feels like some mornings.

Garry k wrote:
Oh and some of us still shoot MM models with little or no flake rate

This is also my experience. Maybe we're selective with who we create with, or just lucky.

Garry k wrote:
With all your goings on about shooting agency models - why don't we see more evidence of it in your portfolio here ?

Updating this MM portfolio is a pain.... way too much work.
I don't shoot agency models and I get quite enough nice models through MM to be honest, but even so, my portfolio is still more or less the same as when I joined here, very rare that I update anything but since its stock photography I shoot most of my work is available online so its easy enough to show anyone a link.

Herman Surkis wrote:
and everybody showed up.
WTF!!!


But 6 models booked and 6 show up.

Getting too old to do that to myself. Very long weekend.

I'm lucky if two (2) out of 6 show up. You are lucky!

Mark Harris Photography wrote:

This is also my experience. Maybe we're selective with who we create with, or just lucky.

+1 No problems here either

Lallure Photographic wrote:
Guess you aren't accustomed to 12 hour fashion shoots, followed by 7 hour event shoot.  While I don't do that anymore, 16 hour days were once commonplace for me.

Never did that.
But came close in the distant past.
Those were the days when you had dinosaurs photobombing your shoot.

And my disclaimer that they were agency was for truthfulness. Even agency flake.

And the point was to offset another thread where it said "I booked 5 and nobody showed".

And Garry if it bothers you so much check out
https://www.facebook.com/hermansurkis.p … =bookmarks
where I posted some from each model.
Also on my portfolio here which is limited to 15, I have professionals.
Some are MM amateur (for the love of it) models, and agency.
Some professional dancers.
And some agency models.
Key point is "professional" or "committed".
And there are lots of those on MM. You just have to work a little harder to find them.

So the point is that by doing it right, you can avoid flakes.

And that goes for models avoiding flaky photographers.

It can take some effort, but it is doable.
And there are a lot of brilliant models, who just like being part of the creative process, not necessarily trying to make a career of it. And the same is true of photographers.

And if I, as a mid level photographer, can have 6 out of 6 show up (albeit agency), then so can others. I have never had an MM model flake on me. But then I do not shoot a lot so I can be selective. I have had a lot not respond, but that is another issue. The one catch is that those doing it for fun will be harder to pin down, since they will only do it when it is convenient for them. Guess what? That is my attitude as well.

So this whole thread is in praise of models who are committed to modeling, whether as a career or for fun.

Brooklyn Bridge Images wrote:
Sorry I dont see people from a legit agency comparable to average MM model

I agree.

And the problem is that the quality of the average MM model has dropped considerably.

However the above average MM model is another issue altogether.

I have met and shot various MM models who would be agency quality, except for lacking the stats. And in many cases they were better models.

And various agency models have MM accounts so as to get selective trade, or make money as a side line. Depends on the market. I have shot agency models who wanted stuff that would not be applicable for their books, but was stuff that they liked and made them feel good.

Case in point, my avatar is agency. Image is not useful for her portfolio. I like it and so does she. A few in my portfolio are agency. The images I have selected, and that the model has on their FB page, the agency would not touch. And interestingly the images that the agency selected for their portfolios, neither of us care about.

We tend to forget that not all models or photographers, are all about the money.

Some people do what they do, because they enjoy it.