Red Sky Photography wrote:
I use to use Availability and travel notices in Casting calls here and in my area there seem to be a good number of traveling models still working. Not so many locals still post availability, but there are occasional posts 'looking for a photographer' on there.

I've found a few models on IG, but have never booked one through their dms on there. I have found a few on FB that way too. Sometimes they post a booking email.

Los Angeles has decent amount of people posting availability notices, and a paid casting call can get hundreds of responses. Traveling models come into my DMs a bit as well.

Its still a bit on life support, particular as the talent is not refreshing. There are lots of creative possibilities where that doesn't matter, this is about the other ones where a fresh nubile face is interesting and browsable by stats and genre interests.

Tony Lawrence wrote:
LA is a fantastic place to find models.   OP, I looked at your work.  Consider doing some clothed fashion shots and go to the agencies.  There are a LOT of smaller agencies in LA.  March is LA fashion week time.  You can hook up with local designers who will help you with models.  Nothing wrong with looking here or IG. but once you're on a few models rounds list and going to fashion shows and shooting people you'll have more models than you'll ever need.

https://www.bynataliemichelle.com/proje … alifornia/

yes, it absolutely is!

I should revisit hitting up agencies and see how that's evolved, I mostly find it so incredibly different than booking models directly that is was cumbersome. I'm definitely not the "I have a client that's paying for me and the model", in the past agencies have been largely irrelevant, while booking models directly has been "I feel like paying and I don't know what I'm going to do with the photos yet, but we can put in your 'no porn' rider on the release form so you feel comfortable". Agencies and their models are like "huh" about that, while it is completely normalized with directly booked internet models and travel models.

Outside of agencies, yes, LA is full of models and people willing to model. sorting them by stats and genre - when not using an agency - is still harder than it needs to be. I'm in the rounds with a couple other photographers and talk with them, it is very analog again.

Thomas Van Dyke wrote:
"the fashion industry has always had young models, teenage, and pretending like I was booking that crowd was fine when model mayhem's crowd was in their 20s 

Maybe cease and desist "pretending like" and commence on shooting Fashion moving forward... A quick glance at your MM book  reveals only token Editorial Fashion... Please consider making this your primary genre of choice... And then you will likely not be challenged find & booking talent... Your MM book is predominately soft porn... Why? To whom are your marketing to? Certainly not high end Fashion Agency in my humble estimation.

I actually view MM books like yours and others with same genera as a reason for the implosion of MM...  Which btw was indeed frequented by a multitude of 18 to 20 year old talent seeking a gateway into Agency Representation and always my mission purpose.  That was until MM decided to entirely close the door on 18 to 20 year old talent, which sadly may have contributed to it's current demise...

mmmmm, no. I don't want to book models that can only shoot fashion. I generally don't want to shoot fashion and my portfolio here is intended match what I reach out to models to shoot. The correct people associate with it, that isn't the problem at all.

I didn't realize MM doesn't allow 18-20 year old talent any longer. But early mid 20s is fine for this criteria too, just like my post mentioned. Thanks for pointing it out.

my only interest in agencies are that they are pools of talent, I am completely pragmatic about it not really being a relevant pool of talent, but since its such a common suggestion - people throw the suggestion out there as if there are zero frictions in using those pools of talent - I'm willing to entertain it.

I think you misread the goal completely, I do feel obligated to point out the unsolicited critique and conditioning to regulate sexuality, masqueraded as a preference for fashion and reminiscing over the state of this site. I consider this a pretty PG profile, and none of the models involved would consider this to be softcore porn, but I understand your area of the country would consider a lot of normal things on my side to be "haram". I think the trickiest part of this conversation is that this isn't a distinction most of us would care about? Myself and the models involved don't think those projects were softcore porn, and would not care if there was softcore porn. They just charge a slightly higher rate. This is only a matter of accuracy or at least current consensus. Fashion is interesting, but not where most of my concepts lean towards.

I like the ideas, settings, and people willing to make themselves available to participate in those ideas. Directly booking models is a completely different market than agency work, its weird that this is a coveted difference to a handful of photographers on this site such that they need to be reminded they are in the minority here and always have been. The aspirations are totally different.

Currently, I'm looking for additional pools of talent because Model Mayhem's crowd is basically ~35 and older, talented people, this does present a gap in the market. I think its fine to have to use other sources like Facebook and Instagram, and need to ask what a model's stats are, I do miss the days of simply sorting models by attribute here and finding one that fit the extremes of selective pressure.

Tony Lawrence wrote:
The OP has a fantastic image on his profile.  LA is our film capitol, people travel there from small towns all over America and from other countries.  Truly stunning models live there.  Source on Facebook.  If I were there I would do small meet up's with other photographers.  Don't be afraid to hand a business card out as well.

New meetups are a good idea! Business cards can leave an impression even if that's not what people will reference to follow up, I might do it

yeah, its getting very analog again, I think people are open to it

Thomas Van Dyke wrote:
.

Thank you! if I have a series of fashion ideas I'll put together a portfolio exclusively of that kind of work and approach agencies

Tony Lawrence wrote:
LA is a fantastic place to find models.

Everytime when I'm in LA I can't help feeling that one of two waitresses in the coffeehouses and diners is "actually" an actress or model...
Be it as it may most of the ladies have the right look at least. And the are young and need the money. ;-)

Thomas Van Dyke wrote:
[i]"...  no minors just those who have reached the age of majority (or are legally emaciated by court decree)...

Another sabotage by autocorrect.

TomFRohwer wrote:
Everytime when I'm in LA I can't help feeling that one of two waitresses in the coffeehouses and diners is "actually" an actress or model...
Be it as it may most of the ladies have the right look at least. And the are young and need the money. ;-)

LA is full of actresses that don't know they're baristas

I mostly hadn't been doing approaches because I didn't like the drama post-shoot. Its actually quite fickle to balance non-professional and non-standard opinions. Add the unexpected reactions of a random girl's peer group and its just really annoying.

When you add some selection for nudity, its better to just stick with a professional. the career models need the money too!

Garry k wrote:
Last time I was there I shot with a Ukrainian Model and realized there were a lot of displaced models from that part of the world who can’t yet legally work in the US … I would recommend tapping into that community as one possibility

yes, beautiful Ukrainian women everywhere, people have been trying not to say anything but we see them, they're fun