Model
Just AJ
Posts: 3478
Round Rock, Texas, US
How common is it to make the claim to have been modelling for over a year but not have a decent portfolio? To the point where a model is seeking photographers to help build a port.
Should a model that has been modeling for a significant length of time have a half decent port already? If anything to show a progression in skill. . .let alone back the claim of time in the craft?
I dunno. Just a random thought. . .kinda. It's raining. My shoot got called due to rain, and I'm bored. Help out.
Photographer
Brian Diaz
Posts: 65617
Danbury, Connecticut, US
On the Internet, very common.
Model
Jessalyn
Posts: 21433
Denver, Colorado, US
this isn't meant to be rude in anyway but your port only contains 6 photos and you've been on MM for almost 11 months now (so I'm assuming you've been modeling at least this long). Do you just not post all of your work? If so why? shouldn't you have more than 6 photos up?
Photographer
FKVPhotography
Posts: 30064
Ocala, Florida, US
Jayne Jones wrote:
How common is it to make the claim to have been modelling for over a year but not have a decent portfolio? To the point where a model is seeking photographers to help build a port.
Should a model that has been modeling for a significant length of time have a half decent port already? If anything to show a progression in skill. . .let alone back the claim of time in the craft?
I dunno. Just a random thought. . .kinda. It's raining. My shoot got called due to rain, and I'm bored. Help out. It's quite possible to model for a year and not have a good port.....just bad photographers.
It happens!
Photographer
IrisSwope
Posts: 14857
Dallas, Texas, US
Brian Diaz wrote:
On the Internet, very common. Agreed. Quite possibly, one could have many years of experience 'modeling' and not have one decent photo.
It all depends on who they shoot with, and who they pay.
Model
Just AJ
Posts: 3478
Round Rock, Texas, US
Jessalyn_54 wrote:
this isn't meant to be rude in anyway but your port only contains 6 photos and you've been on MM for almost 11 months now (so I'm assuming you've been modeling at least this long). Do you just not post all of your work? If so why? shouldn't you have more than 6 photos up? I don't post all of my work. I have 15 cd's of images at my house. I don't post it because I don't refer people that I solicit for work to my port on MM. That, and most of the MM population is pretty "picky" about what they consider to be good work. . .I like to reserve what I feel is my best work for this site, and quite frankly I'm waiting on a lot of those images.
Not to mention, it's not so much the "quantity" of images than the "quality" of images. If I wanted to fill up my MM port with images I could. . .but I don't feel that MY best work would be reflected. Make sense?
Oh, and I "joined" Jan 31st. . .didn't start shooting until late February, so really I've only been at it a little over 6 months (camera time). Closer to 9 (February to October) if you want to be "technical".
Model
Just AJ
Posts: 3478
Round Rock, Texas, US
Brian Diaz wrote:
On the Internet, very common. Why do you think that is? Lack of desire? Lack of information? Lack of funds?
Photographer
Charlie Schmidt
Posts: 856
Kansas City, Missouri, US
Jayne Jones wrote:
Why do you think that is? Lack of desire? Lack of information? Lack of funds? How important is that port to those people?
Photographers are the same way! If you are here to get your port up and running, how are they going about getting the port they want, are they working with someone once a week, or once a month? Are people working this like a part time job, are they making a contact each week in order to set up a shoot? If they are unhappy with the results are they defining the elements they do not like so they can chanage the results for the next shoot?
Many people here use this as a social site...They wanna be a model or photographer, but they don't really want to sacrafice a social moment to focus on the bussiness aspect....so they really dont want to sacrafice the time and energy, or are not focused enough to make the changes, contacts, connections to make the changes they want?!?!
Some people are here to chat and have fun!
Model
Jael M
Posts: 695
Houston, Texas, US
Jayne Jones wrote:
I don't post all of my work. I have 15 cd's of images at my house.....
If I wanted to fill up my MM port with images I could. . .but I don't feel that MY best work would be reflected. Make sense? Hmm...hun...if you have 15 CD's of images and you say that these SIX are your the best ones (good enough for MM) then you need to run and grab the nearest (good) TFP photographer you can get! Because with 15 CD's and you can only get SIX out of all of those.....~whistle~ I'd beat someone up...not sure who- but I would if it were me!
-Jael-
Model
Just AJ
Posts: 3478
Round Rock, Texas, US
LOL Waiting on images. . .and today's shoot got canned due to rain. But thanks for the advice! LOL Jayne Jones wrote:
I don't post all of my work. I have 15 cd's of images at my house.....
If I wanted to fill up my MM port with images I could. . .but I don't feel that MY best work would be reflected. Make sense? Jael M wrote:
Hmm...hun...if you have 15 CD's of images and you say that these SIX are your the best ones (good enough for MM) then you need to run and grab the nearest (good) TFP photographer you can get! Because with 15 CD's and you can only get SIX out of all of those.....~whistle~ I'd beat someone up...not sure who- but I would if it were me!
-Jael-
Model
Jael M
Posts: 695
Houston, Texas, US
Model
Just AJ
Posts: 3478
Round Rock, Texas, US
Hmmm. . .I can agree with what you're saying. But. . .does that count as experience? I personally doubt I will ever change my "experience rating" to anything other than what it reads now "Some experience" for a few reasons: 1-that's what I have. . .some experience, not necessarily a lot 2-I consider that kind of thing like a job. you can't work a job you've never done before for a few months (6 12, 18) and expect to be considered "experienced". . .you'd likely be viewed as having some experience. at least that's what I think and how I feel about it. 3-I want my pictures to speak for themselves. . .don't think I'm there just yet, but I'm working on it. I have a lot more time available to devote to shooting and gaining camera time. . .but I'm still very skeptical and critical of the images I produce. Some of the pics I have up now I want to take down. Alas. When you don't produce your own images (i.e. take pictures of yourself) you're at the mercy of those that have the images. Paid or tfp. Just how it happens. I try not to complain, despite how humble or sparse my port looks. Jayne Jones wrote:
Why do you think that is? Lack of desire? Lack of information? Lack of funds? Kansas City Media Group wrote:
How important is that port to those people?
Photographers are the same way! If you are here to get your port up and running, how are they going about getting the port they want, are they working with someone once a week, or once a month? Are people working this like a part time job, are they making a contact each week in order to set up a shoot? If they are unhappy with the results are they defining the elements they do not like so they can chanage the results for the next shoot?
Many people here use this as a social site...They wanna be a model or photographer, but they don't really want to sacrafice a social moment to focus on the bussiness aspect....so they really dont want to sacrafice the time and energy, or are not focused enough to make the changes, contacts, connections to make the changes they want?!?!
Some people are here to chat and have fun!
Photographer
Curt at photoworks
Posts: 31812
Riverside, California, US
Jayne Jones wrote:
....I dunno. Just a random thought. . .kinda. random.
right.
Photographer
Charlie Schmidt
Posts: 856
Kansas City, Missouri, US
Jayne Jones wrote:
...snip....When you don't produce your own images (i.e. take pictures of yourself) you're at the mercy of those that have the images. Paid or tfp. Just how it happens. I try not to complain, despite how humble or sparse my port looks. I really believe you are not thinking things thru here, and maybe it is just me, I am looking at this from the photographers view...but what do you want your port to look like? and how do you plan on getting it that way?
If you approach a shooter with an idea and concept, planned out ....OR... with the concept and it can be planned to gather...both parties win????? You may not be able to tell the shooter, use this softbox, or starfish, add this gell! But..communicate with the shooters that you are using now, I think this should be soft light, I think this should be full lenght, I want my ZED Card to look like this..have examples if you can not orally describe the vision.
It is your port..Take control...are you allowing "them" to control? Control what You are using to define your port, your images your shot at the "gold ring" ?!?!
I love when models have imput...I believe most other shooters do also. Again this is from a photographers prospective?
Model
Just AJ
Posts: 3478
Round Rock, Texas, US
Well, I had that info in my profile until about a month ago. There are three books that I'm working on at present. I took all the "details" out of my profile b/c I felt it wasn't being read anyway. No matter. When I approach a photographer about a shoot, I have an idea in mind. I share the details of the idea, provide examples, and ask about rates. It goes from there. When a photographer approaches me. . .I ask them what ideas they have, what they'd like to shoot, and look at their work. Sometimes it is work that will benefit me, but when I get the images back. . .I'm aprehensive about actually using them. Sometimes the ideas won't benefit me outside of experience in front of the camera. I have learned to be more selective in whom I work with, even if it is just for more camera time. Some of the best images I have taken were collaborative efforts. There's a CD of images that has exceptional work in it. . .but the photographer and I had a disagreement (about image turn around time) so I don't use them anymore. That was his wish. I used to post a few of those photos on MM, but I took them down after we had our disagreement. I'm not upset about it because the last thing I want is for him to feel that I'm taking advantage of his work to advance myself. . .I don't want him to feel disrespected. A few people have told me that it was a bad decision to not use his images. . .but like I said HE asked me not to promote his skills so I don't use them. I've learned from that experience to keep my mouth shut about image turn around time. I hear what you're saying though. I know what direction I want to take, and I'm taking the necessary steps to get there. . .even if it does not appear obvious to everyone else. ;-) Jayne Jones wrote:
...snip....When you don't produce your own images (i.e. take pictures of yourself) you're at the mercy of those that have the images. Paid or tfp. Just how it happens. I try not to complain, despite how humble or sparse my port looks. Kansas City Media Group wrote:
I really believe you are not thinking things thru here, and maybe it is just me, I am looking at this from the photographers view...but what do you want your port to look like? and how do you plan on getting it that way?
If you approach a shooter with an idea and concept, planned out ....OR... with the concept and it can be planned to gather...both parties win????? You may not be able to tell the shooter, use this softbox, or starfish, add this gell! But..communicate with the shooters that you are using now, I think this should be soft light, I think this should be full lenght, I want my ZED Card to look like this..have examples if you can not orally describe the vision.
It is your port..Take control...are you allowing "them" to control? Control what You are using to define your port, your images your shot at the "gold ring" ?!?!
I love when models have imput...I believe most other shooters do also. Again this is from a photographers prospective?
Model
DOne
Posts: 6305
Seattle, Washington, US
Jayne Jones wrote:
A few people have told me that it was a bad decision to not use his images. . .but like I said HE asked me not to promote his skills so I don't use them.
I dont understand why you cant post them. All you must do is say they are copyrighted images. You do not have to say who shot them. Especially if you are happy with the way they turned out.
Meela
Photographer
Curt at photoworks
Posts: 31812
Riverside, California, US
this isn't making any sense....
Model
Just AJ
Posts: 3478
Round Rock, Texas, US
He asked me not to use his images. I'm honoring that request. This has gotten a tad off subject. I was asking about how common it was for models to boast years of experience, but have a mediocre port. I know photographers complain about models boasting experience and charging ridiculous rates. . .I guess this falls under the same lines. . .but my question was looking more for opinions about experience and no "proof." At least I think that photos should be sufficient proof of experience. . .or lack thereof. . .wanted to know if it should be that way or not, based on how often models boast experience and provide little proof. Does that make sense? Are forum questions/posts supposed to make sense? Jayne Jones wrote:
A few people have told me that it was a bad decision to not use his images. . .but like I said HE asked me not to promote his skills so I don't use them. Meela wrote:
I dont understand why you cant post them. All you must do is say they are copyrighted images. You do not have to say who shot them. Especially if you are happy with the way they turned out.
Meela
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