Ok, so here's an excerpt from a lovely correspondence from this morning...  Let me say that this is the ABSOLUTE BEST WAY to get me to shoot you for FREE.  To protect the identity of the innocent people involved, I will not name names.


*sender wrote:
Hi Joy ^ ^

I know that you are too good for me, and I know that you are no longer doing TFP. But, I'm too good for you too, so it all makes sense that we should get together, combine our creativity, and blow up some awesome images!!! I know that when I'm working and wasting my time for a shoot, I have to make it worth it, because if you don't get the images that you like, than neither would I. My time are well spent with important things and I do value your time too. If you would be interested in working with me and ready to have your jaw open and leering at the pictures that we're about to build, then contact me back. Thanks for your whole monologue of telling me to feel free to send you my sob story and for taking a good consideration on this. "I'm not trying to be funny, because I am just so damn funny without trying." ^ ^

Note: I was going to the mood of your notive below, hope you've got a little giggle or two. Your work is amazing and I give myself credit for trying to work with you

I NO LONGER DO TIME FOR PRICKS(TFP) BECAUSE OF PRICKS WHO WASTE MY TIME. IF I OFFER A DISCOUNT ON MY RATES, KNOW THAT I ONLY OFFER ONCE. Feel free to send me your sob story about why I should shoot you for free. It entertains me because "in my world, STUPID IS FUNNY.


**majoy wrote:
No thanks.



*sender wrote:
Wow...I've spent about half an hour to think of something funny (although it might not be funny to you) but a "No thanks." is all I get from you? Well, I just wanted to try to satisfy you by your request.

I want to appologize if you are thinking that I'm not using my professionalism, but I was just trying my best to create a good talk, even though I failed.

I want to congratulate you for getting so much under your belt, and getting such a wonderful talent. I think that, that gave you so much confident until you don't give any chance for any model to colaborate with you unless money is coming to your mind. I think that people should take this thing as art and networking, and that'll lead you to money anyway. I hope that we can meet and connect one day. Remember being nice and accomodating is suppose to be one of the best way to express yourself.

I'm sorry if I'm taking your time and I hope that you can at least refuse my offer nicely if that's what you are going for so that I won't be bothering you again next time.

Nice to see you here in MM and it's nice to get the chance to see your work.





**majoy wrote:
I did refuse your offer nicely... I could have pointed out many ways in which you did not handle the situation in a professional way, I could have commented on how your look does not suit any project I am currently doing making you unable to further my book. The reason I have my profile the way it is is to discourage unprofessional wannabe models from trying to solicite FREE services. I have invested alot of time and MONEY into my BUSINESS. Unless the work I do will be mutually beneficial, I do not do it for free. I do appreciate the amount of effort you used to try to be funny and charming but I DO NOT appreciate the way in which you have handle rejection. If you throw a fit for every "no thank you" you receive in this business, then you obviously do not have what it takes to go very far in it. Before you try to further your career you need to ask yourself if you can handle rejection. This industry is not very nice and I was trying to be by keeping my response short and simple. I hope this response has tickled your pickle... makes me wonder how you react when you ask a girl for her number and she says no....




*sender wrote:
Thanks so much for your response. But thanks mainly for the harsh words. I had met many photographers, and agents some had said no and some of them are harsh. I took everything by courage, and I move on. But, I've never met anyone that insults and telling me that I couldn't get far. Thanks for the suggestions and I moved on NICELY when I get refused by any girl or any professional jobs. But this refection with no feeling whatsoever is something that I will remember forever.

PS: You don't have to replay to this I just simply want to know how you feel.



**majoy wrote:
I never said you will not make it far. I wrote that before you aspire to go any further, ask yourself if your skin is thick enough to handle rudeness and rejection. And, if you cannot handle a simple no, then you will not make it far. I make no judgements as to how far you will go. I am simply stating the obvious as far as what it takes to make it. In this industry you will get alot of rudeness from a lot of people. The negativity in my last message is simply a reflection of how abrasive your messages have been and to show you that my first response was indeed a polite one despite the fact that it was not what you wanted to hear. You want to know how I feel... well, I feel insulted that you would attempt to guilt or force me into working for free. Would one go to Expressly Portrait and say "hey, I need some new pictures and I want you to do them for free"? You may have mistaken me for a beginning photographer. Just to let you know, I have a long list of nationally and internationally recognized corporations as clients(Gilette Razors, Cingular to name a few). I do not need to do trade shoots. For you to approach me as though I should feel honored to shoot you is just offensive. For you to write as though you know me and know for a fact that I'm only driven by money is beyond offensive. For your information, I do trade shoots... but only with those who I see potential in. I hope this clarifies everything for you. You probably need to re-read what you have written a few times so you can see how much of a jerk you are. Confidence is attractive... cockiness is irritating. There is a fine line between the two and you have crossed that line.




*sender wrote:
Thanks for everything, and I appology for my rudeness. I am actually and supposedly very friendly, we've just got in to the wrong side of a talk that's all. I really didn't mean to do that. Well, I don't know when but I hope we can meet one day, even if it not regards to modeling and photography :p Take care and it was such a pleasure to have a little chat with you.

XOXO
CK!
PS: Forgive, and forget.

Wow...2 people with a lot of free time on their hands. 

LMAO!! You rock, maJoy

LMAO!! You rock, maJoy

Hmmm  whenever people go into The twilight Zone on me I don't respond at
all.  Its almost always pointless and leaves me drained.  Don't suffer fools lightly.

LOL I read it all!!! LONG!!!

I thought you were very gracious under the circumstances.  Almost everything I do is for free, (from the models standpoint), but this is your job. 
It takes a lot of gall for someone to assume that because you are on any particular site your worth lessens.

DANG!!! LOL whats a wierdo!!! i mean what does he want for you to message him back like OMG im sooooooo sorry i hurt your feelings just so your dont cry yourself to sleep lets shoot.....

i love you and your honesty mamaJOY

Depressing

I read all of it too...lol.  That message is really, really strange. 

Just because a photographer chooses not to do tfp doesn't mean they think they're "too good" for the model.  Wtf? 

Yeah, this guy acts like you're supposed to feel honored to do a shoot with him...gimmie a break!  Ugh, cocky people turn me off!

Yeah, totally.  It seems like the model was just trying to respond to what you'd written in your own bio in hopes of sparking your interest a bit, which is actually a very flattering and appreciable thing to do...the fact that he/she spent more than 30 seconds composing a note to you is kinda nice, whether or not they're a model you'd be interested in.  And I totally agree with the "it never hurts to ask" idea...they're putting themselves out there just hoping to be an exception to the rule.

On the other hand, it seems like you were a little dismissive...and like you were both a little volatile.  I always thought that it's worth it to respond to someone's interest, even if not out of anything more than good manners, with at least a "thanks for your interest, but as my profile states I'm not taking on unpaid projects at this time or making exceptions to that policy, blah blah blah, should you be at all interested in using my services for portfolio development my rates start at blah blah blah..."  Considering the time they put into writing you and the flattery they offered (and that your own profile seems to encourage wackiness) just sending a "no thanks" seems a bit rude.  And writing back to messages that even tell you that there's no need to reply seems like you just want some drama in your life.

But hey, that's just my take on it.

Stupid is as stupid does.

I can't believe you wasted time going back and forth lol.

Whoever wrote this (not clear, no quotes):

"I NO LONGER DO TIME FOR PRICKS(TFP) BECAUSE OF PRICKS WHO WASTE MY TIME. IF I OFFER A DISCOUNT ON MY RATES, KNOW THAT I ONLY OFFER ONCE. Feel free to send me your sob story about why I should shoot you for free. It entertains me because "in my world, STUPID IS FUNNY. "

was being a bit of an arrogant and disrespectful p..erson.

I think whoever contacted you has a little somethin on her nose....

She was completely unprofessional about it, and you handled yourself in a professional way.  I don't really understand why she got so defensive about it.

Majoy Don't you just love the Forums? The people there are so damn supportive...Damn sarcasm always gets in the way of what I really want to say.

You have awesome work Majoy good looking out on that person too.

-W

yea,that converstion is funny as hell...but it's a polite argument lol

I'm now closer to jolly

hahahahahaha.you freak, mamajoy!

i love the intellectual, well written exchange and your styley way of getting your point across!

cant you just ever be nice, you ball of joy?
kiss kiss

Since the quote's from majoy's bio I'll repost it here:

"I NO LONGER DO TIME FOR PRICKS(TFP) BECAUSE OF PRICKS WHO WASTE MY TIME. IF I OFFER A DISCOUNT ON MY RATES, KNOW THAT I ONLY OFFER ONCE. Feel free to send me your sob story about why I should shoot you for free. It entertains me because "in my world, STUPID IS FUNNY."

I get that it's sarcasm.. You get that it's sarcasm..  The guy/gal/whatever who propositioned you sounds like he read it this way..

I don't do TFP because I get to many assholes asking..  But, if I offer, you better take me up on it.. Feel free to try.  Stupid is funny, and if you make me laugh, who knows?

So he writes up a stupid overblown tease..  As he thinks you asked him to.  You respond with two words..

It's not that hard to misread what you've written.. That line on discount rates doesn't belong in there if what you're saying is..

"Don't ask me for TFP.. I don't do it.. If you do, I'm gonna laugh at you.."

Wow... 'A' for "creativity" and 'F' for "approach."

mjr.

Got it.