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Hello! A few questions from an old time photographer
Due to being laid up following a minor traffic incident I am passing my downtime surfing and such and looking around new sites like this one while trying to get ideas to update my ancient website. Haven't quite yet figured out if have the photographers and models in here are serious or if it's just a glorified dating agency. (looking at some of the profiles there are certainly a few people who need to have a serious reality check as to their possibilites in this business- but then again there are others who seem to be really good.) Well as an old timer I'd like to ask a few questions. How many of you new photographers have actually used or learnt from using film cameras and how many of you just started straight into digital?? What types of jobs are you getting or hope to get? How many of you have assisted a professional? and for the models.. Do any of you ever get serious job offers through sites like this? Sorry if I sound a liitle pompus.(hey remember I'm in a bit of pain ;-).. but it would be nice to get some feedback. I have filled out a profile here so you can see who I am, cheers PS. I am ALWAYS looking for good make up and hair stylists in the States (the really good ones I have used in the past have all got married and left the business and the ones I have been using lately have been really poor - so any tips gratefully recieved. May 04 05 10:00 am Link Posted by photofashion: That's a mouth full of question...I am sure if you notice there are tons of real shooters..but I like to say working pros here. With anything you should know there will always be the good the bad and the ugly in terms of things people say on profile. Speaking as another old photographer......get in tune with it......and remember this "I'm beyond your peripheral vision..so you might want to turn your head" Ani Difranco May 04 05 10:11 am Link You wrote "How many of you new photographers have actually used or learnt from using film cameras and how many of you just started straight into digital??" I started with photography about 5 years ago with film and I still use 35mm in conjuction with my digital. I don't shoot exclusively with either one. You wrote "What types of jobs are you getting or hope to get?" I do a lot of TFP as I feel there is always something new to learn. I do get paying jobs from models and well as some home furnishing projects and posters. Although paid jobs are great when they are available, I don't kid myself and say that I know everything, there is always something new to learn and TFP's give me a chance to experiment. You wrote "How many of you have assisted a professional?" I have assisted several professionals especially in baby portraits and weddings. I'm starting to get more into weddings so will be assisting a lot more often. You wrote "Do any of you ever get serious job offers through sites like this?" As a model as well, I have gotten some serious job offers, serious meaning paying for calendars and online lingerie companies, but if by serious you mean from agenices or advertising companies, then no. I don't think agencies really use these online portfolio sites, these sites are an alternative to an agency. They allow you to self-represent and find jobs on your own, although you will get many more jobs through an agent. May 04 05 10:12 am Link The majority of activity in most online model sites is hobby or adult oriented. There are a few sites that are used by the more commercial industry, but they're not the common ones and it takes a little more than signing up to get approved to contact the talent on them. It took me two weeks of phone interviews and Faxing license, references, etc., to get listed on another site listing talent, but when I ran a casting notice for a catalog I'll be shooting in the Caymen's late this summer and seeking only potential talent residing within 200 miles of me, I received 347 model matches. I ran the notice yesterday morning and had the 347 by late afternoon. Those sites, however, are pretty much stick-to-business and don't have forums on them. For the most part, if you wade through all the questions about how to get into the adult biz, how much money you can make in the adult biz, and why the adult biz is so much better than anything else... then you might find a few serious non-adult folks. Generally, though, they'll approach you in private vs. posting a reply that might get attacked. You will find serious folks here that are into more than just one thing, but you do have to wade through a lot of other stuff to get to them. Sometimes it's worth it, other times you swear it's not. Most the time, it's just fun to watch. :-) May 04 05 10:20 am Link Posted by photofashion: That depends how you define "serious." Most of the offers I get through these sites are from hobbyists or pros working on personal projects. Ocassionally I'll get an offer for catalog work from smaller companies and shops. I alo get my share of adult offers, many of which may be legitimate, but it's still not work that I'm interested in. May 04 05 11:10 am Link 1. FILM 2. Have shot several models from here 3. YES TAKE MORE PAIN PILLS!!! May 04 05 12:22 pm Link I am not sure exactly why I should justify to you why I am here on Model Mayhem? But I do agree that some comments (in the announcement box) like from Ricky Terror (MM#2801) 20 years old male model, who lets us know him jerking off etc. are uncalled for and very unprofessional. Well... since I am typing already, I photograph for about 27 or 28 years and added digital about two months ago. May 04 05 12:32 pm Link My opinion (which I have learned is ALWAYS wrong): It's a laid back forum for everyone to network... Some individuals are more serious than others... just like almost all the online sites. There's nothing wrong with "being chill" while mingling with other professionals and the like who are interested in the industry. Being a serious professional doesn't mean one can't have fun while seeeking advice, or looking for work, or offering opportunity. May 04 05 12:34 pm Link I've been shooting 35mm film since 1986. I don't draw my salary from photography. When I retire from I.T. and start my second life, Photography and a nice portrait studio that's within walking distance away from my retirement home and my honey is gonna be the wild and crazy haps for this ole man. But I have a question...why are Fashion photographers usually very critical about places like this? Especially, when they're already Pro? May 04 05 12:39 pm Link Posted by Joe K. Perez: Hmmm? I am not critical about this site... I appreciate this site a lot and refer many models to this one! May 04 05 12:42 pm Link I'll agree with the more laid-back approch, but would like to add that I have been shooting with 120 & 35 for many years and only picked up a d10 recently. Yes, I have worked with some very serious talent...On and off stage...No, I am not after adult shoots and have no interest in that field. Fashion and Glamour is my interest. May 04 05 12:46 pm Link Posted by photofashion: Do you think that's something that is unique to this site or modeling and photography web sites in general? I'd be willing to bet that if you toured other websites that cater to different interests (like music, cycling, running, painting, anything else you can think of), you might discover a wide range of experience levels and talent among the users there as well. Shouldn't be so surprising, right? May 04 05 01:10 pm Link Welcome to the MM forum! Contrary to what some think, I don't believe that ModelMayhem is overrun with the "Adult" industry ... yet! But many model/photographer listing sites are overrun ... like OMP for example. MM may look similar to MySpace, which can be used as a "glorified dating" service for some. I'm on some other photography forums, one favorite in particular is for music photographers. There is a lot less flirting in the music one, but then I guess that the difference being the "stars" we photograph don't participate. If Christina Aguilera or Alicia Keyes were on here, you better believe I'd be typing some flirting words to them! LOL Answers to your questions; Back around 1980, I started shooting live stage events like music concerts and theatre productions. I felt just like the kid in Almost Famous! So film has been my thing for most my shooting life. So I still have 35 mm and medium format cameras, as well as a new digital camera. I'm just starting to get used to digital. Jobs? I self publish. Every once in a while, I will pick up a wedding or other side jobs, but most of the time I'm working on content for my own websites, publications, or book. So I pretty much create my own work or jobs. Before shooting weddings, I assisted a professional. Also I have shot with a professional journalist photographer, she taught me the ropes about shooting concerts in the big leagues! Take care! May 04 05 01:51 pm Link Posted by Patrick Walberg: Flirting is an essential part of any self respecting fashion photographers trade! May 04 05 02:54 pm Link Well I've never loaded 120 film, but in a few days when I get the back for my RB67 I will learn, I started with a 35mm SLR in 1983, I shoot mostly digital right now, but will get back into a mix of Digital and color slide. I don't make my living exclusively at photography, But I'm still working towards that goal, I enjoy fashion, but I'm realistic in that starting out I will Photograph anything for the money and varied experience it always brings, I have learned a lot form the few jobs I have done already. May 04 05 03:12 pm Link started off with a 35mm out of necessity ten years ago to document my school projects. then it became a serious hobby. stopped because this hobby turned expensive. after being bored with my current job (i'm in architecture), started back up again when i found a way to make a side business out of it. i like fashion and glamour because of the creativity that type of shoot entails. i did quite a few shoots with these online models both tfp and with rates. but i also need to pay for my equipment, so i do mostly weddings and portraiture now. using mostly digital after a long time with film...and yes, i can load a 120 film. funny you ask about those who started right off with digital: at a shoot a friend had to ask me to load his film from his loaner camera because he never had a film camera before. and i hate it when all these guys end up saying "just fix it in photoshop!" i love photoshop, but i also like to shoot it right the first time. until i get paid as much assisting a pro, i don't think i'll quit my dayjob... May 04 05 03:35 pm Link Posted by photofashion: Posted by Patrick Walberg: Flirting is an essential part of any self respecting fashion photographers trade! About "flirting" I couldn't agree with you more! It is "essential" and probably one of the reasons I've not gotten married! LOL May 04 05 03:47 pm Link I've never loaded 120 film. I'd love to shoot some though. The narrow exposure latitude of digital gets tiresome sometimes. May 04 05 03:48 pm Link Posted by LarryB: I've never loaded 120 film. I'd love to shoot some though. The narrow exposure latitude of digital gets tiresome sometimes. The sharpness of a medium or large format camera is unsurpassed by digital. I've seen poster size images made with an 8 x 10 camera that look like you could step right into them! May 04 05 03:52 pm Link shoot a lot of slide!!! No wait, Shoot a lot of Digital, exposure latitude is about the same! Digital is cheaper to learn on though... Oh yeah, Medium Format and LG format Far exceed digital if printed from negatives, it's kind of the age old Analog VS Digital arguement where people will prove LP records can sound better than cd's. Analog is analog and digital is an approximation. (But pretty darn good!) May 04 05 03:53 pm Link My first camera was a Kodak Retina III. I still have it. It still works. It hasn't seen a roll of film in quite a while, but I don't ever see getting rid of it. Just bought a "new to me" Rolleicord, circa 1960. Currently working on testing the controls and shutter speeds with rolls of Exrachrome 200 120. Been bidding on Dearborn 8x10 cameras on ebay. I want one. I REALLY want one. I shoot a lot of digital now, but my E6 lab still keeps a box and an account open for me. they see me every other week with about a dozen rolls. I can't see a time when chrome will fade away. May 04 05 04:19 pm Link Posted By photofashion: I worked in retail and professional photography labs for about 2 or 3 Posted By Udo R Photography: I would agree. But I'm a professional jerk-off. May 04 05 07:36 pm Link Posted by photofashion: Define 'new photographer'. Posted by photofashion: Depends on the film, and the digital being compared. A 100+ megapixel, 16-bit/channel BetterLight capture vs Fujipress at 1600 isn't perhaps a "fair" comparison, but it shows that the claim isn't as universal as it seems. May 04 05 08:52 pm Link Posted by photofashion: Hello Photofashion and bonjourno. Welcome to this cool lil new online community. May 05 05 12:07 am Link Posted by Jose- JoseOnline.com: thanks Jose... I'll sleep soundly ;-) May 05 05 10:11 am Link i shot my first roll of 120 in 1957-developed it myself in my own dark room.. Shot film till 2000... So i guess your the newbie!! I have gotten tons of work of these sites.. i have shot playboy models and have been contacted by playboy to submit models.. Dreampretty was interviewed at playboy studios in los angles contacted online from these sites.. I have never met a professional photographer in my life-cept school pics Hugh Jorgen May 07 05 02:34 am Link |
