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A Little Respect Would Be Nice
All though I have only been a member of MM for just a few days I still see one issue that really causes me to really want to hit the streets and find models outside of the internet. In the past week I have sent out 10 request to models from my state who state in their profile that they are looking for TFP/CD work,out of those ten I have heard back from three. At the same time I have been contacted by eight without my solicitation. Of the three I have had replys from I am set to shoot with two of them soon and the one they didnt fit what I want to shoot at this time however I have informed them of that decission. Of the eight that have contact me I have indicated intrest in working with two and have no intrest in the other six(Are You Confussed Yet) I am writting this to see if somehow we can as a community have respect for each others time and talent and commit to make some sort of serious attempt to reply to each inquires for services regardless of whether we are interested in working with them or not......sometimes a simple NO! is alls you have to write back,at least it provides closure for the Model or Photog.. I know as a Photographer it is discouraging to not hear back and I know it happens to you Models to. This is not the only site that this happens on however I think that MM could become the number 1 Model/Photog site on the NET but if we cant have a little comon courtesy for the time it takes to write a message MM might as well be last. Is this something that you all could practice starting at this moment or have I just wasted bandwidth. If you only have your images on MM because you somehow a seeking the attention of the world with no serious intentions of modeling please take them over to a dating site or start your own website. Regards Randy Jun 30 05 12:08 am Link Sometimes people go out of town. Sometimes they don't get their mail. If you send an email and don't get a reply, it means they are not interested and perhaps you shouldn't worry about it. As you gain experience and expand your portfolio, you'll find more people contacting you...work on that. It's what I'm doing. Jun 30 05 12:17 am Link I reply to every email, whether it's something I want to do, or if it's not. I think it isn't nice to not reply back and keep someone waiting for a reply. There are some people serious about this buisness and there are some that aren't as serious as they should be. Jun 30 05 12:17 am Link I am here for a few day too, but never had the experience you're reporting. Actually every model I contacted was really outgoing and nice. Even if there were differences in how and what to shoot. Got a reply every time too. So actually this is for me the best place to learn more about the business, find models and new insights and ispiration... Jun 30 05 12:24 am Link Hey Randy, Check your presentation. You say your a photographer of 20 years and you show only 5 photos. A lot of us on this site get a very good percentge of replies. but it is in how we market ouselves and what we show of our work...nobody really knows anybody, so its not personal. It is just models' first judgements. Best of luck, Michael Creagh http://michaelcreagh.com Jun 30 05 12:32 am Link Posted by Michael_Creagh: Mike knows photography. Jun 30 05 12:36 am Link I used to have the same experience on OMP, and only a few models were professional and courteous enough to send a "No thank you" response. Because here we can see if a message has been read or not, I think the courtesy and professionalism is instilled a little more. I like to think that those who can't take the few seconds to at least respond will have short lived runs in this industry. Jun 30 05 12:42 am Link Posted by Michael_Creagh: Ah. Jun 30 05 12:42 am Link The internet has brought society to a new level of anonymity, or ignorance depending on how you look at it. If an acquaintence bothers you over an instant messenger and you don't want to talk with him/her, you can pretend you were in the bathroom. If someone asks you a dumb question on a forum, you can pretend you didn't see it. If an ugly model or talentless photographer asks you to shoot for free, you can pretend you didn't get it. Change society and you just might get the 'respect' you're searching for. Or you can always just send out more requests like everyone else. Posted by Michael_Creagh: Owned. =] Jun 30 05 03:16 pm Link Would have to agree with Michael. Dude... of the 5 photos you have posted on your MM page, you only have 2 models showcased... and I have to be honest with you... those pics are just about snapshot quality at their best, yet you claim to be a pro photographers of over 20 years?... Wow! You wanna know WHY your percentage of responses are so low?... do the math! Check out our MM page (credits section) for the reason why online portfolios like yours dont work. Jun 30 05 03:54 pm Link models don't respond to every message mostly because they have a large precentage of messages and experances with over zealious photographers, perverts and other forms of sleeze. Now when people just stop talking after things have been going on you just let things go. It's worse when a model sets a shoot up then dissapears then it is not to hear back form some one on first contact if you don't have a set project for them to consider. just my way of thinking Jun 30 05 04:06 pm Link I don't reply to every model who wants to work with me. Sometimes I just don't have time to respond and the emails get lost in my inbox. I get more than 300 emails a day. It's hard to keep track. I know of a few models who I've tried contacting on OMP and never got a response from them until I tried contacting them on MM. It's probably the same thing for them as well. Soon these models will get a shitload of photographers who will message these models wanting to work with them and the constant cycle will continue. Jun 30 05 04:27 pm Link Its just like if some model sends me an email that was clearly sent to every photographer in the city. If it looks like obvious spam, I'm probably gonna toss it like I do with the rest of my unsolicited email. Moral of the story: Be careful how you write your emails if you want a response. Jun 30 05 05:03 pm Link randall, dig a little deeper in the forums and you'll find you aren't the only one with this problem. don't take it personally, it's just the way it is and will always be. try this thread: https://modelmayhem.com/posts.php?thread_id=3018 Jun 30 05 05:13 pm Link Have you tried offering cookies? Jun 30 05 05:45 pm Link Posted by Monsante Bey: Mmmmm.... cookies... Jun 30 05 07:40 pm Link Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: Jul 01 05 09:19 pm Link 300? Classic V.M. Jul 01 05 09:20 pm Link The better your work...the better/more frequent your responses will be. Hence, the quest for always trying to better yourself. For me, this site keeps me humble--while pushing me to try and out shoot the big guns. Jul 01 05 09:22 pm Link Posted by Michael Barian: Of course, not all of them are model referrals. I have 4 other emails that forward to my main. Jul 01 05 09:27 pm Link Makes my 50 seem lame. Jul 01 05 09:28 pm Link Funny! Whenever I email a model, I usually get a response pretty quick! They all love GWC! Everyone's talking about me!! I've got a buzz goin' about me! What does "" mean? Is that some code, or something? A lot of the models just reply with an empty message saying "" Is that like "Later out to Lunch" meaning they'll get back to me? GWC! Jul 01 05 09:35 pm Link Funny! Whenever I email a model, I usually get a response pretty quick! They all love GWC! Everyone's talking about me!! I've got a buzz goin' about me! What does "" mean? Is that some code, or something? A lot of the models just reply with an empty message saying "" Is that like "Later out to Lunch" meaning they'll get back to me? GWC! Jul 01 05 09:35 pm Link Funny! Whenever I email a model, I usually get a response pretty quick! They all love GWC! Everyone's talking about me!! I've got a buzz goin' about me! What does "" mean? Is that some code, or something? A lot of the models just reply with an empty message saying "" Is that like "Later out to Lunch" meaning they'll get back to me? One of them Emailed me Angelina Jolie's cell phone number and I am gonna call her and see if she'll TFP for me! Life is GOOD! GWC! Jul 01 05 09:35 pm Link Funny! Whenever I email a model, I usually get a response pretty quick! They all love GWC! Everyone's talking about me!! I've got a buzz goin' about me! What does "" mean? Is that some code, or something? A lot of the models just reply with an empty message saying "" Is that like "Later out to Lunch" meaning they'll get back to me? One of them Emailed me Angelina Jolie's cell phone number and I am gonna call her and see if she'll TFP for me! Life is GOOD! GWC! Jul 01 05 09:35 pm Link Funny! Whenever I email a model, I usually get a response pretty quick! They all love GWC! Everyone's talking about me!! I've got a buzz goin' about me! What does "" mean? Is that some code, or something? A lot of the models just reply with an empty message saying "" Is that like "Later out to Lunch" meaning they'll get back to me? One of them Emailed me Angelina Jolie's cell phone number and I am gonna call her and see if she'll TFP for me! Life is GOOD! GWC! Jul 01 05 09:35 pm Link Jul 01 05 10:11 pm Link Posted by GWC: OMG... (Oh My Gawd)... LOL = 'Laughing Out Loud' dude! Are you sure that's what GWC means?... I mean come on... you COULD be a 'Goofball With Cyphilis'... LOL! Jul 01 05 10:12 pm Link Randy: What type of message are you sending to the models? I haven't attmepted to made contact with models here yet, but I will share my usual message that I have sent at other sites. First, it is brief. This is an introduction to see if there is any interest. I invite the model to look at my portfolio on the site as well as my website http://charliesimages.com . Next, I mention that I would like to discuss a possible photo session with them. Finally, I request that if they would like more information to contact me at their earliest convenience. When they respond, I then provide more information as well as request that we either meet (if local) or make contact via IM or phone call. Jul 02 05 08:28 am Link kind of fishy ... Jul 04 05 09:54 pm Link I am too busy drinking and sleeping with my crew of models to get more so I have not contacted any here yet. Jul 04 05 10:19 pm Link perspective from the model's mom: Janelle gets requests quite often, from gwc's that don't know how to shoot out of auto mode, have no clue what a meter is, and have a portfolio full of "snapshots" ... nothing she'd want to put in her book We politely reply with her rates, since they contacted us, occasionally some will fork up the $$ to shoot her, otherwise, we do mom/daughter stuff & enjoy the quality time, while saving great expense doing tfp that won't produce good pics Apparently, I've had email issues in the past, and am "guilty" of not replying to photog's emails, that is when I discovered my spam filter was putting 95% of all incoming emails in the junk folder ... so, not all model no replies are no replies, some never get what you send. A polite no doesn't always work either, I've even had some photogs want us to pay their gas to drive to us to shoot, when they initiated the contact in the first place??? Look at the level of model you are soliciting, look at the level of pictures in your book, compared to their book? can you equal or improve their book? if so, contact them, if you can't at least equal it, why expect them to tfp with you? Experience models are a dream to shoot, vs newer models that need tons of direction & inspiration, sometimes you get what you pay for  Nina Jul 04 05 10:53 pm Link Posted by Janelle: Huh? LOL Jul 04 05 11:03 pm Link I don't know how your approaching these ppl but personally I try and get back to everyone but it takes Me time as I get lots of emails. and I'm sure there are plenty other models who are busy as well. I never understand why ppl get so pissed about such things.it hasn't been a month but a mere wk My advice is just chill out. xxx MP Jul 04 05 11:10 pm Link Posted by Mistress Purgatori: Agreeing with what she said...I've found it can be difficult to get hold of people whether they are photographers or models, professional or not. It all depends on the amount of work they have and their priorities. They do their best, as do many people who are in the business. Jul 04 05 11:19 pm Link I think the bottom line is respect. But it is also about making contacts. If I ask you for a TFP and you don't have the time, etc etc to do it, all it takes is a minute for you to respond and say so. My feelings won't be hurt. I won't be hurt if you don't like my ideas either. Either way, I ALWAYS remember the small things. If you had the decency to give me a simple, no thanks, I remember that. Those models who never responded to my emails will never get another email again, especially if I am looking to pay. Their loss. Jul 06 05 03:22 am Link Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: Dood! 300 e-mails a day?! Goddamn San Diego. You guys are putting some shit in the water. I just know it. Jul 06 05 03:30 am Link Well I thinak ALOT of these models just post their portfolio pics, send a message or two add a few friends and then go away. The vast majority I have checked out haven't been online for weeks and it was a few days after they joined. You can also see when someone has read your message, I have only had a few not respond to me so far. I totally agree, a simple "Sorrry but I am not intrested at this time" only takes like 5 seconds. I know cause I just timed it Jul 06 05 04:17 am Link |
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