I need to grumble. I had my first model flake out on me. I say flake, because it happened after rescheduling twice. The next morning, she sent me a text with three excuses in two sentences. Apparently, she wasn't feeling well, had to work late, and had to run errands. But she couldn't be bothered to tell me any of this before I sat at the shooting location for 90 minutes with $40 worth of wardrobe that I'd selected specifically for the shoot. We'd talked quite a bit in advance via email. She knew the location, she knew the theme and specific image goals, and she seemed genuinely excited about it. Until it came time to shoot.
I should have expected this, I don't know how many times I've heard that models from ModelMayhem flake. I think the frustrating part is that it's because I'm still dragging through MM. There's no doubt in my mind that the site is full of part-time wannabes and bathroom-mirror "models," but there are certainly some gems. My first real shoot was with Titania Lyn after she messaged me to let me know that she'd be in my area. Her rates were reasonable, I was already familiar with the work she'd done with playboy, and she liked the idea I threw at her enough to shuffle her schedule around to work with the fact that I was working 6/12's on night shift at that point.
But MM is even more full of creepy guys with cameras that want to fill up their spank banks (or, as far too many stories have mentioned, sexually advance on the models). That's not what I want. I don't want to be associated with that at all. Honestly, I'd like to get to the point where I don't have to browse MM looking for someone that has both the look I need for an idea and actual modeling experience. But when I find a good fit, more often than not, my emails are read and deleted. Maybe it's because my profile is too honest. I start by stating that I'm not a professional photographer and never will be. I'm not. I'm a professional instrument technician that makes damn good money doing something I enjoy so that I can have hobbies that I also enjoy (like photography) without the stress of business. Every full-time photographer I know personally complains that it's not fun anymore and they don't have time or money to chase personal projects any more (some of the 'togs here seem to have actually found that balance point).
I want to make art. That's it. I want to take these ideas that I have in my head and manifest them in print. When I email a model, I have a specific image or series of images in mind that I want to create. Sometimes I'll have a secondary plan if things are rolling well and time allows. But I feel like I'm permanently stuck with dead ends. I've emailed models from here with ideas and been ignored. I've emailed photographers from here, and gotten advice and good tips from a few, but have mostly been ignored. I've scheduled shoots and offered invites to local model photographers to shoot with me so that I could learn from them and been ignored. And now, I'm getting the same from zivity. Lot's of "read, deleted." So what if I have a full time job that's not photography-related? So what if I don't work in a camera shop or have a cool vest or neck tattoos or spikey hair? (no offense to any of you guys, if you read this and recognize your "signature look." You all rock.) Can I not be a clean-cut professional during the week and a respected artist on weekends?
I should have expected this, I don't know how many times I've heard that models from ModelMayhem flake. I think the frustrating part is that it's because I'm still dragging through MM. There's no doubt in my mind that the site is full of part-time wannabes and bathroom-mirror "models," but there are certainly some gems. My first real shoot was with Titania Lyn after she messaged me to let me know that she'd be in my area. Her rates were reasonable, I was already familiar with the work she'd done with playboy, and she liked the idea I threw at her enough to shuffle her schedule around to work with the fact that I was working 6/12's on night shift at that point.
But MM is even more full of creepy guys with cameras that want to fill up their spank banks (or, as far too many stories have mentioned, sexually advance on the models). That's not what I want. I don't want to be associated with that at all. Honestly, I'd like to get to the point where I don't have to browse MM looking for someone that has both the look I need for an idea and actual modeling experience. But when I find a good fit, more often than not, my emails are read and deleted. Maybe it's because my profile is too honest. I start by stating that I'm not a professional photographer and never will be. I'm not. I'm a professional instrument technician that makes damn good money doing something I enjoy so that I can have hobbies that I also enjoy (like photography) without the stress of business. Every full-time photographer I know personally complains that it's not fun anymore and they don't have time or money to chase personal projects any more (some of the 'togs here seem to have actually found that balance point).
I want to make art. That's it. I want to take these ideas that I have in my head and manifest them in print. When I email a model, I have a specific image or series of images in mind that I want to create. Sometimes I'll have a secondary plan if things are rolling well and time allows. But I feel like I'm permanently stuck with dead ends. I've emailed models from here with ideas and been ignored. I've emailed photographers from here, and gotten advice and good tips from a few, but have mostly been ignored. I've scheduled shoots and offered invites to local model photographers to shoot with me so that I could learn from them and been ignored. And now, I'm getting the same from zivity. Lot's of "read, deleted." So what if I have a full time job that's not photography-related? So what if I don't work in a camera shop or have a cool vest or neck tattoos or spikey hair? (no offense to any of you guys, if you read this and recognize your "signature look." You all rock.) Can I not be a clean-cut professional during the week and a respected artist on weekends?
Anyway, definitely go see Behind the Candelabra if you get the chance! I usually don't care much for Matt Damon in particular but my respect for him skyrocketed after seeing how convincing he was as Liberace's lover.
I think MM is a great concept, but it seems no one commits unless there is money involved. I wish there was a better way to network here, I always feel like there are girls that want shoots, but can't find the willing photographers. There was a weak attempt at putting together a SG Hopefuls shoot fest here in VA, but no one seemed to want to commit (the $$ had something to do with it too, I'm sure). I've thought about contacting Drave to see if she'd be interested in helping to set one up since she'd apparently been involved in them before; maybe that could help us all out with some networking?