Its quite hard work spending money on models

You don't say how long you look to shoot for Martin. Also how flexible are you on days, I'm finding most models are part time at best these days, even if they say they are full time.

Allesandro B sorry I tried to think as I wrote the thread but to answer some of the questions.

I look to shoot 3 to 4 hours

Levels are set by the model always.

I can shoot any day except week ends and generally only Fridays at my home. So very flexible.

My partner is a clinical phycologist so one would hope that if someone is nervous they would feel comfortable knowing she was about. There are many better known photographers on here who state the same as I do.

Hope this helps clarify a bit more

Edited by Spartacusimages

Sorry - many of the replies, even if they seem semi reasonable to the person leaving them ... in some ways only underline why (eventually after many years of all this 'stuff' getting worse) I feel at ease / peace / comfortable with NOT chasing shoots / not trying to appease people that I might / would / could TF basis shoot with.

I currently go shooting wildlife - deers or lots of 'random appearing mammals', (owls and other BIF in a focussed and concentrated way).

There is a lovely 'peace' - both with simply getting outside in the lovely countryside (animals turning up or great images or none).

Added peace around side-stepping all the current era (certainly at LEAST last 10 years) bullshit that usually goes on re: ping pong comms. The more inclined you are to NOT DICTATE the precise theme, location, outits and total 'end look' ... the more (vs perversely LESS) grief this process is these days.

Seemingly EVERYONE wants everything handed to them on a plate, with least amount of effort / least possible 'shoot day variables' needing to be navigated by them!

Christ on a Bike - this would even seem the space now with PAYING photographers too*

* Not helped by the year upon year 'defenders' and White Knight and woke-fest virtual-signalling 'helpers' that deem themselves necessary here. Problem is that this just helps nurture + normalise all the wrong n bad 'learnt behaviour', especially in the younger and more 'already self entitled'.

The generations of 'never explain, never complain' and always 'pick yourself and brush yourself down again', make do with 'bugger all' and mend ... Are offering money to shoot with them.

Too many of the potential recipients of the £££ are from the 'I'm hurty' generation*

* only via verbal or written, or increasingly just perceived towards them, nearly always online only.

They are increasingly offering lots of (even micro reasons) why not to take the photographer's money / why they wouldn't either / and gratingly (by underlining their personal and often obscure reasons) why there might be lots of others with the exactly the same minor negatives.

 Many a photographer has been here maybe a decade or more, longer elsewhere AND is the opposite of any negative photographer types / MO that are (thankfully) either dying out or no longer tolerated here.

Yet they still find it a struggle to give away their £££ 🤣

You really couldn't make this shit up.

Edited by Aardvark🎯VonEssfolk

It's not just you. My issue is that I'm booking 12 months ahead though! 

Spartacusimages said

Allesandro B sorry I tried to think as I wrote the thread but to answer some of the questions.

I look to shoot 3 to 4 hours

Levels are set by the model always.

I can shoot any day except week ends and generally only Fridays at my home. So very flexible.

My partner is a clinical phycologist so one would hope that if someone is nervous they would feel comfortable knowing she was about. There are many better known photographers on here who state the same as I do.

Hope this helps clarify a bit more

Edited by Spartacusimages

In which case I think it's a case of a shrinking full time market. I've noticed it when I've been trying to book shoots.

I don't think the chaperone thing is anything to worry about, I've never had a model wanting to bring a chaperone, I've shot a couple of times with partners in their house out of the way and had one bad experience with a boyfriend present but most experienced models don't feel the need to bring a chaperone, for me that's usually a sign of inexperience or a lack of trust (which might be because they've had a bad experience so I don't blame them) but in either case that's not the type of model I want to work with.

I'm sorry you're experiencing this :( I know that I for one, always, always respond to messages, as shown by my 100% reply rate visible on my profile. My references also indicate I respond in a timely fashion. There are lots of models about who you can rely on, I suppose it's just unfortunate those that you've messaged haven't been in that group :(

I really hope you have more luck! :D

Angel Black UK said

I'm sorry you're experiencing this :( I know that I for one, always, always respond to messages, as shown by my 100% reply rate visible on my profile. My references also indicate I respond in a timely fashion...

I'll vouch for that. Ms Black is probably one of the busiest models on here, but she's quick to reply to messages. So it can be done. 

I have noticed recently a change in model responses.

Either nothing or a long delay in responding.

The majority are however, efficient prompt and professional.

One model does spring to mind.

She is a "top" model and I thought would respond in kind.

It was a saga of half agreed shoots, silences and responses that were bizarrely odd.

I gave up.

To counteract that, I had a brilliant experience with a model I shot today (in Bishop Auckland. Quite a long way to travel)

Orson Carter ah thanks Orson :) I hope you're well!

Why not do studio days/club nights and if you get on with a model then book her that way.

If you want an amazing model that responds quick you can do no worse than Olga Solo  

One thing I’ve only realised recently is that a lot of models get dozens of messages (perhaps dozens every day) on many different platforms, so with the best will in the world it must be difficult to keep up. Add to that the fact that many of those messages on social media are either from admirers, timewasters, or photographers who want them to work for free, and I’m not surprised that the volume of messages can be overwhelming. So I’d suggest that 2 days is a little soon to be chasing for a reply.

Chris Green Perhaps they are busy, but so am I.

Perhaps they are busy, but those who want to fob me off because my money's not good enough for them will say exactly the same thing.

Perhaps they are busy, but so are most people, including several of the busiest models on this site.

I have had a quick response from one saying that she was moving house and then going on tour and then ... something ... and I entirely sympathise with her situation so I've not followed it up, but I am so, so grateful to her for taking the 30 seconds to say as much.  It keeps her firmly on my WTWW list ready for when I come up with another idea that she'll be the ideal model for.

The other ones?  Not so much, and I don't go chasing if they read but don't respond - it's smacks of being too creepy.

JPea I had a delay of nearly 3 years from an initial enquiry...

Lightingman said

AshleyAshton said

Hi Martin.

The answer is simple 😊

Just like models, if you limit yourself to shooting only within a certain radius, you put limitations on the models available to shoot.

Kindest regards

Ashley

Unless one has unlimited resources including finances and time the vast majority of us will have a finite radius within which one can work.

I've mentioned this before but if I do a 'search' for a 100 mile radius of my location there is actually a tiny number of "active" models, and a large number of "has never, " "rarely replies", "last logged in last years." 

Edited by Lightingman

The models I do not understand are the ones who claim on their profile to be full time, yet show a status of has never replied or rarely replies. I get the people who have full time jobs and do some modelling for extra income, but if a full time model then why would they never or rarely reply? Makes you wonder where their references come from if never replied on here.

As for radius from home to travel to a model, I am lucky to live within 90 minutes of sizeable cities / towns (Manchester, Liverpool, Wigan, Blackburn, Warrington, Stoke etc.) so there is no shortage of models. However, I appreciate in some parts of the country further distances may need to be travelled to find models to suit your criteria.

As for AshleyAshton, then, if you have never shot her before then I seriously recommend her! (I have 3 times now and the 4th shoot is penciled in for next month). And no I am not on commission! :)

Just here to say that your work is beautiful and if I lived closer I would be dropping a DM in your inbox haha! :P 

On a slightly more serious note though... Many models by their own admission are a tad... flakey... When it comes to comms! So I don't think this is unusual. I guess try and look for models who have a good reply rate on their portfolio? And I guess for all the 'radio silence' you get... You are clearly still getting many incredible shoots!!! So, not too much to be worried about!! :)