Jessalyn wrote:
most of my shoots are scheduled online via email. Phone calls happen once everything is set in stone just to talk on the phone. Because if I discuss info on the phone, i.e. shoot ideas, times, places, etc. none of it is written down and then there could be confusion later when someone says "well I thought we agreed to this". Email correspondence all the way for me. Reduces conflict later and I forget stuff over the phone.

That makes perfect sense.

But once everything was set in stone via e-mail, would you still go ahead with the shoot if the photographer was never available for a meeting or phone call?

Or if he kept forgetting to call when he/she said they were going to call?

Image K wrote:
Question: Do you feel comfortable scheduling and finalizing a shoot solely on the basis of e-mails?

The photographers that cancel on me, are the ones that never called.

So no, I need a phone call.

Image K wrote:
Question: Do you feel comfortable scheduling and finalizing a shoot solely on the basis of e-mails?

Nope!

Waaaaaay too many flakes out there (photographers included), especially in LA

Daniela V wrote:

The photographers that cancel on me, are the ones that never called.

So no, I need a phone call.

Thanks, Daniella.

Love the new avi!

Image K wrote:
Networking with models by e-mail is very effective. A lot of negotiating can be done.
But I don't like to actually schedule a meeting or a shoot with a model before I actually talk to her on the phone .
There are several reasons for this. I can see if we have any chemistry. If we don't get along, it's going to be a long shoot.
I can learn a lot about her in a 2-3 minute conversation.

I have had several, though rare, situations where a model will e-mail,"ok, I'll call you this week", or "I'll call you tomorrow".

And the call won't happen. I usually give 2 chances. If they can't remember, for whatever reason, the second time I will not do the shoot.

I feel that if I can't trust them to remember to make a phone call, how can I trust them to remember to show up for the shoot?

Question: Do you feel comfortable scheduling and finalizing a shoot solely on the basis of e-mails?

I have to admit, I am guilty of forgetting to call sometimes,I prefer email because I have odd hours, I am a biochemistry student and also I have a job, and shoots and shows end at late hours. I can check my email at 2am and send a reply, i would feel rude calling someone at 2am. And during the day theres a lot of times where I only have 5-10 mins to spare and thats not enough to time hash out all the details of a shoot. I do feel more comfortable meeting with the photographer first, though, before shooting. So I usually schedule a little starbucks meeting, via email

Image K wrote:

That makes perfect sense.

But once everything was set in stone via e-mail, would you still go ahead with the shoot if the photographer was never available for a meeting or phone call?

Or if he kept forgetting to call when he/she said they were going to call?

I dunno, that's never happened.

C R Photography wrote:

Nope!

Waaaaaay too many flakes out there, especially in LA

Unfortunately conversing by phone isn't the end all to weeding out the flakes, but in most cases you can get a pretty good feel about a person to see if you are interested in taking things to the next level.

I will say this...whenever I receive a message that isn’t written in complete sentences, i.e. text msg shortcuts, I automatically move on.

Alix Andrea wrote:

I have to admit, I am guilty of forgetting to call sometimes,I prefer email because I have odd hours, I am a biochemistry student and also I have a job, and shoots and shows end at late hours. I can check my email at 2am and send a reply, i would feel rude calling someone at 2am. And during the day theres a lot of times where I only have 5-10 mins to spare and thats not enough to time hash out all the details of a shoot. I do feel more comfortable meeting with the photographer first, though, before shooting. So I usually schedule a little starbucks meeting, via email

I understand.

I work nights myself, and I often have the same problem.

The Starbucks idea sounds good.

Maurice Collins wrote:

Unfortunately conversing by phone isn't the end all to weeding out the flakes, but in most cases you can get a pretty good feel about a person to see if you are interested in taking things to the next level.

I will say this...whenever I receive a message that isn’t written in complete sentences, i.e. text msg shortcuts, I automatically move on.

I agree that phone calls are not fool-proof, but they are necessary, at least to me.

As far as complete sentences in messages or texts, I couldn't agree more!

Soma Stardust wrote:
i've been having a lot of issues with this lately.
i have a severe phone anxiety that i am getting over, but it's going to take awile. (baby steps!)
anyway, i have no problem if a photographer wants to call me. i can answer the phone all by myself now. however, i will not call them unless it's absolutely necessary. (like "hi, i'm on my way, i'm completely lost and i need help!" or "i'm trapped under a car and won't be able to make our shoot.")
i understand the desire to talk to the model, and to have their number in case of flakage.

~soma~

I agree. If someone calls ME I can totally answer it. But if you want me to call YOU then there has to be a really good reason to. That's why I tell photographers to call me instead because I hate calling people.

Soma Stardust wrote:
i've been having a lot of issues with this lately.
i have a severe phone anxiety that i am getting over, but it's going to take awile. (baby steps!)
anyway, i have no problem if a photographer wants to call me. i can answer the phone all by myself now. however, i will not call them unless it's absolutely necessary. (like "hi, i'm on my way, i'm completely lost and i need help!" or "i'm trapped under a car and won't be able to make our shoot.")
i understand the desire to talk to the model, and to have their number in case of flakage.

~soma~

I understand.

I love your new pics with Len Cook! He's a great guy!

Image K wrote:
Question: Do you feel comfortable scheduling and finalizing a shoot solely on the basis of e-mails?

Yes.  Especially since I keep running across photographers who want to have lengthy conversations when we do talk on the phone.  I have yet to have one of those 2-3 minute convos you speak of.  Well, not without me pretending my mother was on the other line or something.

Melissa Lynnette wrote:

Yes.  Especially since I keep running across photographers who want to have lengthy conversations when we do talk on the phone.  I have yet to have one of those 2-3 minute convos you speak of.  Well, not without me pretending my mother was on the other line or something.

Ok, Melissa.

I promise that when you come out here for the All Star Game, if you decide to shoot with me, I will keep you on the phone for no more than...5 minutes.

Melissa Lynnette wrote:

Yes.  Especially since I keep running across photographers who want to have lengthy conversations when we do talk on the phone.  I have yet to have one of those 2-3 minute convos you speak of.  Well, not without me pretending my mother was on the other line or something.

one day I got stuck on the phone with a photographer for an entire hour. At the end of the conversation I was crying I wanted to get off the phone so bad. We had no date, no theme, no time, nothing. He just told me about his entire photography career, who he knew, who he'd shot, his old business, why he sold his old business, and so on. That's an entire hour of my life I will never get back.

nikki fiction wrote:
i just hate talking on the phone.period...to anybody! and i have no idea why!

Don't get me wrong.

I'm not crazy about talking on the phone, either.

But how can I tell that you're not a 51-yr old man that's stolen someone else's pics if I don't talk to you or meet with you before shooting?

Image K wrote:

Ok, Melissa.

I promise that when you come out here for the All Star Game, if you decide to shoot with me, I will keep you on the phone for no more than...5 minutes.

Bless you sir.  I appreciate your consideration of my daytime minutes. 

Jessalyn wrote:

one day I got stuck on the phone with a photographer for an entire hour. At the end of the conversation I was crying I wanted to get off the phone so bad. We had no date, no theme, no time, nothing. He just told me about his entire photography career, who he knew, who he'd shot, his old business, why he sold his old business, and so on. That's an entire hour of my life I will never get back.

Yes!!  That's what they do!!  They talk and talk and talk, but the actual part where they talk about your actual shoot only lasts like a minute.  Little buggers!

Jessalyn wrote:

one day I got stuck on the phone with a photographer for an entire hour. At the end of the conversation I was crying I wanted to get off the phone so bad. We had no date, no theme, no time, nothing. He just told me about his entire photography career, who he knew, who he'd shot, his old business, why he sold his old business, and so on. That's an entire hour of my life I will never get back.

I will not share enything else with you ...geez!

Melissa Lynnette wrote:

Yes.  Especially since I keep running across photographers who want to have lengthy conversations when we do talk on the phone.  I have yet to have one of those 2-3 minute convos you speak of.  Well, not without me pretending my mother was on the other line or something.

I guess I'm guilty of long conversations...But the phone call is essentially an interview for me and the model. It's an opportunity for us to learn a little about each other and discuss goals and objectives prior to working together. Often times we don't have the luxury of meeting in person before the 1st shoot.

Image K wrote:

Don't get me wrong.

I'm not crazy about talking on the phone, either.

But how can I tell that you're not a 51-yr old man that's stolen someone else's pics if I don't talk to you or meet with you before shooting?

Totally!!! Im pickin up what ur laying down! I do call if its important to the other party but it does nothing for me...

nikki fiction wrote:

Totally!!! Im pickin up what ur laying down! I do call if its important to the other party but it does nothing for me...

Thanks, Nikki!

We really need to shoot when I come out to CA!

WOW...I'm thorough not lonely...

Brandy wrote:
I hate the phone. I am on the phone for atleast 6 hours daily... I really don't feel like finalizing details over a phone call. I like them in a concise written format. That way, there is no arguing about what was agreed on and there is something to fall back on if details are forgotten.

I also work very odd hours and long days... I like being able to respond to things when I feel like it be it 8am or 2am.

I can't have my cell phone at work, therefore, if someone calls me I call them back when I get the opportunity to do so.

I've never been flaked on by a photographer so I guess I can't really say whether or not a phone call has helped reduce no-shows.

Don't get me wrong.

I don't own stock in Sprint or Verizon. I'm not a big phone talker.

And I work in a casino, with funky hours.

I guess I'm old-school. I like a bare minimum of voice contact before finalizing.

If they can't make a phone call, chances are, they can't be trusted to show up for a shoot.

UnoMundo Photography wrote:

I will not share enything else with you ...geez!

there are so many things I learned about you that really could have been kept to yourself. LOL

Carr Images wrote:
Most of the contact is done through emails. When working with a new model, I prefer to either meet up at a cafe or have a phone conversation before the shoot just to break the ice a little bit.

Besides, haven't you guys seen War Games?? I could be chatting with Joshua

Yeah.

That's what I'm talkin' bout!

David Scott wrote:
I just got back from a shoot I set up purely via emails... and via myspace no less.  We'd talked for a couple weeks via myspace... I emailed her last night to make sure everything was still set... she replied. No problems.   I called her when I got to town.   She called me when she got to the meeting location and we met and proceeded with the shoot.    Perhaps it would be different if the person had had to cancel before or flaked before and this was a second opportunity.   I do have a story but I won't share it here. 

No disrespect intended, David...

But what if she turned out to be a 6'1" 27 yr old male ex-convict that ends up beating the snot out of you, stealing your money and equipment, and leaving you for dead?

I agree that a phone call doesn't completely discount this possibility, but it helps.

Couture Imagery wrote:
i will NEVER shoot with anyone i have not at the very least talked to on the phone. Time is money and I don't trust what people type. I have had quite a few models recently email me telling me how much they love my work, how they want to work with me soon, and that they will call me at XX time on XX day, and no call. You know what, fine...if you forget to call on XX day, call the next day. Even I forget to call people sometimes, but I DO remember pretty soon after.

But when you say you will call for sure and you don't ever, that is just a big red flag that tells me the person isn't really that serious about modeling.

I'm sure the same goes for models who never hear back from photographers.

I couldn't agree more!

It's not like asking for someone's first born child, their ATM PIN number, their brand new car, or their valuable Barbi-doll collection...

It's just a flippin' phone call!