Still don’t understand how photographers are doing this
Thelema said, 1652362177
Afrofilmviewer said
The issue i find with model photography is a mismanagement of expectations, wanting to keep up with the joneses and hurt pride. Ego gets mixed up in there as well. I think it affects both models and Photographers. And I feel nearly every venting thread that pops up here features what I mentioned.
Everyone loves the end result. Be it the great pictures , money, career or whatever. But they hate everything before that which helps you achieve that (when done right).
What the model mentioned earlier speaks volumes. Before you think about the money you want to make...you kinda have to be a person worth paying for...
My dad's words keep ringing in my ears in threads like this: "people buy from people".
If OP is the kind of person who is unable to clarify with models in pre comms, has anxiety with street photography and has been in these forums asking similar questions but not taking on the good advice given. It doesn't feel like a solid base to get paid work in my opinion.
My comments sound blunt. Don't intend them to be.
Not blunt at all, to the point and i agree. model photography is a way to build your skills but expecting to make money shooting models, well you need a paying client for that, but expecting models to pay you, pipe dream. i think it is very misguided and blinkered to decide hey i want to make money doing photography and i want my clients to be models, i get it, shooting beautiful woman is alot more fun than shooting products or food but its a case of what do you want more, to shoot models or make money? because sadly those two options don't really combine. I make money doing styling, tutoring, photo editing and being booked to shoot non model folk. my own modelling literally covers booking and paying models or buying camera and lighting gear now
I think in the OP's case he needs to adjust his expectations. what do i want more to shoot models or make money? I see adds all the time for night club photography and here we have beach photographers too ( not sure how that last one works but it seems to be a market and i suspect both of those require the gift of the gab ) then there is stock photography, my partners mate makes a living shooting natural environmental effects like storms hitting the coastline and such. product photography, food photography, passport photography, corporate photography and last but not least wedding and christenings. I know none of these are as exciting as shooting models or nude models but it's photography that pays. why not do this and shoot models as a hobby like most people on here do :-)
Zella Whitfield said, 1652362860
Exactly this.
I myself work in photography alongside modelling, I shoot horse riding competitions and sell to the riders. I also sell photos of horses through stock photography and have had some images published in big horsey magazines. The trick is that I have a market, I have clients and I shoot photos they want to buy.
I could have given Repzee some solid photography business advice but unfortunately I think I've upset his ego if the angry message in my Instagram DMs is anything to go by! 😂
K-arl said, 1652363447
If you have money it is easy to pay for models, you will be able to get 99% of models easy enough by opening your wallet. If you don't have money, you have to convince models with your work, which means making photos which most models want, which seems to be, nothing off the beaten track.
If I was a model, would I pay a photographer? No, I wouldn't need to. And even if the affluent photographers didn't want to pay me, there are plenty of very good photographers out there with no money who would jump at shooting me for TFP
It's tough but that's the way it is. Best to have model photography as a part time photography interest.
Thelema said, 1652363569
Zella Whitfield said
Exactly this.
I myself work in photography alongside modelling, I shoot horse riding competitions and sell to the riders. I also sell photos of horses through stock photography and have had some images published in big horsey magazines. The trick is that I have a market, I have clients and I shoot photos they want to buy.
I could have given Repzee some solid photography business advice but unfortunately I think I've upset his ego if the angry message in my Instagram DMs is anything to go by! 😂
I'd love too get into horse photography actually, I think they're incredible. I think he wants to get paid to shoot and excuse my extreme blunt jaded opinion hot sexy women but this would be like me trying to sell water to the ocean there isn't a market for it. it all comes down to supply and demand.
As a model i did book and pay the odd photographer, Mike Cohen, but he is up there with some of the best photographers on this site, has his own commercial studio, runs photographic trips abroad and was shooting for all the top lads mags at the time. his client base wasn't and still isn't purple port and most of his customers are not models. If I book and pay a photographer now their work is going to be flipping exceptional... Like Rankin, Thomas Holms, trebor images and Emily Soto league.
Zella Whitfield said, 1652363837
Thelema Ahh I definitely recommend it! Lots of fun and horses are so majestic :)
FiL said, 1652364464
Zella Whitfield said
Exactly this.
I myself work in photography alongside modelling, I shoot horse riding competitions and sell to the riders. I also sell photos of horses through stock photography and have had some images published in big horsey magazines. The trick is that I have a market, I have clients and I shoot photos they want to buy.
I could have given Repzee some solid photography business advice but unfortunately I think I've upset his ego if the angry message in my Instagram DMs is anything to go by! 😂
Zella, I feel I need to let you know that I was going to ask if Repzee wanted to buddy-up with me, since he's not too far away, and try to persuade one of the nicest and most patient models I know to help us out. It seems I somehow managed to avoid putting my foot in it on this occasion! :)
The Ghost said, 1652364711
Zella Whitfield said
Exactly this.
I myself work in photography alongside modelling, I shoot horse riding competitions and sell to the riders. I also sell photos of horses through stock photography and have had some images published in big horsey magazines. The trick is that I have a market, I have clients and I shoot photos they want to buy.
I could have given Repzee some solid photography business advice but unfortunately I think I've upset his ego if the angry message in my Instagram DMs is anything to go by! 😂
Kudos to you for breaking into that market, it's a tough one to crack. I looked at it, decided it seemed like too much hard work for not enough money to pay for the big ap neb's livery.
As you say, you need a market, clients and photos they want to buy.
Afrofilmviewer said, 1652364718
Thelema "His client base wasn't and still isn't purple port and most of his customers are not models."
No one thinks about this.
It's pivotal.
Zella Whitfield said, 1652364935
Prancy McPrettykins Ah thank you!
I had horses when I was younger so I was just lucky enough to have a way in, I think :)
Love the equine stuff on your profile!
Margo Jost said, 1652369031
indemnity just people repeating advice now for probably the past 8 pages or so. Think the OP has probably got the message by now if he's read all the replies as nearly everyone has said exactly the same thing.
indemnity said, 1652369880
Sis Benedict said
indemnity just people repeating advice now for probably the past 8 pages or so. Think the OP has probably got the message by now if he's read all the replies as nearly everyone has said exactly the same thing.
This is I think the 3rd time (maybe more) the same person has asked the same or similar questions, got the same answers, and continues in the same manner. I think the PP community has been very generous, forgiving, and helpful, sadly it has fallen on deaf ears. Without the suitable mindset, this is going nowhere.
I have other things to do that will hopefully have a lasting effect, maybe the dog next door will learn to play the trumpet I bought for him, if not, it might stop him barking. I also have a new business idea, teaching chess by post, wish me luck, so many causes and people to help.
BLA@K said, 1652370223
indemnity said
Sis Benedict said
indemnity just people repeating advice now for probably the past 8 pages or so. Think the OP has probably got the message by now if he's read all the replies as nearly everyone has said exactly the same thing.
This is I think the 3rd time (maybe more) the same person has asked the same or similar questions, got the same answers, and continues in the same manner. I think the PP community has been very generous, forgiving, and helpful, sadly it has fallen on deaf ears. Without the suitable mindset, this is going nowhere.I have other things to do that will hopefully have a lasting effect, maybe the dog next door will learn to play the trumpet I bought for him, if not, it might stop him barking. I also have a new business idea, teaching chess by post, wish me luck, so many causes and people to help.
what is puzzling me does the dog play chess and what about Trumpet by post ?
Lee River said, 1652371206
Repzee Photography said
Zella Whitfield I’m not complaining that no-ones paying me. Magazines and Websites would be my clients not so much stock photo that doesn’t interest me
Since you're going to be photographing models (for portrait photography) and selling to publishers such as magazines and web sites, it's most likely you'll be paying the models for their work. I think to do that from TFP shoot would be a nightmare for several reasons.
Your profit will be what's left from your revenue after you've paid all your costs - including model fees. Really I think you'll need to make a business plan that acknowledges this aspect, since other approaches have a high risk of sabotaging your sales due to the resulting inconsistency, inefficiency and reduction in quality that your work stands to incur compared with well-conceived and coated model shoots. In short, trying to cut costs by asking models to work for free would very likely kill your ability to build up your operation and profitability, rather than improve it.
I certainly hope you succeed in your endeavours. Rome wasn't built in a day, and I believe you have the right temperament and willingness to learn.
Edited by Lee River
