CAP210 wrote:
I have seen several castings for group shoots where the models can attend for free but the photographer has to pay a small fee. I can understand that there are costs associated with the shoot that have to be covered, but why only charge the photographer? Just curious.

Just depends on who is running it...
I am sure your talking about the Studio 317 shoot that was over the weekend...
Lew runs that shoot to help cover the expense of having his studio in that building...
By not charging the models he hopes to get more models to show up, this past Sunday we did have more models than photographers for once.
The biggest problem with this past weekend's turn out was that Lew didn't get the word out soon enough, so there weren't as many models or photographers there.
I know that the shoots down in Toledo everyone pays to attend them... Is it fair for a model to have to pay to shoot with someone that might not be very good? (I am not saying that everyone that attends that is not a good photographer, but instead saying that she might end up only shooting with someone that isn't).

Christopher Bush wrote:
because, for some reason, they are willing.

Wow,  print that and make that a dirty t-shirt

B Ellis Photography wrote:
It's just like bars and clubs where the dudes will come and pay for admission if they know there will be women there, while women get in free.  Same principle. Ha!

Agreed. I wondering though, if a photographer pays, are they still required to make prints or CDs for the models they shoot for free or do they charge the models for this service?

MHana wrote:

Wow,  print that and make that a dirty t-shirt

CAP210 wrote:
I have seen several castings for group shoots where the models can attend for free but the photographer has to pay a small fee. I can understand that there are costs associated with the shoot that have to be covered, but why only charge the photographer? Just curious.

I've always thought it was because for the most part, the photographers participating in the group shoot are relatively new to model photography, and thus they're willing to pay someone to show them the ropes. Once they are more experienced, most of them can book models and find locations and do shoots on their own, without the headache of a group.

At the same time, the models hired are often fairly experienced, thus increasing the quality of the pictures the photographers get. But at the same time, there's not much incentive for the models who attend these things -- so it is reasonable for them to be paid. Ditto for the MUA.

I think some hobbyist photographers enjoy the social aspects of group shoots, and actually prefer them to solo work, in much the same way that there are travel photographers who shoot alone, and travel photographers who go on group tours.

Paul

LarryB wrote:
Because it's very difficult to get models to show up, or to stay once they've shown up.  I've been to a couple shoots where models take off after lunch never to be seen again, or worse, they'll shoot with the guy running the show (who is usually a pretty good photographer), but not stick around to be shot by any of the attendees.

To expect the models to show up AND pay to be there is probably asking too much.

Now that I think of it.... I was at a shoot where the models were asked to pay an amount that was about 1/3 of what the photographers paid.  Less than half of the models showed for the shoot.

Thats it.  You want to get a lot of models to attend.  If many models attend, you are able to shoot more models.  Your price paid per model is less.

Cyberhawk Studios wrote:
The big shoot I just finished up with was for istockphoto.com, so the photographers all paid, and the models got paid, and now the photographers can sell the shots for stock.

The unfortunate part is Istock only pays $1 per image. $3 max compared to getty or lucky pix so actually it takes like 2 years to even round up enough for a gas road trip to orlando
hehe

studio36uk wrote:
Do any models who bring "escorts" to these shoots have to pay for the "escort's" entry?

Do any models even bring "escorts?"

Studio36

If it's going to be a group of people, I don't see why a model would even consider bringing an escort. There's no need for one.

bang bang photo wrote:
I think some hobbyist photographers enjoy the social aspects of group shoots, and actually prefer them to solo work, in much the same way that there are travel photographers who shoot alone, and travel photographers who go on group tours.

Paul

I'm sort of leaning this way.  My style of shooting works well in group shoots (as long as the model/photographer ratio isn't out of hand).  I usually look at a model and a setting and picture just one or two shots in my mind that I want, once I've got those in the camera I'm done.  To me, group shoots are a way to work with several models with the benefit of a MUA, and probably learn some new tricks from other shooters.  Besides, the partying after hours can be really good.

Setting up solo shoots with local models and MUAs can be a huge headache.  Blah.

studio36uk wrote:
Do any models who bring "escorts" to these shoots have to pay for the "escort's" entry?

Do any models even bring "escorts?"

Studio36

Roxanne Raphael wrote:
If it's going to be a group of people, I don't see why a model would even consider bringing an escort. There's no need for one.

They bring escorts all the time and "yes" the escorts get in for free.  Go figure.

bang bang photo wrote:

I've always thought it was because for the most part, the photographers participating in the group shoot are relatively new to model photography, and thus they're willing to pay someone to show them the ropes. Once they are more experienced, most of them can book models and find locations and do shoots on their own, without the headache of a group.

At the same time, the models hired are often fairly experienced, thus increasing the quality of the pictures the photographers get. But at the same time, there's not much incentive for the models who attend these things -- so it is reasonable for them to be paid. Ditto for the MUA.

Precisely what I was going to say. Not always, but often, the photographers at group shoots are newbies who don't really know what they're doing yet. And that's fine, everyone has to learn somehow, but why should a model pay for the privilege of standing around, often in a bikini, having dozens of bad-to-mediocre shots taken of her? If I were going to pay a photographer to shoot me, I would expect high-quality, portfolio-worthy results. No one in their right mind would pay to help someone learn how to use their camera.