Models - a nice upbeat post about models!

Almost every model I have worked with has been lovely. 40 years of shooting.

People who have problems with models need improve their selection process or their personal skills.

Once again, many thanks for all your comments, folks. It's lovely to see such appreciation of, and support for, the model fraternity. 

Just my opinion, but I regard modelling as a highly specialised skill for which very few people have the ability and aptitude. It might sound a bit soppy of me, but watching a good model at work is like watching an art form. And because there are such people on here, I'm lucky enough to have opportunities to photograph people who have those skills.

For me, another aspect of this hobby is that I get to work with a lot of very interesting, talented, adventurous people - people who love to get out and do things. For example, among the models I've met and worked with are a skydiver (over 300 jumps), one who 'collects' capital cities (visited more than 30 capital cities around the world), two who have climbed Mount Kilimanjairo, professional dancers (including ballerinas), cruise line entertainers, burlesque dancers/entertainers, actors, a professional dominatrix, a nuclear scientist, marathon runners, gymnasts, acrobats and other circus performers, doctors, a vet, musicians (including one who explained the time signature of the Stranglers' Golden Brown - something that I'd never been able to work out for myself!) etc etc etc...  I just love people who do stuff. They're interesting!   

Also, I reckon I've worked with models of more than 20 different nationalities so, thanks to them, I've learned a little about places such as Ukraine, Albania, Latvia, Iran, Poland (I can count 'one' and 'two' in Polish, but 'three' defeats me!), Romania etc etc... It's interesting! 

As I've said before, I bl**dy love this hobby! 

P.S: Carlos - the model who turned up despite having had a hefty car accident en route.. I think you're referring to Ms M from Devizes. If so, yes - a brilliant, highly skilled model and a lovely person. I learned a lot from her.  

Edited by Orson Carter

Orson Carter ……you mean it’s happened twice?  My model was from Essex.  I was living near Hertford at the time and used a studio in Jamie Oliver’s parents village of Clavering.  She retired when she married an Army Air Corps pilot.  I can’t for the life of me remember her name but I’ll dig back through my files and see if I can get it.

Now…..tell me more about the Devine Ms M from my current abode…..🤫😉

Carlos said

Orson Carter ……you mean it’s happened twice?  My model was from Essex.  I was living near Hertford at the time and used a studio in Jamie Oliver’s parents village of Clavering.  She retired when she married an Army Air Corps pilot.  I can’t for the life of me remember her name but I’ll dig back through my files and see if I can get it.

Now…..tell me more about the Devine Ms M from my current abode…..🤫😉

Aha! I've done a 2+2=5. 

But I did hear a very similar story about a now-retired model who used to live near Devizes. Apparently she, too, had an accident on the way to a shoot and turned up as a passenger in an AA transporter with her 'cosmetically modified' car on the back. She, too, insisted on doing the shoot; and apparently she was her usual brilliant self. 

I have nothing but praise for the wonderful models I have worked with too. I have had one not so good experience out of 200 plus shoots. I think it's not the easiest profession either and also not the best paid, but the models both amateur and professional have always been brilliant.

There are a lot of photographers who would have winged, moaned and spat feathers. No point at all. I have had similar situations. You can control the controllable but you can't control the uncontrollable.

ClickMore 📷 said

There are a lot of photographers who would have winged, moaned and spat feathers. No point at all. I have had similar situations. You can control the controllable but you can't control the uncontrollable.

That's what I used to say about my mother-in-law. :(

JPea said

It is also quite interesting that a model is prepared to do this sort of journey to work with a photographer.

There must be some reason!

I'd like to think that she was desperate to experience my charm, sophistication, wonderful manners, youthful looks, sartorial elegance, impeccable grooming, wit, eloquence... But p'raps not.   

Seriously... Valerie was visiting friends near me so I arranged to kidnap her for a shoot while she was in the area. Definitely not for my sophistication, sartorial elegance etc etc If anyone comes here for that they'll be mightily disappointed. 

Nice to read some positivity!

It sometimes gets 'forgotten', but there are some great people here, on both sides of the camera.

This is such a lovely post to read Martin!! :) :) :) Thank you so much for this!!! 

A beautiful eulogy about the vast majority of models I have had the pleasure of working with over the last 15 years.
And that applies not only to the models here on PP, but also to those in the Model-Kartei in Germany.
Thanks Orson for this thread, it seems long overdue to me! And thanks to all the models I've had the pleasure of working with here on PP in the past.

Orson Carter

Amazing how many models have relatives down your way.

It is heart-warming to hear this story - and all credit to both models - Haven't had the pleasure of working with INFINITY Model .yet  but on my list :)

( on a personal note I would walk over hot coals to be one of your models ) .... 

It's good to share positive stories as well as bad

For every one of my shoots which went ahead, I have posted a nice reference. This is not because I automatically do this but because they have deserved the good reference.

That is a nice, upbeat post about models.

When I first started out - in the days before PP - I booked a model from MM for a shoot over the Christmas week. I messaged on the day of the shoot as I was about to set out on a long drive to her place and she messaged back saying she'd forgotten to put it in her diary and was away staying with family.

I've also had a studio booked and the model message me on the day to say she'd got shitfaced the night before and wasn't up to the shoot. Fortunately, I still had my own in-house model ready and waiting to shoot anyway so it wasn't a problem.  Frankly, I'd have preferred not to shoot a model in a state because it wouldn't have produced great results...

... but on the other hand I shot a model down at Studland House one time who was on death's doorstep, but insisted she was keen to go ahead with the shoots she'd booked with me and another photographer (both of us were more than happy to knock it on the head) and we got some lovely images.  What a trooper!

I've had a model contact me on Instagram to arrange a shoot; nothing special in that, but in her case, she arranged flights and a holiday around it to shoot for a couple of days with me. And we're friends now after the shoot too.

Indeed, many models I have shot turned into friends.

They work bloody hard to get themselves into shape, to maintain that shape and that look, irrespective of whether they work clothed or nude.  They maintain wardrobes of clothes and shoes. Likewise lipsticks and nail varnishes.  They deal with time wasters and dreamers and letchy photographers.  They deal with the vagaries of public and private transport. And then it's showtime!

God bless them one and all!