Renee Photography wrote:
Bottom line-there are no good excuses for cancelling with so little time remaining that the photographer is on the hook for their time and can't reschedule something else. It's inexcusable. Period. If you had qualms about doing nudes, you should have talked to the photographer about that from the beginning-giving her the option of saying, no, I don't want to risk losing my precious time. If there's a model I really want to shoot and she's uncomfortable about nudes, I'm perfectly willing to work with her on something else. Yesterday's shoot was for headshots. Luckily, I had pencilled in another model at the last minute and I kept the MUA and we did some great work that will add to all three of our books. But there are at least two other models I would have scheduled to shoot that day specifically for my needs had I not set aside the time for the no-show.

She was shooting me FOR THE WEBSITE.  We had not had other arrangements or conversations, she wasn't seeking any portfolio work, she doesn't shoot anything but porn.  I didn't want to do it.  I WOULDN'T do it.  I changed my mind.  I'm sitting there talking to my boyfriend, I'm crying, "I said I would pose nude for this website but now I don't want to do it but I have to because I told her I would!"  and he said "No you don't.  People can't tell you you have to pose nude if you don't want to."  It's not like I took money for something I didn't do.  It's not like I could have showed up and shot anything but porn.  It's not like she rented equipment or a studio.  She and her (male) roommate (!) were sitting around drinking beer waiting for me to show up at her apartment and get naked.  I didn't want to do that, so I didn't go.  So I didn't go... now, you're saying that I HAVE to drive 2 hours to see this photographer when I don't intend to shoot with her at all?  And you're... A WOMAN?

Art Schotz wrote:
Maybe we ought to start a few new groups here: One so that all of those gorgeous models who've been cancelled on could ocme shoot with me. And the other for all of those photogs who've been cancelled on could go somewhere to cry on each others shoulders!

How about if we had ONE group where the models could cry on the photographer's shoulder? More efficient! Just kidding models, don't throw that light stand-CRASH!

ericphotonyc wrote:
"Unfortunately, I cannot meet with you tomorrow morning. I have a subcaeuous cyst (I think that's how you spell it) that has become somewhat enlarged and irritated. I'm going to the doctor around 10 to see if I can get it removed somehow. I don't know how long it will take."

Good one, right up there with my posted "raccoon excuse".

Yes, those flakey models can get under your skin!

Amanda Schlicher wrote:
She was shooting me FOR THE WEBSITE.  We had not had other arrangements or conversations, she wasn't seeking any portfolio work, she doesn't shoot anything but porn.  I didn't want to do it.  I WOULDN'T do it.  I changed my mind.  I'm sitting there talking to my boyfriend, I'm crying, "I said I would pose nude for this website but now I don't want to do it but I have to because I told her I would!"  and he said "No you don't.  People can't tell you you have to pose nude if you don't want to."  It's not like I took money for something I didn't do.  It's not like I could have showed up and shot anything but porn.  It's not like she rented equipment or a studio.  She and her (male) roommate (!) were sitting around drinking beer waiting for me to show up at her apartment and get naked.  I didn't want to do that, so I didn't go.  So I didn't go... now, you're saying that I HAVE to drive 2 hours to see this photographer when I don't intend to shoot with her at all?  And you're... A WOMAN?

Yes. I am a woman. And a busy woman at that. Great. You changed your mind. Did you offer to compensate the photographer for her time? Did you not recognize at the outset you might have issues? Oh wow, even worse. I just noticed you're a photographer? How would you feel if someone did it to you and left you hanging?

Renee Photography wrote:
Yes. I am a woman. And a busy woman at that. Great. You changed your mind. Did you offer to compensate the photographer for her time? Did you not recognize at the outset you might have issues? Oh wow, even worse. I just noticed you're a photographer? How would you feel if someone did it to you and left you hanging?

I just told you how I would feel.  I said I would understand.  I wasn't paying her to shoot me, or shooting TFP or anything...I was getting paid to shoot. I didn't want to do it.  I feel it's my prerogative (and anyone else's as well) to change my mind about something like shooting porn.  It's like you don't even read.

btw, I use the word "photographer" loosely when talking about this situation so I'm not even sure how it compares to booking a shoot with a photographer who has things like studio expenses, lighting equipment, talent, etc who deserves compensation.  She asked me to pose nude for her website.  I said yes.  Then I changed my mind.  End of story.  You can throw as many guilt trips as you want at me but I'm never going to feel bad for having chosen to not do porn, and I would never hold it against a model who chose not to shoot with me because I expected her to do it.

rp_photo wrote:

Especially here in Texas, where any brand of carbonated beverage can be called "Coke".

same over here in VA, babe.... ask if someone wants a coke, they say yes... then proceed "ok.... we've got sprite, dr pepper, some cheap grape shit..."

Amanda Schlicher wrote:
Then I changed my mind.

No guilt trips at all. And if the descriptions of the "photographer" and her boyfriend sitting around drinking beer are accurate I can certainly understand your discomfort. But if it was legit (porn, nude or otherwise), and you changed your mind-I'm still not hearing what you think would be fair to the photographer? She's just out her time and that's that?

Renee Photography wrote:

No guilt trips at all. And if the descriptions of the "photographer" and her boyfriend sitting around drinking beer are accurate I can certainly understand your discomfort. But if it was legit (porn, nude or otherwise), and you changed your mind-I'm still not hearing what you think would be fair to the photographer? She's just out her time and that's that?

if it was legit i wouldn't have changed my mind.

ERNIE CHAN wrote:
A MM model stood me up 3 times:1.first time a pre-shoot meeting because she broke her leg in an auto accident the weekend before our meet 2.her boss at her other job would not let her leave a meeting to met with me at our reschedulled meeting 3.she was suppose to be off the day of our scheduled shoot-but her boss called her in on her off day for a meeting-leaving me and my MUA waiting for hrs-if she did not want to shoot with me-should have the courtesy to tell me

Took you three hits to figure it out, eh?
Courtesy?   Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Richard Tallent wrote:
Two minutes ago, my 1pm appointment called and told me her car was broken into, so she's going to have to spend the day at the dealership and with the police.

This is after my 9:30am appointment called and postponed due to I-10 being shut down in Houston, slowing traffic to a crawl.

This makes the THIRD WEEKEND in a row with nothing but cancelled shoots.

And they wonder why we get a leeeeetle testy about it after a while. We're adults and should act professionally. If you make a commitment, keep it. If you have to break it, offer some tea and sympathy to your photographer. Maybe even offer to [shocker] compensate them for their lost time. Don't turn around and get pissed that it might really, actually have inconvenienced the photographer

Renee Photography wrote:
Wow, then please come shoot with me. I've been here a little more than a month. First scheduled MM shoot called to reschedule. On day of reschedule, she called to push shoot up by more than an hour. I agreed, busted my ass to make it--no show, no call, no email-nothing. Second MM shoot has rescheduled twice and I'm hoping it happens today (her excuses were valid). Then, three successful MM shoots. Then, a model was supposed to show up yesterday. I hadn't heard from her in a few days so day before the shoot, I emailed to confirm. No response. Day before, I emailed and said "need to hear by 3 today or Im cancelling the MUA". At 430 I heard yes, yes I'll be there. Day of shoot at 8:30 am--oops, sorry, some relative broke something and I can't make it. Whatever the crisis was, it didn't stop her from being on MM later that day. Folks, time is precious and if we're scheduling something, it means I've set aside the time (and maybe someone else's like an MUA). Trust me, I've got other things to do

Oh look, a photog is bitching behind my back.  You are so horribly insensitive it makes me sick.  I was stuck at her house with her son which is why I was on MM, not that I need to justify anything to you.  She broke her coccyx would you like me to get you a doctors note mommy?  You told me you scheduled a model before you even heard from me.  Obviously it really wasn't that big of a deal for you because you had another model before you even talked to me, you jsut wanna complain about it.  And then you are too scared to talk to me directly about it so you post on a forum about me.  I have never had a photog treat me with such disrespect as you.

P.S.  I called you at 8 AM and the shoot was at 11AM.  You weren't even awake yet.  If I'de have known sooner I would have called you sooner. 

Edit: I had to turn down another photog I wanted to work with so I could work with you that day.

Christine Summers wrote:
Oh look, a photog is bitching behind my back.  You are so horribly insensitive it makes me sick.  I was stuck at her house with her son which is why I was on MM, not that I need to justify anything to you.  She broke her coccyx would you like me to get you a doctors note mommy?  You told me you scheduled a model before you even heard from me.  Obviously it really wasn't that big of a deal for you because you had another model before you even talked to me, you jsut wanna complain about it.  And then you are too scared to talk to me directly about it so you post on a forum about me.  I have never had a photog treat me with such disrespect as you.

Actually, I would not have out-ted you as someone who cancelled. I don't know why you felt the need to. I scheduled the back up at the very last minute the day before when I hadn't heard from you for several days after I asked you to confirm. I got lucky.

Christine Summers wrote:

Oh look, a photog is bitching behind my back.  You are so horribly insensitive it makes me sick.  I was stuck at her house with her son which is why I was on MM, not that I need to justify anything to you.  She broke her coccyx would you like me to get you a doctors note mommy?

What is a coccyx? And I side with the photog on this Christine, she hired an MUA for the shoot, and put aside her time for you. Are you going to compensate her for that?

Star wrote:

What is a coccyx? And I side with the photog on this Christine, she hired an MUA for the shoot, and put aside her time for you. Are you going to compensate her for that?

Thank you Star. Christine is absolutely right that I sound way too harsh for a legit family emergency, which she obviously had. And if that's the tail end of what happens after numerous flakes and cancellations and no-shows, she's right I shouldn't take it out on her. I would not have identified her. However, people need to realize their actions have consequences. And for all those on here, that really think they're launching into a career, they have to realize that if they don't show or act professionally, they're not going to be taken seriously. For those folks for whom this is just a sideline or a game, no harm, no foul I guess.