Believe it or not, Walt, but aspiring models often have trouble finding photogs to help build up their portfolios. So they publish cellphone and P&S shots, often from their friends, just to get the minimum quota needed to open an account at Model Mayhem.
Once you have a photographer account there with a few decent shots in it, you'll likely get inquiries from such models looking to shoot. On Sat, Apr 28, 2012 at 11:48 AM, Walt Gilbert <ldott...@gmail.com> wrote: > Wow. > > Looking through some of the work the ladies post in their portfolios at MM > -- particularly the ones who are local -- I think I could probably hold my > own. I've seen a lot that I would cull on my first review of a group of > party photos. > > I mean, you can tell the ladies are really attractive, but I can't believe > the number of less-than-flattering photos they post. It's almost as if they > prefer to be in a "cool picture" than look beautiful in them. > > > -- Walt > > On 4/27/2012 2:59 PM, Bruce Walker wrote: >> >> Walt, MM lists 7 young ladies who live within 25 miles of Paduca, >> Kentucky who will work TFP (ie trade-for-photo). >> >> All you need to do is come up with an idea for a shoot, eg theme, >> location, wardrobe, any props, and approach these folks with your >> shoot description. If they think your shots will benefit their >> portfolio they'll agree to it. Be prepared to show some of your best >> work (edit brutally) and they better have people in them. :-) >> >> Here's one who is a fitness and bikini model: >> http://www.modelmayhem.com/1648238 >> >> If you read her resume it says "some experience". If you examine her >> portfolio you see that she's had one fitness set of pro-level shots >> done and a whole lot of snapshots. She needs more good shots for her >> portfolio. >> >> She's a good candidate to approach. She may want gas-money if it's a >> fairly long drive to the location. >> >> On a first encounter they'll likely want to bring a friend. You can >> put the friend to work holding a reflector or helping keep the model's >> hair tidy. >> >> Anyways, good luck! >> >> >> On Fri, Apr 27, 2012 at 10:21 AM, Walt Gilbert<ldott...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> On 4/27/2012 7:15 AM, Bruce Walker wrote: >>>> >>>> On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 9:12 PM, Walt Gilbert<ldott...@gmail.com> >>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> On 4/26/2012 7:23 PM, Bruce Walker wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Practicing my retouching. Getting quicker now ... >>>>>> >>>>>> http://www.flickr.com/bruce_m_walker/7116760695/lightbox/ >>>>>> >>>>>> K20D, DA* 50-135/2.8 @ 50mm, f/8, 125th, ISO 100 >>>>>> Two Elinchrom BX500 RI strobes with 24” softboxes >>>>>> >>>>>> Model: Katelin Popiel >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> -bmw >>>>>> >>>>> Rawrrrr indeed! >>>>> >>>>> Great shot, Bruce! >>>>> >>>>> I know a young lady who's the spitting image of that model, and I've >>>>> been >>>>> pestering her to let me take photos of her for about a year now. She's >>>>> only >>>>> 19 and gets hit on a lot by older men, so I figure that's the biggest >>>>> obstacle I have to overcome aside from the fact that I suspect she >>>>> doesn't >>>>> really know how serious a pursuit photography is for me. >>>>> >>>>> Maybe in a couple of years. >>>>> >>>>> -- Walt >>>> >>>> Thank you! >>>> >>>> >>>> Walt, my advice fwiw: don't expend energy trying to persuade reluctant >>>> folks to sit for you. Once you discover that there are people who will >>>> crawl over broken glass to have you photograph them, you'll forget all >>>> about the reticent ones. >>>> >>>> Even if you manage to sweet talk or bribe a reluctant or shy person >>>> into posing, unless you are lucky (or very skilled) their discomfort, >>>> even mild, will show in the pictures you get. >>>> >>>> Put the word out through your family and friends that you're looking >>>> for willing portraiture subjects, and that you'll give them shots in >>>> return. Tell them to ask their friends and family. Mention that you >>>> need help and practice -- people like to help. >>>> >>>> Walt, what city are you in? I can do a quick search on Model Mayhem for >>>> you. >>>> >>>> Once you have a bit of a portfolio, show that to people. You'll get >>>> more positive responses once you can actually show folks what you can >>>> do. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> -bmw >>>> >>> Thanks, Bruce -- for the advice and the offer to help out in finding >>> models. >>> >>> I'm in a bit of a sticky situation in that regard, living in a town of >>> about >>> 350 people, and the biggest town within reasonable driving distance being >>> about 35,000 (Paducah, Kentucky). Though, despite the lack of a big >>> population center, I don't really have that much trouble finding people >>> to >>> pose for me. In fact, I constantly have people asking me if I'll take >>> pictures of their daughters/sons/grandkids, etc. The biggest challenge is >>> getting people to follow up after they ask me. I've come to the >>> conclusion >>> that, for a lot of people, when they find out you're a photographer, they >>> just like to say things like that as a means of small-talk. >>> >>> Normally, when someone asks me to do something like that, I stipulate >>> that >>> I'm not by any means a pro photographer with a studio and lighting and >>> backdrops. At that point, they say, "Oh, I don't care about that! I'm >>> sure >>> you'd do a great job!" Then, they never bother contacting me about it. >>> >>> Which is really OK with me, to be honest. Whenever I try to talk someone >>> into posing for me (like the young lady I mentioned), I'm looking to take >>> very casual portraits. I manage to get decent results whenever I do it >>> completely impromptu -- even when they're shy or reluctant. I just try to >>> catch them in unguarded moments. (I'm not quite sure I'd be all that >>> comfortable in a formal "sitting" situation, myself.) >>> >>> I guess my approach could be best described as getting someone to simply >>> be >>> somewhere (or tell me where they're going to be), let them just do what >>> they >>> do and be who they are, and tell them to just try to ignore me -- or at >>> least pretend I'm not there. That's why I like to shoot at gatherings and >>> events. I just love capturing candid moments, and I'm pretty good at >>> putting >>> people at ease once I've had a chance to mingle and blend in. >>> >>> >>> -- Walt >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> PDML@pdml.net >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>> follow the directions. >> >> >> > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > follow the directions. -- -bmw -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
