nikki fiction wrote:
after you have been accepted as an sg, they encourage you to have a friend take your pics w/ a regular camera (maybe even disposabe in a well lit room....they say it isnt necessary to have them done professionally.

That's a load of bollocks, don't know who told you that but it's not true.

Melvin Moten Jr wrote:
You know what?  Just bite me.  I'm so tired of this idiotic "it's only the internet" nonsense.  You're talking about something that can literally bring the world to your fingertips and vice versa.  Because of "only the internet" I've sold my work to people as far as South America, all over Europe, Canada, Asia...the works.  Unless you want to become my rep and start flying my portfolio to all those places [at your own expense] you should really zip it and get some perspective.

Just because you don't care about being taken seriously dosen't mean the rest of us feel the same.  Maybe you should take your attitude back to the MySpace chatroom where it belongs.

Have I told you lately that I love you? (and can't wait to see you again?!)

If it weren't for "only the internet", I would never have met and worked with Melvin, who is as not only an amazing photographer but person as well. And if it weren't for meeting this man, I would never have gotten the confidence he gave me through amazing images and conversation. To some people, it may be "only the internet", but for others, it is amazing opportunities.

geodiego wrote:
It money in the bank, IMO. I can knock out a set in an hour and spend about an hour on post (its not going to print!). BTW SG can have the "exclusive" rights if they want. I'm not shooting stock photography, it's specific for the client and I doubt GSD&M is gonna be asking me for exclusive rights to the images from an alt model strip tease. The way it works out is I'm working for a client at a $100/hr rate. They're easy sets to shoot, IMO. I can make A LOT more from a wedding, but the work is stressful and doesn't equal out to much more hourly and on top of that is less fun.

I think too many people on this site think they are way better than they actually are. I see models come and go all the time, shooting TFP and never getting paid. I see photogs shooting TFP all the time, building up portfolios that never accomplish anything but gather up more TFP. I'll guess that maybe 5% of MM actaully gets paid enough from modeling/photography to call it a living. Most photogs are not good, or not business oriented. Most models just really don't have a marketable look - or whatever reason.

I'm not going to turn away any work that gets me more than $50 hr (after post, consults, etc). So I guess what I'm saying is if any photogs in Austin don't want to do SG shoots, send them my way. I need the cash Feel free to let me know how I'm ruining the industry and I'm whore to the green.


-geo

What you're missing, sir, is that you probably won't get "the cash."
And don't give us that crap about MM members not being successful enough to call it a living.  I am.  I think more than 5% of us are..  And not necessarily the "marketable" ones.
The only sad thing is that you're not the only photographer who thinks this way.  I get contacted by others like you every once in a while and they don't understand why I turn down their offers to shoot SG sets.  I am so much better than that.  [Which is not saying a lot, so don't get on my case about some enflated ego I don't have.]

geodiego wrote:
It money in the bank, IMO. I can knock out a set in an hour and spend about an hour on post (its not going to print!). BTW SG can have the "exclusive" rights if they want. I'm not shooting stock photography, it's specific for the client and I doubt GSD&M is gonna be asking me for exclusive rights to the images from an alt model strip tease. The way it works out is I'm working for a client at a $100/hr rate. They're easy sets to shoot, IMO. I can make A LOT more from a wedding, but the work is stressful and doesn't equal out to much more hourly and on top of that is less fun.

I think too many people on this site think they are way better than they actually are. I see models come and go all the time, shooting TFP and never getting paid. I see photogs shooting TFP all the time, building up portfolios that never accomplish anything but gather up more TFP. I'll guess that maybe 5% of MM actaully gets paid enough from modeling/photography to call it a living. Most photogs are not good, or not business oriented. Most models just really don't have a marketable look - or whatever reason.

I'm not going to turn away any work that gets me more than $50 hr (after post, consults, etc). So I guess what I'm saying is if any photogs in Austin don't want to do SG shoots, send them my way. I need the cash Feel free to let me know how I'm ruining the industry and I'm whore to the green.


-geo

I'm glad someone had the balls to step up and say what they really think.

I also agree.

Wynd Mulysa wrote:
What you're missing, sir, is that you probably won't get "the cash."And don't give us that crap about MM members not being successful enough to call it a living.  I am.  I think more than 5% of us are..  And not necessarily the "marketable" ones.
The only sad thing is that you're not the only photographer who thinks this way.  I get contacted by others like you every once in a while and they don't understand why I turn down their offers to shoot SG sets.  I am so much better than that.  [Which is not saying a lot, so don't get on my case about some enflated ego I don't have.]

I've shot for SG, Stare, Biker, Outlaw Biker and many other publications.  As far as photographers go, SG treats us just as well as anyone else I've dealt with.

But I do agree that way more people think they are better than they really are.  Who else would want a set that's been published on SG?  What really makes you think you  can earn more money for those photos after you've been paid by SG (and they do pay).

I can knock out a set in an hour and spend less than an hour in post all for $200 ($100 if I don't spend any time editing the photos).  Very few people are worth more than that and they probably aren't hanging out on MM arguing about SG on the forum.

Also, on the note of them making money off you forever, umm all eye-candy pubs do that.  If I shoot for SG and they make a calendar out of my work in addition to the site, then so what.  If I didn't like it, I shouldn't shoot for SG so I can make the calendar myself.  And then when I lose my ass for printing calendars I can't sell, I'll wish I took the $200 from SG.

If SG is really screwing people, then they won't last long or they'll have to stop doing it.  If you read the contract and don't like it, move on.  You're not going to do anything for the people that don't read it and end up being in a situation they don't want to be in.

RBDesign wrote:
[...] to do suicide girls sets for them.

>_<

Bleh.

Not worth the drama or hassle, IMO.

RBDesign wrote:

Sorry to get back to this party I started so late today but I actually had work to do ;-)

I agree with the definition of prolific offered but that is on the low end sort of semi-prolific. The only way to turn a good profit is to hire models by the day and get at least 9-10 different sets done of at least 300 useable images for each set. It is a real grind. Depending on what you are shooting you you can find buyers that want exclusive rights and sell it for 10-50x the price for non-exclusive more generic content. Really depends on what business you are in.

As I mentioned before if you are prolific you can make money but it is a grind or if you like to work slower and still have the same production budget do what many others do, spend 6 months out of the year in the Czech Republic. If you have a giant budget than fly 100 model over from eastern europe, and some good lawyers, accounts to deal with the foreign ID 2257 thing (is that ironed out yet) and the fact that you can't really pay models on a tourist visa. To complicated for me.

Now I remember why I don't do that anymore and stick to mainstream and fetish fashion :-)

RB

I've lived in the Czech Republic twice in my life.  Once right after the velvet revolution and once a few years ago.  They were the best years of my life.  I'm seriously considering moving back there.

Erin Blair wrote:

The CSI NY episode last week featured the Suicide Girls, maybe thats why so many people are contacting you about it.

And I know The Main girl that played there.  She lives in NC.  Cool Person and she enjoys SG.

Erin Blair wrote:

The CSI NY episode last week featured the Suicide Girls, maybe thats why so many people are contacting you about it.

Did they make them look good or bad?

Shandra Jade wrote:
In some of the tattoo groups on myspace recently someone was posting bulletins and topics on applying to be a Suicide Girl, so I DO think they are pushing to get more girls right now.

They are pushing, from what I noticed on My Space. I have been getting sent a lot of SG related information lately. I am glad I blocked my messeges on My Space.