W.G. Rowland wrote:
I signed up as Gerkindick, but they wouldn't accept it.. *shrug*

LOL... but .. good. When I see your nickname now at least it carries some respect

-Marek

Marek Mezyk wrote:
Is it me or the more amateur the photographer the more stupid Nickname of "_____ studios"? If so Models be careful!! If you can google that nickname a website should be avalaible for that business. Otherwise its a GWC living some cheap dream... And models, use your name whenever possible please. Its so much more professional.

-Marek

I've been using this business name for 18 years.  If you Google it you come up with my website under that name, which also has publically available Whois info with my name.  My website & MM profile both also contain my real name.  The biz name is catchy & easy to remember, my last name's a pain.
Also, in my case, while my name is unusual (with the spelling I use) in the US (there're 5 of us including my father), it's not unusual in the UK and there're no less than THREE famous photographers with the same name as me who get much higher Google & Yahoo hits, and I don't want to be confused with them.

SLE Photography wrote:
I've been using this business name for 18 years.  If you Google it you come up with my website under that name, which also has publically available Whois info with my name.  My website & MM profile both also contain my real name.  The biz name is catchy & easy to remember, my last name's a pain.
Also, in my case, while my name is unusual (with the spelling I use) in the US (there're 5 of us including my father), it's not unusual in the UK and there're no less than THREE famous photographers with the same name as me who get much higher Google & Yahoo hits, and I don't want to be confused with them.

That makes sense. And as far as Googling and finding it then that's great. I suppose the trend picked up in the amateur circles where they want to ride on folks like you. When you have a guy with ABC studios asking how do you set a camera with aperture and shutter setting, we got the nicknames of 'studios' or 'ABC Photography' seem like its a joke.  But I do not doubt some are true to their nicknames.

-Marek

Carpe Imago Photography wrote:


Gee, we haven't done this thread in almost two weeks.

I wasn;t around for that one I guess. But for all the new models and photographers joining in I guess they must have missed it. What does the name mean to people?

For me, if i see a legitimate nickname that corresponds with the name or actual studio, I have respect for their craft. Otherwise its noise along with all the rediculus posts that follow yet claiming some technical proficiency or the feel of the fashion market.

-Marek

Fluffytek wrote:
Ok, so when you want to find a website is it easier to remember great photos by "Fluffytek" or "Marek Mezyk".

FYI your domain seems to be broken or unavailable as "MarekMezyk.com" didnt come back wheras surprise surprise fluffytek.com does.

My website is a mess at the moment, but my name exists as valid as my reputation in the photo genre. But its not so much on the website that I am hang up on, its the mere fact that people try to hide their identity.

My goal is to see MM become more of portal for technical and networking standard that is higher then 'fluffytek'. It is way to easy for anyone to have a website to the point where they do not mean that much. Its the craft that matters. you can look at a MM portfolio with 5 images and have a good sense of the skill or style.

-Marek

Fluffytek wrote:
Ok, so when you want to find a website is it easier to remember great photos by "Fluffytek" or "Marek Mezyk".

FYI your domain seems to be broken or unavailable as "MarekMezyk.com" didnt come back wheras surprise surprise fluffytek.com does.

one more thing, ... not putting down Fluffytek.com... but isn't using your a more professional expression for your work?

-Marek

Marek Mezyk wrote:
My goal is to see MM become more of portal for technical and networking standard that is higher then 'fluffytek'.

I'm sorry that my standards are not high enough for you. But the reverse is true also.

Why is it YOUR goal to see MM become anything other than it is?
The only goal that matters for MM is Tylers!

As for names I have found that an easy to remember name is much better than a complicated one. Visit fluffytek.com and the first thing you get is my name. Google my name and you'll get all sorts of stuff about me. The whole thing is consistant as it the quality of my work. I you said to someone "Go google fluffytek" I bet they could find it without a spelling test, if you said "go google Merek Mezyk" I bet you would have to spell it to them. Ever find that when ordering goods online !?!

Marek Mezyk wrote:
one more thing, ... not putting down Fluffytek.com... but isn't using your a more professional expression for your work?

So why isnt "Microsoft Corp" actually "Bill Gates Software Corp". It is very commmon not to use your real name when running a business, especially if you have moe than one.

Jphoto wrote:
hah! shudder speed, funny......

oh, btw, i suggest to models that they use a screen name and NOT their real name.

*nod*  One of my GFs is a model.  She uses a "screen name" that's her name in another language because shortly after she established a net presence (she's pretty well known online in some circles & easy to search out) she started getting harrassed by morons, so she switched.  She's got all her model profiles & a website linked under that name, and she gives out her real name if you're arranging legit work with her, and it's on her biz cards.  But a little discretion sabes her a ton of hassles.

Marek Mezyk wrote:
Is it me or the more amateur the photographer the more stupid Nickname of "_____ studios"? If so Models be careful!! If you can google that nickname a website should be avalaible for that business. Otherwise its a GWC living some cheap dream... And models, use your name whenever possible please. Its so much more professional.

-Marek

Not all of us are in business.  Does that make us GWCs because we lack a swish website?

ps--my dreams aren't cheap--they're 4 star all the way.

Marek Mezyk wrote:
When you have a guy with ABC studios asking how do you set a camera with aperture and shutter setting, we got the nicknames of 'studios' or 'ABC Photography' seem like its a joke.  But I do not doubt some are true to their nicknames.

-Marek

First, it's quite possible that the photographer is referring to either a "virtual" studio, or is living in a studio appartment, or both.

Second, don't you think that there could be the possibility that an amateur is trying to make part of his income via photography and wants to give him/herself a more appealing business name. Not everybody who uses those strategies is automatically someone that has negative/ulterior motifs.

Hey, I am inbetween studios, and I am still making a full time living as a photographer.

If I would work ONLY as a photojournalist, and didn't do any of my other work, I wouldn't have the need for a studio at all!

It's not black and white.

Have compassion.

W.G. Rowland wrote:
I signed up as Gerkindick, but they wouldn't accept it.. *shrug*

oldguysrule wrote:
i prefer the veil of a screenname when on the internet. i don't need the 'respect' and I don't need the stalkers, freaks, and golddiggers either.

you think there is ANYTHING that is 'professional' about doing business by flirting in the shout box? yakkin on a forum, or begging TFP shoots with 'models' who think 'shudder speed' is the length of time it takes them to weaken the knees of the 12-year-old accessing their images on fuckmeblind.com?

lets get real, k?

Yeah.  What they said.



I mean, honestly, I'd use my real name but people don't seem to take me seriously when I introduce myself as "Hi.  I'm Chess Rockwell.  Pleased to meet you."  I just can't understand what's so dang funny about that.  Oh well.

I chose the name Jay Bowman because I think it makes me sound like a pornstar and, as such, gives me instant credibility...

Carl Snider wrote:
I always thought Buck Naked would be a good porn name.

To quote someone much more creative than me -

"I ams what I ams and that's all that I ams" - P.T.S.M. (no studio, but a really descriptive name)

I like Richard, he makes me laugh too!

My friend from back east, Tom, always has wanted to porn name Schlon Johnson.  It has a nice ring to it.

Wynd Mulysa wrote:
Because I have an extensive criminal backrgound.

see I'd always suspected that!

Fluffytek wrote:

So why isnt "Microsoft Corp" actually "Bill Gates Software Corp". It is very commmon not to use your real name when running a business, especially if you have moe than one.

Makie it what it is... but when models come for advice and seeking help of others who actauly make a living from it I hope Fluffytek.com won't tell her how it is in commecial world with his reputation of nothing more then a GWC.

-Marek

KM von Seidl wrote:

Not all of us are in business.  Does that make us GWCs because we lack a swish website?

ps--my dreams aren't cheap--they're 4 star all the way.

I shoot for myslef only as well... nothing wrong there.. I never said it was.. but at least don;t call yourself (not you) some studios or other big name if you do not own one.

I am all for MM to be a great networking website.. but no a venue of wanna be's comming off as pros.

-Marek

Shyly wrote:
I am honest.  Shyly is honestly the name under which I model. 

Why would it be so much to use your real name? why do people assume fake names for the sake of modeling or shooting? That is my whole point.

-Marek

Carl Snider wrote:
I always thought Buck Naked would be a good porn name.

To quote someone much more creative than me -

"I ams what I ams and that's all that I ams" - P.T.S.M. (no studio, but a really descriptive name)

I like Richard, he makes me laugh too!

If your creativity draws form using something you heard on Sinfeld then why makes you at all honest in this business?

-Marek

Marek Mezyk wrote:
Why would it be so much to use your real name? why do people assume fake names for the sake of modeling or shooting? That is my whole point.

There are myriad reasons.  Mine include:

1.  I use my real name for my photographic, writing, and academic careers.
2.  There are arenas in which I live and work where it is not appropriate to mix my art modeling.  Having it under a separate name is a common sense precaution.  (I lost a photographic job because the person hiring found out about my modeling, for example.)
3.  It's not a "fake name."  It's a nickname that I've had for years.

Bryan Benoit wrote:
Under your definition I know of plenty internationally published photographers that are GWCs.. they don't use their name as their 'business' name. Bastards.

That is my point... your name is your business... just like a lawyer would not fake his name because his reputation depends on it. We (all who shoot with models - and models that shoot with photographers) are subject to contracts, obilgations, promisses we make. Using a fake name sayins nothing more then 'I wasn't really serious when I said I'll be there/ do that'. I think that's crap.

-Marek

Shyly wrote:

There are myriad reasons.  Mine include:

1.  I use my real name for my photographic, writing, and academic careers.
2.  There are arenas in which I live and work where it is not appropriate to mix my art modeling.  Having it under a separate name is a common sense precaution.  (I lost a photographic job because the person hiring found out about my modeling, for example.)
3.  It's not a "fake name."  It's a nickname that I've had for years.

Ok.. Point 2 well taken... especialy in Art circles.
Point 3... is fine... but signing your emails or posts with it is good way to break your nickname in. In the end I just think its important that you're dealing with someone who is sersious about being commited to the work. And when someone is contacted, how do you deal with for examples 'sexy4it' or some other silly name.

-Marek