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How competitive are you on MM?
How competitive are you? Would you respond or not respond to a fellow MUA, photographer, model who asked you a question business related via MM? Would you be afraid they would take some of your business? I'm asking this because I asked another MUA on here a business question and they never responded. I thought we were here to help one another out. It's different for the TFP/TFCD assignments, but when it involves money, it seems to be another issue. What do the rest of you think? Jan 14 07 01:45 pm Link people do seem to get touchy. i think there needs to be a medium between professionalism and competition. if it's a personal strategy or something, you can kindly decline to indulge. in any case, i think a response, whether with an answer or just saying no, should be given. in the end, i can tell you that i'll try to always be kind, friendly, professional, and give some sort of response. i can't speak for anyone else. Jan 14 07 01:50 pm Link I'm very competitive BUT... I'm not afraid of anyone stealing business from me. I share information all the time when people write me. I even give them my phone number via the MM mail, cause I hate writing forever, it's easier on the phone. There's more than enough business in this field to go around. I don't think I have any patent on any super secret to doing well. So, wtf, share. But, I also think people are on here for different reasons. Not everyone is here to share but to take and network without giving. Others are soooo busy they don't have the time but once a week to sit down and answer the letters they find to be most important. Some just want models some just want to build a better portfolio and don't want to make friends or be friendly. There's so many different personalities on MM. You can get that from reading these threads, LOL! So, I wouldn't be offended or upset or believe everyone is the same. Just move on and network elsewhere. Some will be gracious and others have their reasons to keep to themselves.  Jan 14 07 01:57 pm Link I've always responded to any question asked of me. If I couldn't answer the question I tried to point them in the direction of someone that could. Jan 14 07 03:29 pm Link I hate competition. I have zero competitiveness in me. If a model messages me asking a question I always politely reply to them. If a photographer emails me asking how a photographer did something in a picture, I always refer them to the photographer in question because it isn't up to me to give away any secrets that a photographer may be trying to keep. Jan 14 07 03:33 pm Link The only time I was slightly perturbed is when a model commented on one of my poses and then I saw it later in their port. I didn't say anything and it doesn't really bother me now but when I first saw it I was a little taken back. Jan 14 07 03:33 pm Link little apple blossom wrote: a photographer in Florida I worked with messaged me one day with a link to another photographer in Florida whom I don't know. They had obviously ripped off one of our picture concepts. Same pose, same outfit, everything. And the date they had uploaded it was about 3 weeks after we had. All I did was tag it "Hm. This looks familiar." though I'm sure I could have been much nastier and messaged them with something rude. But I didn't. Jan 14 07 03:36 pm Link Jessalyn wrote: although that sucks, at least it's that much more confirmation that the stuff you do rocks out loud. Jan 14 07 03:40 pm Link If someone asks me a question I feel like I should help them out. Jan 14 07 03:42 pm Link Riannan the artist wrote: If you're good, you can help others without fear. If they try to copy, rip off, etc., good luck to them. They are copying yesterday's work, while I've moved onto the next concept. They are always a step behind, and can't even match my old work if they try! Jan 14 07 03:48 pm Link Riannan the artist wrote: people can be strange and money seems to make them stranger Jan 16 07 04:18 am Link I dont mind answering questions..However, I don't like questions which seem to be copy and paste and feel as if it were dirtected towards 100 e-mails. If a question is based on my body of work or in relation to how I present myself and my business, I gladly respond. V Jan 16 07 04:23 am Link By helping others with kind intention we engage in the act of selfless giving, their is no greater compassion Jan 16 07 04:23 am Link Jessalyn wrote: Everything has already been done to some extent, though. I would consider it flattery... unless they hijacked the idea and sold it for millions... Jan 16 07 04:29 am Link Riannan, artist wrote: i have no problem answering business related questions to my fellow photographers; they can't take my "vision" ... Jan 16 07 04:35 am Link Caspers Creations wrote: i am the same way i happy to help if i can no biggy to me Jan 16 07 04:36 am Link I believe this MM network is meant to be a positive one...whatever we can do to help one another out is definitely a step in the right direction...that of progression. Jan 16 07 04:44 am Link Riannan the artist wrote: Me?? I tend to be non-competitive in life, and therefore in photography. Must be from way back when I was a musician. You can tell and show people exactly what you do and how you do it, yet when two creative people follow a similar process, the results are usually very different. The reality is that there is always competition, I figure that the sharing of information and technique will simply result in good things in the end.... Jan 16 07 09:54 am Link Is this a competition? I had no idea. *rolls up sleeves* Jan 16 07 09:56 am Link Dammit. I am wearing a sleeveless shirt..... Jan 16 07 09:56 am Link How can you get competitive when you're creating art? Photography is a form of art, is it not? I get people asking me all kinds of questions, whether it's photography related or otherwise. I always try to help out with the knowledge that I've gained over the years. I mean what's the point keeping your knowledge to yourself? Knowledge should be passed on if you ask me. Jan 16 07 10:05 am Link I have had many people help me and I try to pass on the kindness.For example I just posted polaroids to answer many questions I get about how, what etc to submit to agencys... Jan 16 07 10:08 am Link Aelah wrote: I wish more people had this young ladys attitude Jan 16 07 10:29 am Link DawnElizabeth Moderator wrote: thank you Dawn as always you brighten my day now go put on a shirt with sleeves by golly Jan 16 07 10:30 am Link Riannan the artist wrote: I dont mind helping others. But I wont say I'm not competetive either. Jan 16 07 05:03 pm Link I'd like to think we're here to help each other out, but I can't help feeling most are here to help themselves out. I like to help when I can, but I don't like to be taken advantage of either. Not accusing the OP of anything, just saying in general... Jan 16 07 05:29 pm Link I certainly don't mind answering questions, be they about business or images in my portfolio or whatever. [sarcasm] If it's something that is beyond me, I can lie with the best of them! [/sarcasm] -Major Jan 16 07 05:35 pm Link We have to remember that every pose has been posed and every shot has been shot and all we are doing is our own variation of each. I often get emails asking about certain aspects of an image such as lighting, lenses, etc and I don't mind divulging some information. What won't I answer? Questions regarding contact info for photo editors or other potential clients. Jan 16 07 05:38 pm Link Good question Riannan. I donât think Iâm competitive. As youâve seen at the network meetings, I ask everyone to share with each other because I feel it will bring the giver rewards that canât be bought. When a person opens up and shares with others, that person has the chance to gain respect as well as other knowledge from the people he/she is sharing with. It may not be immediate, but I feel in the long run, the payoff is there. Example: Last Saturday, I was able to share some lighting techniques while at the meeting and he wrote me a very nice and sincere thank you letter. Jan 16 07 05:38 pm Link I really don't mind helping out any time I can. (It's actually very rare, so I kinda revel in it!) I always ask questions. Alot of the time, I sound like a moron when I ask them, but I don't mind so long as someone points me in the direction of an answer. I really enjoy collaborating with other photographers as well as models/MUAs/Stylists and so on. Working with other people's input always seems to make for a more "well rounded" collection of images. Besides, if someone takes one of my ideas and improves upon it, GREAT! I wanna know how they did it, too. -Major Jan 16 07 05:48 pm Link Riannan the artist wrote: I guess itâs different for models then for MUAâs. A model has something unique that cannot be reproduced â her look, while MUAâs marketability is dependent on their techniques that could be learned. Jan 16 07 05:48 pm Link I really don't feel like I have a ground to stand on to be competitive. There are people who are always going to be better than me, people who are always going to have better bodies or nicer hair or a better smile... I'm happy with the work I create in the time I have to create it. When I was in High School... I was competitive about my sports but now I realize I accomplished a lot and I had no reason to compete with anyone or try to make myself better. To this day I have a certain female friend who feels that our friendship is a competition... not because I compete with her but because I tend to be more of "one of the guys" and generally get attention for it... not because I try but because it's where I fit in. It's a never ending battle with her to see that I am not competing but just hanging out where I'm comfortable. Jan 16 07 05:56 pm Link Riannan the artist wrote: I believe that this is not a matter of competitiveness-- I am very competitive! Jan 16 07 06:14 pm Link I respond to everyone on here, no matter what, it is business. One very popular model on Mayhem said to me, "there are no real models on Model Mayhem!" Kisses, MELmoore Jan 16 07 06:18 pm Link ElaineD wrote: Actually, models have much that can be reproduced. In many cases, its not about the look because quite often, looks overlap. Many times I've hired models not for their specific looks... but something else. Jan 16 07 06:19 pm Link Daguerre wrote: Do you make everyone that works with you sign an NDA? Jan 16 07 06:20 pm Link Life is not a zero-sum game. Jan 16 07 06:24 pm Link I am totally competitive. I can run so fast that you'll feel ashamed just to be you! ;> Seriously though, anyone so concerned about their "trade secret" or "specific style" that they won't talk to other photographers is painfully insecure, and just sort of pathethic. Now I'll go on record as saying that I find my own work to be about as skillful as that of a lowland gorilla with bad cataracts. But the guys that I know that are truly among the best are also the most willing to mentor and teach. I point to guys like Robert Sanders, Bob Randall, and Walter Iooss. I had the privilege of having dinner with Walter at spring training two years ago and the guy couldn't stop giving me information that dramatically helped my sports and fast action shooting. This weekend I had the privilege of taking part in the Michael Lee Hide House shoot in Milwaukee, and the suggestions and feedback that I received from Michael Lee and Michael Obradovich (MikeyBoy) were unbelievable. I will never hold a candle to the skill of these guys, but I could certainly put a crimp in their "sales" if I tried. Did they hesitate to share information based on that? Not even for a second. In the words of Mikey, when photographers as a whole get better we all get better. Kudos to you MikeyBoy, and to all those just like you! Jan 16 07 06:36 pm Link Daguerre wrote: Gary Davis wrote: You better believe it-- and my lawyers ain't Sissies, either... Jan 16 07 06:56 pm Link ive never had a problem sharing anything i can to help. whether it be photoshop tricks that save a lot of time, to lighting setups. ive never worried about it. i think half of the reason i dont worry about it, is because i figured it all out on my own. through figuring something out, i think you gain a lot more knowledge about how it really works. much more than than just how to do it. also, i think experimentation is really the only way to improve. so i dont worry about them surpassing me. Jan 16 07 06:59 pm Link |
