Still don’t understand how photographers are doing this
Cellar Door Images said, 1652037882
Mr Ewart has given you a clear straight answer. There is no mass market for the average photographer to charge models for images. It’s not going to happen. If you want fabulous images pay fabulous models and be vaguely competent at clicking the shutter.
Allesandro B said, 1652038298
Post this in portfolio review and people might tell you why you have been "shut down"
Wondrous said, 1652038371
Repzee Photography you should make a portfolio review that's your best route to find out if you have made an improvement and where your photography sits technically.
Making threads like this and not learning is not worthwhile and eventually the thread will be useless for you because people will just use it as a place of conversation.
ADWsPhotos said, 1652038505
When my mother in law tried to sell her house she was convinced it was worth £xxxxx. We tried to explain that it was worth what someone else was willing to pay. She disagreed and stuck to her guns. 2 years later it sold for about 2/3 what she thought it was worth.
You can judge what you think your work is worth, but it doesn’t mean others agree.
Maybe try a portfolio review where you specifically ask if your standard of work is ‘sellable,? Undoubtedly you’ll get some harsh comments, anyone will, but I’d like to think some will give a fair judgement.
Apologies if I misunderstood your question
Tricks of Six said, 1652038970
Repzee Photography said
I’ve also had many models respond with “these are my rates” when I’ve offered TFP/Collaboration and I respond with “I’m offering TFP/Collaboration” and I’m met with the response “I don’t care these are my rates” it’s a bit frustrating because I feel if I said “would you like my rates” I’d be shut down like I was before
Models will only work TFP if the photographer they're collaborating with has a style they'd like to add to their portfolio or if they're simply looking to bolster the work on their portfolio after an extended break, or maybe just a bit of a dry spell.
But if models are able to secure paid work regularly, then they'll prioritise that.
AndyB said, 1652039641
Repzee Photography said
Sensual Art I’m not asking to be paid, I’m asking how are they making money from this. I’ve also had many models respond with “these are my rates” when I’ve offered TFP/Collaboration and I respond with “I’m offering TFP/Collaboration” and I’m met with the response “I don’t care these are my rates” it’s a bit frustrating because I feel if I said “would you like my rates” I’d be shut down like I was before
Wondrous I do think there is great improvement from when I first started to now, I believe if someone doesn’t make an improvement in something they are doing for a while then it isn’t for them
When you get the model's rates, take a look at them and consider whether you're providing at least that value to them per hour if they agree to a TFP shoot.
- Can you provide pictures that are better than the others they already have in their portfolio?
- Would the addition of your pictures be likely to help them sell more future work? (say, double the hours they spent with you)
- Can they sell your pictures and make this money?
You need to understand 'opportunity cost'. You may not value your time, but if you're asking a model to shoot just for pictures, that's really £50/hour (or whatever) of time they could be earning that they're giving up for you. You need to be worth it (in terms of £££).
A thought experiment... if your images really are worth money, then you could pay the model, sell your pictures and make a living that way, right?
AndyB said, 1652039774
Repzee Photography said
Gothic Image basically told I couldn’t charge for my photography
Why not put up a price for your photographs and place a casting asking models to pay that. See if you get any interest.
You're allowed to charge whatever you like... I think Gothic Image is just saying that you'll find there's no-one that will be willing to pay.
indemnity said, 1652040033
ADWsPhotos said
When my mother in law tried to sell her house she was convinced it was worth £xxxxx. We tried to explain that it was worth what someone else was willing to pay. She disagreed and stuck to her guns. 2 years later it sold for about 2/3 what she thought it was worth.
You can judge what you think your work is worth, but it doesn’t mean others agree.
Maybe try a portfolio review where you specifically ask if your standard of work is ‘sellable,? Undoubtedly you’ll get some harsh comments, anyone will, but I’d like to think some will give a fair judgement.
Apologies if I misunderstood your question
Offered 2007 and sold 2009 by any chance? Joking apart, you are spot on.
Holly Alexander said, 1652040223
Don't focus on what others are doing, focus on YOU.
Work on your talent, your marketing, how you are actively improving your work, and who your target client base is.
Gothic Image said, 1652040223
AndyB said
Repzee Photography said
Gothic Image basically told I couldn’t charge for my photography
Why not put up a price for your photographs and place a casting asking models to pay that. See if you get any interest.You're allowed to charge whatever you like... I think Gothic Image is just saying that you'll find there's no-one that will be willing to pay.
No, I was just wondering about his terminology! :-)
A suggestion to the OP: look at the photos you have taken and compare them to photos that others have taken of the same models. Can you say why yours are better? If you can't, you've got your answer.
Modelography said, 1652040291
I’m pretty certain there are no photographers with a month’s experience making money on this site . I do make money on here but that is from workshops which I’ve been running for 6 years or so . Mostly I make money from photography via weddings which is nothing to do with pp. Only once has a model offered to pay me for a shoot. This is a great place to hone your skills but I wouldn’t say it’s my number one place to make money !
Margo Jost said, 1652040589
It entirely depends on the skill of what is being sold as to whether people want to buy.
As a model I would only ever consider paying a photographer who can really add something remarkable to my port because there are so many photographers of all differing abilities offering to TFP.
These are normally people who are at the top of their game either in photography / lighting and have the equipment to ensure the maximum results or someone who really excels at editing/ photoshop.
I normally like to give a good example of the sort of photographer I would pay if I could afford it and I would pick (out of many supremely fantastic photographers) some one like Ruth from Enchanted Evermore workshops (I can't spell Ruth's second name without looking 🙈).
So why would I pay Ruth? Simply because she excels in all areas for me so I know that if I part with my hard earned cash I am guaranteed something very special (within my own capabilites as a model of course, you can't turn someone into Sophia Loren when they are more Pat from Eastenders 😬) because all areas she excels in, photography, lighting, editing and even props and dresses, it's all absolutely fab. Or my friend Richard Egan is another good example, he uses mainly natural light when working on location but you know that if you book him you are booking his knowledge in lighting which is absolutely superb. Those are just two off the top of my head but there are many more that really excel in their specific area.
So if you want models to book you and pay you, you must have some USP that makes you stand out from others. Just being a competent photographer isn't enough.
I believe that to make money in photography (and I mean just generally now, not in terms of models paying photographers) you either have to learn to be at the top of your game + have great equipment (commercial standard) which means seriously grafting for years or you can be an average photographer but have incredible people skills. That works for dealing with the general public but wouldn't wash with models. One of my friends (not on PP, an actual friend as in a friend in real life 😆) used to be a wedding photographer and he'd be the first to say (and has said) that his work was nothing special but he was booked for nearly 4 years straight every weekend with weddings. He was the most popular wedding photographer in the area. Why? Because he is literally the best person I've ever seen around people, people just love him. They can't get enough. His people skills are remarkable. And then some. They didn't book him for his skills in photography, they booked him for his personality.
He made a fortune but ended up burning out and has now left photography behind him.
So it all boils down really to needing to have something special, a USP, whatever that may be for you, whether that's photography skills or something else.
As an aside take a look at Kirsty Louise on Facebook. She does maternity and child / mommy shoots. She's got a USP that really works because people want mommy and me photoshoots at the moment.
Daniel Venter again on Facebook, does crazy things with depth of field in his camera (I've been told it's his 4000 pound lens but there also has to be some skill there to get the sort of shots he does straight out of camera). I would pay him in an instant if he wasn't in the states.
Have a really good think about what you want to specialise in then be the best you can be at it. It's the only way I think to make a living from photography.
Edited by Sis Benedict
fractions said, 1652040523
ADWsPhotos said
When my mother in law tried to sell her house she was convinced it was worth £xxxxx. We tried to explain that it was worth what someone else was willing to pay. She disagreed and stuck to her guns. 2 years later it sold for about 2/3 what she thought it was worth.
You can judge what you think your work is worth, but it doesn’t mean others agree.