“Models need more control!”
I was speaking with a model who said to me "Models need more control over what we shoot! Every tfcd shoot, the photog is asking for skin. I'm a fashion model, I don't do skin." I said to her "Simple! start paying photographers their rate, and YOU control what you shoot!"
This totally floored her and she brought up the fact that she's done a lot of local publication work and that she had more of a name locally, than most of the photographers. While I agree with her to an extent, the bottom line is she wants to control what she shoots, there's only one way to do so. Fork it over sister! I realize the thought of a model paying a photographer is outlandish in today's terms, but lets be real. The break down is a need based, for those who don't understand, allow me to break it down;
He who desires the work more, pays.
Pretty simple, right? Or not so. It really is simple, if I want a model in my book, I'm receptive to what she says. If she wants to get paid, I will pay, if she will shoot tfcd but only shoot a specific genre, then that's what we'll shoot if it's what I also want in my book. I will pay the nationally published models to shoot them, cause they have a bigger name than I and it's a simple addition game, but local models or those who want to be models, sad but I'd never pay them. Not because I feel I'm better than them, but because they don't present me with the opportunity to advance my career as I have far more published images than them.
Models want to bring your boyfriend? mother? best friend? an entire entourage? I can tell you most professional photographers will NOT allow this to happen on a tfcd shoot. Does that make the photog a "creeper"? or unprofessional? no, it makes them concerned with you making kissey faces or dozens of images of you looking off to the side to get silent approval from the person you brought. Or more often than not, you not working to your fullest for being embarrassed that they're watching. If it's your dime, you're paying? I don't care what you do! you're totally responsible for those images!
Finally? time and time again, it has been proven that once there's money involved, everyone is a bit more professional.
Model: “Jay, I LOVE your work, I MUST have it in my book”
Here's what I see in my head when they say that to me:
Let's do some simple math here model:
20 years of holding a camera in my hand. 10 of those at the professional level. 5 of those 10 were hard earned cash spent on memberships, driving to workshops, countless hours reading worthless books and hundreds upon hundreds of hours learning via trial and error.
You love my work, but think I should take all the above, and give it to you free? Yea, no.
PHOTOGRAPHERS: what are you saying about your work, if you're giving it away for free?
“Models don’t pay photographers, it’s TFCD or they (the model) get paid”
Last week I was doing a shoot with one of my most favorite models. The quick shoot ended up turning into a 10hour shoot and as a result, we got GREAT images! At the end of the shoot, she hung out and we talked a bit, catching up. We started talking about photography in Colorado and the lack of jobs for everyone. I explained to her that I'm personally trying to change that by bringing out models such as Playboy Model Carlotta Champagne, Penthouse Model SaraLiz and 5 Photography masters, as well as doing my work here to move the interest up. She then said she was contacted by a local photographer who told her he wanted to shoot her for a local calendar. She asked him what was the pay, and he told her that in this instance, he wouldn’t charge her. She then said “Model’s don’t pay photographers, either the photographers pay or it’s a trade job.†I didn’t give her the riot act, but I wanted to 
What is a professional photographer?
One of the questions that I tend to shy away from, is the “what makes someone a professional photographer†I’ve shied away from this for the simple fact that there are many different ways to qualify a “Professional Photographer†Today, I was talking to a friend of mine and she was telling about a pro photog friend of hers, who wasn’t getting image comments that she liked, so she took all her photos down. Is this how a pro should act? IMHO, no, not at all.
The comments I’m going to make next are qualifiers that I use to determine a “Professional Photographerâ€. In no way, shape or form, should this list be taken as the end all, be all of what is or is not a pro, just my observation.
I’m still with ya!
Hey all,
I'm still with ya. I know I need to update, I'm working on a few things. My girls have been home less than a week, so we're all doing the close lovey dovey stuff, should wear off by saturday and I'll be back to work.
Just a quick update:
I now see why I stopped doing tfcd shoots. Since starting my book idea, I started doing tfcd model shoots. In that time, I've had four "models" change their minds about modeling (one was really good at it and had potential) another two decide they don't want to shoot nudes and want any artistic nude shots removed! One did so because she claimed her mommy found out (Her husband sent me an email asking me to take the one photo down, although you can't even tell it's her lol) and another model contacted me just the other day. The model who contacted me the other day, she's a real sweetheart, so I took them down since I didn't want anything to happen to her, but man does that put a damper on what I do!
"Models" don't understand that a free shoot, isn't really free! it costs the photographer money in ways they'll never really apprecieate. Most models think a shoot is done once they leave, that's when the real work begins.
My new years resolution? no more free shoots again! when I was charging, I never had this problem. Crazy that I only have this problem when doing free shoots, models that pay, show up on time and they know what they're getting themselves into.
Who's going to take the stand with me? When I did this a few years ago, two photogs took the agreement, both were back to tfcd shoots inside of a month. I kept it going and they were jealous lol.
NO MEANS NO!