getting models for photography - DPChallenge Forums

11/01/2006 11:32:08 PM · #1

To not hijack another thread, this one is started.

11/01/2006 11:33:59 PM · #2

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Originally posted by crayon:

Leroy, I've always envied your seemingly abundance of models (FEMALES!) to shoot. Are they posing for free? What do you offer in return? Most Asian women are rather conservative, and they sometimes may even take you as a pervert if you ask them to model for nudes, no kidding. But lets share how you get them to model for you, and I'll try to kaizen them to work :)

OK man, here ya go :-)

Yes, my models model for free. I offer them CDs of the pics (often low res) for trade. I can get away with low res images because most of them only want them for thier web profiles anyway.

The Southern US is also quite conservative and quite frankly you'd run into the same "pervert" statements here if you were to just approach a lady and ask her to pose nude. Quite frankly, that would be borderline "sexual harassment" for someone that is not into being a model.

Instead, offer to do casual portrait shoots. Do a good job with them and act professionally (do NOT ogle your models LOL). Before you can get to the nude stuff, you will need to develop a working relationship with the models built upon mutual trust and respect. I never make any sexual advances on a model and keep comments about her looks at a professional level.

You're going to make your job of getting portrait sessions with models easier when you have a decent portfolio to show them. Start with some of your female friends (and thier friends) to build your portfolio. As your portfolio gets better, your job of recruiting models will become easier.

Have confidence in yourself. If you come at a girl stuttering and mumbling, you're not going to get her to model for you. Women respond well to confidence, but NOT cockiness. Demonstrate what you can do for her, but don't talk about how good you are.

Lastly, once you establish a relationship with your model, talk to her about what she feels is appropriate. IF you can get her to pose nude for you, don't breach her expectations of appropriate. Let's take for instance that she thinks "side boob" is acceptible, but not nipple shots. If you shoot a side boob shot and accidentally get a nip slip, discard that image. Break her trust and you've lost that model.

Hope that helps. And why do I have a feeling that this post sounds a LOT like relationship advice? LOL

11/01/2006 11:36:06 PM · #3

Leroy, how do you "show" your portfolio to a prospective model? I will start to build up a portfolio as you advised. A more "pro-looking" camera is also on the way (please ignore that tiny 2MP camera listed under me for now, lol). Also, lets say a model agreed (portraits for now, not thinking about nudes until later, as you said), what is the next step? I don't have a studio or studio lighting, is that ok?

11/01/2006 11:54:43 PM · #4

well, now most of my showing my portfolio is through myspace :-) But, before that, I had a photo album full of 8x10 and 5x7 prints to show them. It worked quite well. After I struck up a conversation with the potential model, I would ask if she'd like to see my work. Just went from there.

As far as studio lighting/studio goes. I rarely work in that enviroment myself. I find it too dull. I like location shooting myself (or at least that's what I tell the models) :-)

And a "professional camera" isn't always required. I was shooting nudes with a Coolpix 950 :-)

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

11/01/2006 11:55:32 PM · #5

I do hope someone else besides me will come help crayon in his quest to aquire models.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

11/02/2006 12:00:05 AM · #6

I understand that the female point of view is different because we don't have to avoid the "creep factor". But I find word of mouth my best advertisement BY FAR! I did a few shoots for free for friends/neighbors. Then did some of their friends for practically free. Then started getting friends of friends of friends and raised my rates to a level that works for me. Many of my newer clients know and say "but you did so and so's portraits for free" and I simply tell them that was a personal gift, but doesn't support my business. If they like my work, they pay the asked fee and tell a few friends.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

11/02/2006 12:23:10 AM · #7

I always encourage models I don't know well to bring a friend, male or female to watch, especially if you work out of your house or in a remote/isolated location. Helps eliminate the "creep" factor. Sometimes I've gotten the friends to work as models too.

Olympus 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 Zuiko

11/02/2006 01:22:17 AM · #8

Thanks Leroy, and also Cindi and Spaz. Can you guys maybe, share how was the very first time you shot a model (friend, or stranger)? What did you do to prepare? How did it went? Were the photos spectacular? I'm also particularly worried about not being able to produce good, or even acceptable shots. How many good shots did you achieve?

zanfar

Olympus E-3

11/02/2006 01:36:08 AM · #9

A resource I know others have had success with is //modelmayhem.com/, kind of a MySpace for Models, Photographers and MUAs.

Keep in mind, however, that this is the Internet, and all types are welcome. MM has a high no-show rate, but those that work out, work out well.

YMMV

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

11/02/2006 01:54:44 AM · #10

Originally posted by crayon:

You have one advantage over me... you are shooting digital. I started with film ... you have the option to shoot ten-20 photos of the same pose... and you can chimp the shots to see if you really like the pose or not.

My first real shoot was actually a girl that contacted me from an ad I ran in my college newspaper. It went quite well and I used her later for some ad shoots I did for the paper. I wouldn't call the photos spectacular, but they were good. I think I shot 8 rolls that day of which we probably really liked 20 shots.

My first nude shoot was a girl I worked with. She initially wanted me to do just portraits of her, after seeing what I could do. Later, we were talking and she said (jokingly I think) I want you to shoot me nude. Ofcourse I jumped at the blurted statement and well it happened. She loved the shots. Out of 10 rolls of B&W film I made about 30 8x10 prints for her. That took time, because I wasn't quite as fast in the darkroom as I am with Photoshop :-) A month later I was shooting one of her friends - nude.

Now as far as getting acceptible shots, you really should study. Look around DPC (not just the nudes gallery) and see what other portrait photogs are doing. Read Cindi's lighting thread. Buy some books. look at Judi's portfolio (ok, I do that for fun) ;-)

You're a pretty competent photog. And while the human form does require some special treatment in lighting, pose and post-processs, it is just another form. In that , it reflects light in a pretty predictable way. Thre are a few tricks to learn here and there, but you're not expected to know them all on your first shoot.

Makka

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

11/02/2006 02:12:39 AM · #11

Originally posted by zanfar:

I've been watching this site and thinking about maybe trying it out. I know a lot of people have said on here that they've had 'no-shows' so I guess it depends on who you get!

Fotomann: Just a question. Do you have your models do their own hair and makeup or do you have someone else do it for them?

11/02/2006 02:24:28 AM · #12

Originally posted by Makka:

Fotomann: Just a question. Do you have your models do their
own hair and makeup or do you have someone else do it for them?

Good question. What about clothings, and what props do you usually prepare at the shooting location?

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

11/02/2006 02:27:35 AM · #13

Originally posted by Makka:

Fotomann: Just a question. Do you have your models do their own hair and makeup or do you have someone else do it for them?

I've mostly been having them do it themselves with a little guidance from me, but I have been getting request from MUAs lately that want to work with me. I've been debating trying out a few, but not sure I want an MUA to cut into my income :-)

Oh and FWIW, I've had much better success finding "models" on myspace rhan on Modelmayhem. But, I tend to prefer working with girls that don't know they want to be models.

Makka

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

11/02/2006 02:29:00 AM · #14

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Originally posted by Makka:

Fotomann: Just a question. Do you have your models do their own hair and makeup or do you have someone else do it for them?

I've mostly been having them do it themselves with a little guidance from me, but I have been getting request from MUAs lately that want to work with me. I've been debating trying out a few, but not sure I want an MUA to cut into my income :-)

Oh and FWIW, I've had much better success finding "models" on myspace rhan on Modelmayhem. But, I tend to prefer working with girls that don't know they want to be models.

Cool. Cheers for that! I just didn't know whether I'd be 'out of place' requesting they do it themselves. My wife can do a bit but I don't think she'd be confident enough with it.

11/02/2006 02:35:05 AM · #15

Originally posted by crayon:

What about clothings, and what props do you usually prepare at the shooting location?

Well, if I have a specific want for clothing, I find out what size the model wears and buy it for them. Usually letting them keep it. If I only have a general desire for a specific type of attire, I'll request they bring along several changes of clothes that fit that style.

Props are mostly things I acquire for any ideas I have.

For instance:

I kept this non-working notebook that a friend discarded specifically for the purpose of being a prop in harsh enviroments. :-)

A lot of the other props are things I already had. Grinder girl used tools and scrap metal my brother had in his shop.

11/02/2006 02:40:13 AM · #16

Originally posted by Makka:

I just didn't know whether I'd be 'out of place' requesting they do it themselves. My wife can do a bit but I don't think she'd be confident enough with it.

Most girls know how to do thier makeup. They've been doing it for a long time and most do know what looks good on them. There are exceptions of course. Your wife could probably offer valuable knowlege to you about makeup.

Me: I know enough about it to tell them what needs to be reapplied. If I were to try to put on eyeliner, you might see models with patches on thier eyes in my portfolio :-)

Edit to add: producing photos in B&W does take some of the work out of makeup, since color choices is no longer a concern. And, bad makeup (to an extent) can be fixed in PP.

Message edited by author 2006-11-02 02:41:59.

11/02/2006 04:51:31 AM · #17

When I approach a model or anyone else I need for a shoot, I pitch the concept and my expectations in as much detail as possible. I shoot for a specific look, I pick my locations purposefully, and I match up the poses and expressions with the overall feel I want to convey. People are much more willing to work with you if you're prepared and have a plan.

11/02/2006 04:55:42 AM · #18

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

I take more of a production approach to my work, so I usually have a makeup artist and hair stylist helping whenever possible. While most girls know how to apply their own makeup, it's totally different when you're trying to go for a unique look/concept. Not everyone is versatile enough to jump from everyday makeup to 50's glamour to haute couture.

Then again, it depends on the shoot and what you're going after.

11/02/2006 05:03:36 AM · #19

Originally posted by crayon:

Good question. What about clothings, and what props do you usually prepare at the shooting location?

It all depends on what you're going after. I've been lucky enough to come across models with extensive wardrobes. Most of the ideas I've pitched they can handle, and if they can't then they go out and find something. Lately I've been considering taking it another step and working with local designers, but it's still a few weeks off.

As far as props go, most of the time I'm the one scambling because it's my idea in the first place. I've borrowed stuff from friends and coworkers, I've bought stuff at stores and off craigslist, I've gone rummaging through the house, and so on. Just make sure whatever you're using is consistent with the concept of your shoot. Nothing's worse than having all this wonderful stuff and having all the shots look like it's just random junk thrown together.

Plan plan plan.

11/02/2006 05:19:03 AM · #20

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Everyone has a different policy on escorts.

Personally I never require one. If the model wants to bring one, then I let them know that everyone on set is either helpful or invisible - I don't want distractions. It's not too much to expect grown adults to act maturely.

Besides, I feel that if I required an escort on every shoot that I'd be perpetuating the "creep" factor stereotype. I don't see how a shoot could be productive if you can't feel safe around your photographer.

11/02/2006 05:22:17 AM · #21

Originally posted by zanfar:

Modelmayhem is a decent resource. I do a lot of networking through there (me). Just be forewarned though - internet modeling is completely different from the real world.