Forums > Model Colloquy > Model port updating?

Photographer

IMAGINERIES

Posts: 2048

New York, New York, US

Wonder why it seems so stressful for most model to update their ports at least once a year!

Jun 05 18 05:52 pm Link

Photographer

E Thompson Photography

Posts: 719

Hyattsville, Maryland, US

IMAGINERIES wrote:
Wonder why it seems so stressful for most model to update their ports at least once a year!

When they schedule a shoot, they know it portends the death of a grandmother.

Jun 05 18 06:00 pm Link

Photographer

Sliver-Sliver

Posts: 175

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US

Redacted. It's stupid of me to feed the trolls.

Jun 05 18 09:22 pm Link

Photographer

G Reese

Posts: 913

Marion, Indiana, US

Constantly complaining about it in the models' forum isn't doing yourself any favors either.

Sure,  I get a flake now and then. Some may or may not look exactly like what is in their port.
But there are a lot like the one I worked with last month that show up on time ready to work in the worst weather,
with a big smile. And no, she don't update her port very often either, she's on the road working most of the time.

Jun 06 18 05:39 am Link

Photographer

Fleming Design

Posts: 1380

East Hartford, Connecticut, US

I think that Imagineries, and some others, post here because they simply don't have anything to do.  If some lonely guys want to post about TV shows, or pythons, or lunch to engage some contact with other people it really doesn't hurt anyone.   As Model Sarah posted a while back "Is this literally what the forums have become? Old guys pissed about nothing because they don't have shit to do."  For some regulars here the answer is yes.

Jun 06 18 05:49 am Link

Model

Michelle Genevieve

Posts: 1140

Gaithersburg, Maryland, US

Wow, this is a tough room! smile

Jun 06 18 06:26 am Link

Photographer

Risen Phoenix Photo

Posts: 3779

Minneapolis, Minnesota, US

I guess who cares.  Models will do what they do.  If a model is busy and getting work why should she want to update her portfolio. Think she is going to miss out on some big ad campaign?  Or will a photographer just be but hurt because the said model doesnt put any of his images in her port.  Even after he drops $250 for a shoot and gets the same 25 images she poses for all the photographers she shoots with. ( Of course there are rare exceptions)

Just focus on the few models who care about the quality of what they do and forget about the rank amateurs.

Jun 16 18 06:44 pm Link

Model

Alexandra Vincent

Posts: 308

Asheville, North Carolina, US

I actually initially decided to learn photograpy out of anger and frustration over bad trade shoots and inability to successfully update my own portfolio with the types and styles of shots I wanted and needed for self-promotion. Being able to shoot my own images made a HUGE difference in the quality of attention my work gets now (I focus on social media now, especially IG) versus a couple years ago. TFP used to be pretty beneficial and productive ten years ago. Today, it's become extremely unreliable.

I'd just generally advise any model who's serious about their work to buy a halfway decent DSLR, subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud for $10/month, watch some simple Photoshop tutorials on YouTube, and start shooting your own content. This will also give you copyrights to the work, so you will be able to market prints, submit photos for publication/features (my first publication as a model, since 2011, happened this year - because I photographed myself and did the leg work myself) and participate on platforms such as Patreon should you choose.

Also, learning skills on the back end of the camera is just a great investment of time and energy. I was getting paying photo clients, for things like business headshots and small local businesses needing promo photos, within months of getting my first camera. I now do a lot of family, baby and family event stuff. I enjoy this work immensely. So in addition to the other skills you have, as a person and model, you will be able to market your work on both sides of the camera.

Jun 20 18 10:50 am Link

Photographer

Chuckarelei

Posts: 11271

Seattle, Washington, US

I'm curious, how do yo take good pictures of yourself? Aside from through a mirror and self-timer on the camera?

Jun 27 18 12:05 am Link

Photographer

Carle Photo

Posts: 475

New Orleans, Louisiana, US

Chuckarelei wrote:
I'm curious, how do yo take good pictures of yourself? Aside from through a mirror and self-timer on the camera?

Most of my portfolio is self shot.

A good self timer is all you need.

Jun 27 18 08:13 am Link

Photographer

Worlds Of Water

Posts: 37732

Rancho Cucamonga, California, US

IMAGINERIES wrote:
Wonder why it seems so stressful for most model to update their ports at least once a year!

Honestly... we all know stress really isn't the problem here.  One's inability to make accurate observations may be the culprit... wink

Jun 27 18 02:09 pm Link

Photographer

Abbitt Photography

Posts: 13559

Washington, Utah, US

Some models (correctly) assume outdated photos will sell their service better than recent ones will.

Jun 27 18 03:15 pm Link

Model

Alexandra Vincent

Posts: 308

Asheville, North Carolina, US

Chuckarelei wrote:
I'm curious, how do yo take good pictures of yourself? Aside from through a mirror and self-timer on the camera?

Self-timer on camera. I invest a lot of time in setting up the shot, prior to going into the frame. Also, most of my lenses have been vintage, manual focus lenses adapted for use on a contemporary DSLR, so I put an extra tripod into the shot where I will stand to focus perfectly on that object. At this point, I have upgraded to newer, Canon lenses with AF capacity, but much of what is in my portfolio was shot manual focus during last year. I am sure using some of the preset "modes" on the camera might make it easier as well, but I wanted to learn to shoot fully in manual from the get-go. I had no one else to pose for me except myself during those initial phases of learning. I actually found it easier to photograph myself than other people, at least at first. This was from the 3rd time I'd ever touched a camera, and it's a very well-liked image. I just set the timer and ran into the frame:

18+
https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/43957096

If you know what you're looking to achieve in advance and spend time looking at the light and how it will hit your body in the shot, photographing yourself is no big deal.

Jun 27 18 05:03 pm Link

Photographer

LA StarShooter

Posts: 2730

Los Angeles, California, US

IMAGINERIES wrote:
Wonder why it seems so stressful for most model to update their ports at least once a year!

It's not a question of stress and it doesn't really matter what they choose to do. The most important thing is what you chose to do. When I have questions in the forums I have asked in the appropriate forum about equipment and people have been very helpful. How is this question really helpful to you? Do you want them to reply: "It's because I didn't know you were available?"

Jun 27 18 11:41 pm Link

Photographer

Rik Williams

Posts: 4005

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Wonder why there are so few models in the forums these days

Jun 29 18 12:30 pm Link

Artist/Painter

Hunter GWPB

Posts: 8155

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, US

Chuckarelei wrote:
I'm curious, how do you take good pictures of yourself? Aside from through a mirror and self-timer on the camera?

The newer of my cameras has an interval timer.  The operator can set the number of shots and the duration between the shots.  Once the camera is set up, the operator can enter the target area, and make adjustments to the pose.  Also using the video function and moving slowly in the frame for a short period of time, and then selecting a jpg from the video.

I really do not understand why more models do not shoot this way.

Jun 29 18 12:37 pm Link

Photographer

Rik Williams

Posts: 4005

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Hunter  GWPB wrote:
I really do not understand why more models do not shoot this way.

Wouldn't take a whole lot of effort to better some of the work out there these days, but it takes more than just being attractive and looking at a camera while it clicks away on auto to create a memorable shot.

Jun 29 18 12:52 pm Link

Photographer

Garry k

Posts: 30123

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Fleming Design wrote:
I think that Imagineries, and some others, post here because they simply don't have anything to do.  If some lonely guys want to post about TV shows, or pythons, or lunch to engage some contact with other people it really doesn't hurt anyone.   As Model Sarah posted a while back "Is this literally what the forums have become? Old guys pissed about nothing because they don't have shit to do."  For some regulars here the answer is yes.

Agreed

Coming from an old guy with many things to do

Jun 29 18 02:34 pm Link

Artist/Painter

Hunter GWPB

Posts: 8155

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, US

Rik Williams wrote:
Wouldn't take a whole lot of effort to better some of the work out there these days, but it takes more than just being attractive and looking at a camera while it clicks away on auto to create a memorable shot.

That is true.  However, models learn about lighting on the job, as they learn to model and pose.  It isn't that far of a leap.  Many models on MM have developed as photographers.  In addition, they loose nothing by sitting, standing, laying in front of a camera in their downtime, instead of watching TV or reading the opinions of photographers in the forums.  They can take hundreds of digitals, keep one good one, and learn from each experience.  They never have to worry about the photographer not sending them the images.  They are hampered only by their own lack of creativity and judgement.  Which are problems that photographers have to overcome.  While the memorable shot may be elusive, the marketable one to a Patreon subscriber may not have as high of a bar.

Jun 29 18 02:46 pm Link

Artist/Painter

Hunter GWPB

Posts: 8155

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, US

Garry k wrote:
Agreed

Coming from an old guy with many things to do

I had a late lunch at McDonald's.  They recently remodeled a recently rebuilt McDonald's, which was only a few years old to begin with, and located near here.  I am trying to loose weight but I wanted to see what they did.  Not much difference.  Except the new cash registers show me how much the tab is, which means I don't have to depend on hearing them now.  Much better for me! 

Sometimes it is better to do something unimportant to break the tyranny of the urgent.  Complaining about other people wasting their time is also a waste of time.  smile

Jun 29 18 02:52 pm Link

Photographer

Rik Williams

Posts: 4005

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Hunter  GWPB wrote:
That is true.  However, models learn about lighting on the job, as they learn to model and pose.  It isn't that far of a leap.  Many models on MM have developed as photographers.  In addition, they loose nothing by sitting, standing, laying in front of a camera in their downtime, instead of watching TV or reading the opinions of photographers in the forums.  They can take hundreds of digitals, keep one good one, and learn from each experience.  They never have to worry about the photographer not sending them the images.  They are hampered only by their own lack of creativity and judgement.  Which are problems that photographers have to overcome.  While the memorable shot may be elusive, the marketable one to a Patreon subscriber may not have as high of a bar.

....Here Lies Model Mayhem
         CAUSE OF DEATH
           Lack of Models
                    R.I.P

Jun 29 18 05:06 pm Link

Model

Mina Salome

Posts: 214

Los Angeles, California, US

Because many models who aren't super invested in it as a career or hobby don't put a lot of effort into their portfolios?

Maybe they use social media or other sites for their most up-to-date portfolio?

You could ask them in a message where to find their most up-to-date pics?

Or only message models who have current portfolios?

Jul 05 18 08:47 pm Link

Photographer

Jerry Nemeth

Posts: 33355

Dearborn, Michigan, US

Fleming Design wrote:
I think that Imagineries, and some others, post here because they simply don't have anything to do.  If some lonely guys want to post about TV shows, or pythons, or lunch to engage some contact with other people it really doesn't hurt anyone.   As Model Sarah posted a while back "Is this literally what the forums have become? Old guys pissed about nothing because they don't have shit to do."  For some regulars here the answer is yes.

I'm an old guy who has a lot to do.
That's why I don't post as much as I used to.

Jul 05 18 09:36 pm Link

Photographer

Garry k

Posts: 30123

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Switch to IG

and You will get a new photo each day from those " Models "

tongue

Jul 05 18 10:29 pm Link

Photographer

the lonely photographer

Posts: 2342

Beverly Hills, California, US

Garry k wrote:
Switch to IG

and You will get a new photo each day from those " Models "

tongue

oh good grief....I see enough of these girls on facebook! One girl has so many pics it takes at least 2 hours to go thru them   and the rest are worse!

Jul 05 18 11:41 pm Link