Today a new model on MM. Age 20. 7 pictures in her portfolio.

None is good. No skill, no look.

"Ask for my rates!" she writes. I would not even consider TFP with her.

Everyone gets to decide how they spend their time, and what their time is worth.
If you like her look, then hire her at her rates, or open a conversation and negotiate. Otherwise, don't cry about it on the internet.

Everyone is entitled to "Ask Me For My Rates". The market will soon sort out what a realistic value is. I was recently asked to shoot a wedding and I said my nonrefundable retainer was $7,000, with specific terms and limitations for how I operate. I didn't get the business and I am fine with that.

Also recently, I was travelling to another major city and posted a travel notice. A new model contacted me and said that she loved my worked and was ecstatic that I was coming to her city and maybe shoot with her. She was new and did not have many photos other than poor ones taken with a cell phone. I thought fashion would be a stretch for her and suggest some other themes. She happily accepted my ideas and then added that she charges $250 an hour with a 4 hour minimum. I congratulated her on her business acumen and mentioned that as it stood, I had no idea how to use her images in a way that would provide a return of investment for that rate. I left the conversation with one comment. I suggested that she must be very confident in her work and at the top of her game if she can get that type of rage paid on a repetitive basis. And then I asked her to share with me the key to the market where that kind of rate was practical. Within a week, her online persona was gone.

The market can be a cruel mistress, so I let it do the talking,

🥴🖖