James Jackson wrote:

every single one of my clients pre-pays... in full... for any service.  I do not offer credit until I have worked with a client previously and have been paid on time.

As someone who works on a freelance basis for the media I can hardly comprehend that. Standard industry practice in that field seems to be not to pay anyone until until at least three months have passed and they've sent in twice as many invoices.

Tikeya wrote:

Ain't that the truth!  It always annoyed me when I wrote down $8/hr. as my desired salary on a job application, and they would be like "We're gonna start you out at $7.50."  GRRR!  Only once have I had a job that paid $8/hr, and that's the highest hourly wage I've had so far.  The job that I quit back in April paid $6.15/hr., and when I was hired I thought that maybe I had heard the lady wrong when she said 6.15.  I was thinking to myself "$6.50?!  Are you kidding me???"  I've worked in childcare for a while, and as much as daycares charge the parents (and they still have to pay even when their child is out sick that whole week) and with the job duties involved, you would think they'd pay their employees a little better.

What's even more sad is decades later, which is now, these jobs are still paying poor pissy ass wages. That's sad. And 8 bucks an hour aint shit. The companies play the mind game that 8 bucks an hour is too high. You have to ask for what you really want. You'd be surprise at how more they really pay.

Lenore wrote:
I've been flaked on twice in the last 2 months and it really jacked up my travel plans and just had to wing it and find other work or people to shoot with. In the end things still worked out.  Money wasn't lost from paying them but time was lost in the process and time is money. Yes I agree, I had said it in another posting too, it's the people not the jobtitle that don't respect other peoples time.

Lenore

agree.

Tom Winstead wrote:
Personally, I am rather surprised that anyone, model or photographer, flakes at all. I've never had to cancel a shoot for any reason, but I've had several models flake out on me for no apparent reason. And a few of them actually contacted me initially about doing a shoot.

I used to work in freelance TV news production (CNN, NBC, etc.), and this type of behaviour is just not tolerated. if you miss a gig without a good reason, you are simply not called again. Do it at a few different places, and you don't work.

If a model sent by an agency flakes, she would be dropped in a heartbeat. There are professional reputations at stake. Reputations may not matter to flakes but it matters to pros.

I worked with a new and very enthusiastic model last year who I thought had potential. I helped her build a portfolio and also helped her get shoots with other photographers (some were paid shoots). To my utter embarassment, she flaked on EVERY photographer. She ruined her reputation and tarnished mine because I strongly recommended her. I had to go through the embarassment of apologizing to the photographers - I will never recommend an amateur again unless she proves to me her professionalism - sorry, not easy for a new model to do but I will not tolerate flakes trashing MY reputation. However, they can trash their own reputation all they want.

I only strongly recommend professional models like Kerri and Liz.

What does embarass me is flakey photographers. Being a photographer, I feel it tarnishes the profession. I am sure the professional models feel the same way, flakes tarnish their profession and makes it tougher for them.

James Jackson wrote:

Perhaps they wouldn't flake if there was a monetary reason for them not to... such as... you would be able to sue them for not providing the service you paid for.

That's a good point. I would say "I am willing to pre-pay for this shoot so long as you are willing to enter into a legally binding contract" (over and above the exchange of goods for (promise of) service).

But no way in hell am I going to pre-pay someone on a whim.

HungryEye wrote:
2.  Offering a blistering criticism of flaky photographers may have a backlash in terms of who will be willing to pay you for your services in the future.
    This aspect applies to everyone, in my opinion, photographers, models and stylists. Bursts of vitriol in a public forum can leave a bitter taste in mouth of potential clients, the majority of whom lurk in the background and read, without actively participating.

I'm just sayin'...

What he said!

David

Bob Randall Photography wrote:
I can't move on. Thats why I just bought a gun.

So are you now going to be an escort?

---So maybe it's just Dallas?--come to Austin. go to Houston.

BlackWatch wrote:
These guys may have been amateurs and trying to keep up a show and buckled under the looming performance date!

Don't you just hate performance anxiety?

David

Ty Simone wrote:
flaky photographers should get Head and Shoulders......

haha

ERNIE CHAN wrote:
I have worked with CarlyErin-she is very professional -she shows up early on her scheduled shoots-she has creative ideas and takes a photographer suggestions well-she is a lot of fun on a shoot-I highly recommend to photographers who are interested in booking her-she will always show up for her appointments.

I agree!!