Can we all please agree that, when a model and photographer have been emailing about a shoot coming up, and one of them decides for whatever reason that they want to decline the shoot, that they have the professional obligation to send an email stating that, instead of just going silent?  I have a shoot with a model supposedly set up late in March.  We were talking about it, we discussed outfits (which I am set to order), and I contacted someone in Detroit about renting the studio.

That was two weeks ago.  I feel pretty confident that, for reasons that seem good to her, she has decided not to do this shoot.  Let me be perfectly clear:  I DO NOT CARE WHY!  If you don't want to shoot, that's your business and I'm not going to harrass you about it.  Nobody should feel like they can hound someone else into doing a shoot they don't want to do.  That's not professional.

But if I'm setting everything up to do the shoot, and here we are a week and a half away from it, I need to order the outfits, confirm a time so I can tell the studio when to expect us, and hire a MUA.  Shoots are kind of like weddings.  They need a lot of pre-planning, on both the model's part and the photographer's.  To simply not reply to emails because you do not want the job creates uncertainty and confusion for everyone. 

JUST EMAIL AND SAY, "I've decided not to do the shoot.  Thank you for the opportunity."  Leave it there.  At least the other party will know it's off, and can move on, cancel bookings, etc. 

If you are cancelling because of the money, bring that up, if you would still like to do the shoot.  Give the other party a chance to bid in. 

If you are cancelling for any other reason, just say no thanks.  It's that simple.

If you say "no thanks" and they continue to bug you, just hit the delete button in your email server.  You've done all you need to do.  You don't have an obligation to read all the ensuing emails.  If they didn't get the message ("What part of 'n-o' don't you understand?" lol) it isn't your responsibility. 

Please, please.  Photographers, models, MUAs, anybody involved in setting up shoots.  Let's just be fair to each other, okay? 

Now I'm going to have cookies and milk.

There are literally posts like this all the time here on MM.  Key Words: Professional Behavior Required.  Enough Said.

Another dead horse to be beaten...anyone else want to take a whack?

Sorry for being blunt....I've just been a tad under the weather lately :-)