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Non-MM "Cold" Approach in RL
I was at the library today and one of the checkout ladies had the most awesome (fake) red/magenta hair. She's not model-beautiful, but was interesting looking and I just loved the hair. I actually had my camera and some business cards with me, but I didn't say anything because I didn't want to come off all creepy. So... how could/should I have approached that situation? All ideas considered, except those that could get me in trouble with either police or my wife. Jul 10 13 04:05 pm Link I once drove my mother to the optometrist. The woman helping us was very photogenic. I gave her my card. Now she refuses to come out of the back when we come to the establishment. Jul 10 13 04:21 pm Link Though I rarely use the cold call approach , what I would do is compliment the lady on her red hair , tell her that you are a photographer and would like to shoot her , and had her your business card -then disengage .With such a minimal approach on your part - it would seem to me that her interest in being photographed and the quality of your work would thus be the determining factors as to whether you would score a shoot with her Also it would be to your advantage to have your business card provide a link to a professional website Jul 10 13 04:23 pm Link Mark Salo wrote: google is not always your friend. Jul 10 13 04:46 pm Link Yugoboy wrote: Most of us, myself certainly included, would be best served by sticking with modern networking. Jul 10 13 04:50 pm Link To Yugoboy -- rp_photo wrote: Yes, I strongly agree with this. Jul 10 13 04:59 pm Link I did tell her I loved the hair. It was moving past that through the wall of social convention and fear of rejection (as well as just not wanting to seem creepy) that I need some help with. While I'm not an overly gregarious person, every September I have to introduce myself to +/-90 new teenagers. I'm not afraid of opening the door. It's the stepping through that I would like to work on - at least when it comes to those micro-relationships like the librarian one. Jul 10 13 05:10 pm Link Yugoboy wrote: I am petrified of heights, but I know that the first time up the ladder is the worst, and it gets easier each time I go up. Same applies to roller coasters. Jul 10 13 05:39 pm Link Why not something like, "Hi, My name is _____. I think that your red hair is really pretty and suits you. I'm a photographer and would be interested in doing a photoshoot with you. *give her your card* If you would be interested my contact info is on there. Have a great day!" Leave it in her hands. Don't try and pressure her. I think that's the best way to come off as not being creepy. Jul 10 13 05:39 pm Link NicoleNudes wrote: +1. Jul 10 13 05:50 pm Link NicoleNudes wrote: Perfect! Two models in my port were actually my waitresses at restaurants. Jul 10 13 05:52 pm Link Be it good, bad, right or wrong much will depend on your appearance. If you look like Quasimodo, don't. Meaning not only your actual physical self, but how you appear on the specific day. Like.....did you just spend 3 hours digging in your garden, you're covered in dirt, and are sweaty like a stuck pig? Skip that day.  Or did you just leave a funeral home and you have a coat & tie on. You have to have a decent looking business card, don't even bother if you don't. Like with a portrait or editorial looking shot. Not a pinup or bikini glam. You need to be short, sweet, right to the point, and finish your spiel in like 15-20 seconds at the most. After saying hello, look them right dead in the eye the whole time. Do not look away. Talk softly, smile slightly, and do NOT try and sell yourself. Hello, I'm a photographer, & I've photographed models from around the world, and all over the US. I'm really struck by your appearance, and would love to photograph you based just on that, no strings attached. (hand card about this time) If you have any interest, my contact information & website is on there, I'd love to hear from you. Say thanks, and walk away. Even if they try and engage you in conversation at the point, politely walk away. If you engage in conversation, you're probably fucked. If you engage in trying to sell yourself, you're probably fucked. Be discerning about who you approach. Do that with minors and you're gonna be fucked sooner or later. Keep in mind that works for me, I've told the truth, I do have a good business card, & I do have an actual website. For the love of God, don't give them a card with your MM URL on it. Also if the person who piques your interest is somewhere you'd have reasons to stop often, such as a gas station or a convenience store, that can be good. Once they recognize your face over time, familiarity breeds comfort. Wait a few weeks or a month. Cold approach results. I have more, but only ones posted as of now.    Jul 10 13 06:28 pm Link I've tried the cold call approach four times and I'm 4-0. One a gas station attendant who used to dance behind the register. Two a waitress down the street that must have been a gymnast for 12 years. Three the mail carrier fill in. Fourth was a shop girl and for her I even brought a model in that actually knew her sister. All zip, zero, nothing. Yes, I was clean, yes I had a card, yes I kept it short. Not creepy, didn't hover. I'm not likely to try it anytime soon. Don't see how to improve the odds. There is a gorgeous 6 foot blonde at McDonald's and every time I see her, I think, what could I say to get a "yes" out of her... Jul 10 13 06:37 pm Link Thanx for the help. It's not a library I go to regularly, so my chance with her was probably shot. For the moment, my card is one I printed up on my own. Just a logo and some contact info (name, phone, email, blogspot address). I should probably get some model-based shots up there before actually trying the cold approach, I guess. As a full-time educator, accidentally approaching a sub-18-yr-old is a significantly daunting risk. I'll let you know if I get (photographically) lucky. Jul 10 13 07:38 pm Link Yugoboy wrote: You're a guy approaching a female, 95% of the time they're ALWAYS going to think you're creepy. Think about, "Hi, I'm a photographer & would like to take your picture," how does that not sound like a lame pickup line. There are no two ways around it, it just is what it is. Jul 11 13 06:23 am Link Yugoboy wrote: Jul 11 13 08:46 am Link I make cold approaches a lot, in fact all but one of the models in my port were (the other one being a friend of another girl I shot). Like others have said, keep it short, maintain eye contact, and hand her your card. A good quality card, home printed ones don't exactly make you look like a pro, and she'll probably think you're trying to pull something. I get about 10% to contact me after that, and about 25% of those actually follow through and shoot with me. I've noticed the chances of her responding favorably increase significantly when my girlfriend (who is also a model, and 17 years younger than me, so probably closer to their age) is with me. I suspect it puts them more at ease that you're not just trying to hit on them. Jul 11 13 11:03 am Link Ars Gratia Artis 908 wrote: Don't think that way... you want to go to them and hope they will go to your site, will be interested by what they see, then call you back to say they are interested. Jul 11 13 02:49 pm Link JONATHAN RICHARD wrote: too funny!! Jul 11 13 03:02 pm Link I would make it clear that you're not hitting on her in some way (telling her you're taken/whatever and are not looking to date) then maybe ask if she's ever thought about modeling and that you're a photographer. If she gives no indication that she already is, tell her that she's welcome to bring a friend/family member/boyfriend or that you'll pay her for her time (if she agrees.) Give her your card and have her call you if she decides to work with you. Be professional, courteous, and to the point. Jul 11 13 10:10 pm Link Jul 12 13 03:39 am Link I've had a few positive responses from this but will not do it again, as they all turned out to be a disaster. Couldn't pose, couldn't take direction, didn't want direction, got their poses from facebook and were vain. Jul 12 13 03:46 am Link I'm another one with too little nerve to try the cold approach. I'm not too worried about getting in trouble with either the police or my wife. It's the 6"6" boyfriend that worries me. Jul 13 13 05:53 am Link I'm another one with too little nerve to try the cold approach. I'm not too worried about getting in trouble with either the police or my wife. It's the 6"6" boyfriend that worries me. Jul 13 13 05:54 am Link i did two shoots with the lady who sold me a cellphone at costco. but when i'm doing that i usually suggest a clothed shoot unless they express an interest in something less clothed. Jul 13 13 05:07 pm Link Phantasmal Images wrote: I think that having a model with you has a great deal of potential to be reassuring. I'm less convinced that DATING that much younger model is going to reassure a random girl of your professional intentions. Not that it's a BAD thing (assuming you aren't, say, 30) but it creates a certain impression. Jul 14 13 11:13 am Link Yugoboy wrote: This is the one of the few times you don't have a choice. Ask, or lose the opportunity. Sometimes they say, "Yes," and sometimes, they say, "No." You must ask. Jul 14 13 11:15 am Link Shilo Von Porcelaine wrote: Bringing someone is plausible, even if you don't normally do escorts, since she can't be expected to follow professional expectations for a model. But I don't think that paying is helpful in general. A novice is going to take more time and coaching of course, but also payment may increase the feeling of pressure to agree to whatever might be suggested. Jul 14 13 11:28 am Link I've only approached a couple women before... and both of them gave me the "yeah, sure buddy, get away from me you creep" look. So, I think it's just best to leave people alone and use MM, FB, etc. Jul 14 13 11:32 am Link I made a promise to myself to approach someone like that for every time someone random has approached me on the street to hire me as a photographer. Jul 14 13 11:40 am Link Brian Diaz wrote:
Jul 14 13 11:43 am Link Brian Diaz wrote: In fairness to this approach, you should always or at least frequently, walk around with a camera and be seen being a photographer. I get people all the time asking for my card when I do that. Jul 14 13 11:59 am Link Innovative Imagery wrote: Given how much "environmental" photography I do (nature, landscape, architecture, etc.) I get asked all the time who I'm shooting for. And 99 times out of 100 it's when I have forgotten my cards at home. Trying to get better at remembering them. Jul 14 13 12:50 pm Link |
