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Honesty - is MM becoming irrelevant?
Let’s have an honest discussion about this platform. Been noticing a sharp drop-off and inactivity on this site. Not sure if it’s distrust because of fake profiles. AI, or the drawing of social media. What are your honest thoughts? Improvements, lacking, marketing, popularity? It seems everyone is wondering aimlessly, looking to avoid the creeps, fake accounts, people just looking to promote their other sites. What are your honest thoughts?
Respectfully, Stare Photgraphy Jun 25 25 08:10 pm Link StarePhoto wrote: This site functionally died a decade ago,
Jun 26 25 05:04 am Link The decline in popularity and use for Modelmayhem has been a slow one over the past 10 years or more. I think it is because of the popularity of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X) and other social media sights. Also the improvements of cellphone cameras, and "models" using OF .. it's so easy to photography oneself, or even create AI images. Things do change though.
As a photographer, what are you here for? Is photography a passion of yours that you can't live without? Or were your motives and expectations something else? My grandfather was a photographer in the early 1900's. He died before I was born, but he told my mother; "If you are doing photography because you think about making money, you won't make it!" I love photographing beautiful models, fast cars and rock stars! I'm here because I enjoy it. That's a theme that resonates through out the creative arts. Musicians I photograph don't play music because they have their minds set on making money. It's hard to be creative if you are thinking "I've gotta make this song to make money." It's the same with photography. I did shoot weddings to make money, but also enjoyed it. In more recent times I stopped enjoying weddings, so I stopped shooting them. I don't do photography while thinking about the money. I do photography because it's a passion. It's something I enjoy! My thoughts are that many of the "models" who are leaving here and going to OF or social media. They might be doing it because they are thinking of the money? Or maybe they are burned out, not enjoying modeling anymore? I think somewhere the answer is there in between. Meanwhile the Modelmayhem website is still up. It's outlasted many other websites. Still one of many places to go when searching for models and photographers. Yes, the website is still relevant. Jun 26 25 08:56 am Link While I don't think it is irrelevant it is not what it was many years ago...
When I first got here I was looking for models and friends to improve my craft and network with local creatives. I met many photographers, went to group shoots and booked models. Over time, the group shoots would disappear, photographers would move away and soon I only used the site to find local and traveling models. Unfortunately the landscape has changed...cell phone selfie style photos have became more popular than professional style photos, models can make more money taking their own photos from the safety of there home and no longer need the help or money from a photographer. Currently for me, I browse the traveling models for models to shoot and that is well below what it was years ago, but I can still book a model or 2 here and there...better than nothing but again far from the glory days of the both this site and the hobby. (If you want to call it a hobby) So what does the future hold?? I am not sure myself if anything will get better for photographer looking to book models. Jun 26 25 12:32 pm Link I think the quality of models in general has gone down hill in recent years. Most dont want to actually model, they just want to stand there and try to look pretty. I feel this site was, or at least supposed to be for models for are serious about modeling, and I think most women interested in modeling right now are just in it for the money, nothing else, so they stick to Instagram and only work with a few select photographers or take the images themselves. We can blame OnlyFans for the decline of this site and modeling in general, if that site would leave, this site and modeling would boom again. We can only hope and pray something else comes along and destroys OF. Jun 26 25 07:54 pm Link I gave up on this site 10 years ago. I got sick of the them vs us between models and photographers. It's hard to work with people that assume you are a creep by default. Jun 27 25 04:27 am Link Revenge Photography wrote: Still, here you are! Jun 27 25 10:15 am Link After 14 years I'm still here. But with next year's renewal, I'll switch down to a free membership. That's assuming MM is still around. Jun 27 25 11:09 am Link The way MM is going it is making itself obsolete. Complaints that have been around for years have never been seriously taken on.
- We see (new) profiles without any photographs. How? Isn't your portfolio the whole essence of this place? - old profiles that haven't been used in ages (by all means, after two years without a log in, bin the profile. Or at least put it in a darkroom untill someone is willing to make an effort to log in.) Clean up the unused profiles. - Modelprofiles being approved without any size, colour etc etc. If you want to be taken serious as a model, fill it out completely. And without it being complete there should not be an option for a gatekeeper to approve these profiles - kick out mods, gatekeepers etc that seem to have personal issues with people. - stop with all the rules in regards to what is and isn't allowed. If it's a modelshot of good quality and non-pornographic in nature it should be approved. - Moderators, when members complain about robots in shout, act upon it. And that goes for any legit complaint. Of course there is no need for that anymore but the gist should be clear. Should we go on? Instead of "reinventing MM" first solve your old problems before creating new ones.. Jun 27 25 12:43 pm Link 50% of what I get here is scams. I find models on Instagram and FB groups mostly, plus a lot of referrals. Jun 27 25 12:46 pm Link I wanted to say a quick thank you to all of the talented photographers that responded. Your honest and insightful comments were quite intuitive and appreciated. Cheers to all of you and keep having fun! Jun 27 25 03:49 pm Link The democratization of photography. I remember when digital first arrived, film photographers were complaining, now they're complaining about AI. Arond here nobody does studio work because people don't want to learn, they'd rather just shoot outdoors. They're surprised when I tell them they can learn everything they need to know to shoot in a studio in, at most, a day.
There's no money, not even in commercial and it's been that way for years. Now I just make what I consider to be pretty photos every now and again, but my camera cabinet has a lot of dust in it. Jun 28 25 10:35 am Link Jay Pegg wrote: As someone who has shot outside on location for decades from Maine to the Caribbean to most of the western states, I have a different view. Experiencing lighting from full sun to overcast. Especially full sunlight 15 minutes after sunrise and before sunset compared to the rest of the day. I dealt with midday sun by switching to B+W infrared film and later a digital infrared camera. From forests, beaches, deserts, and mountains, lots more variation. And decades of combining landscape scenes with figure models was more interesting than just shooting in a studio. Things I learned after studio sessions but before the internet and digital cameras. Jun 28 25 12:32 pm Link This is still the best tool for me. I'd rather deal here than on other social media platforms. I do wish the owners would make some updates to keep it relevant, make it easier to use and a more desirable meeting place. Jul 06 25 07:40 pm Link I think if OF were to get rid of the nude models on their site, then MM would experience a boost in popularity again.
Plus, people (especially younger people) are tuning out from Facebook now due to its algorithms and advertising spam that has taken over the site. Who knows, maybe the younger model hopefuls might utilise MM in their search for alternatives? Jul 08 25 07:45 pm Link Mark Salo wrote: I think you're missing the point here, and probably feel very good about yourself and your snarky remark.
Jul 09 25 09:48 am Link Shot By Adam wrote: Agreed . . . . what a shame . . . Jul 09 25 04:42 pm Link Mark Salo wrote: Shot By Adam wrote: I've been properly chastised. Jul 10 25 03:15 pm Link EricNapPhotos wrote: This site began its decline years before OnlyFans existed. If OF were to go away this site would not experience significant growth. It is too outdated to much of the current generation of models who grew up with social media. Jul 11 25 06:06 am Link Dario Western wrote: During Model Mayhem's heyday less than 10% of images hosted here were 18+. If the vast majority of images back when this site was popular did not show explicit nudity then I do not see how getting rid of nude models now will change anything. Jul 11 25 06:10 am Link Jason McKendricks wrote: Out of curiosity I did a browse of female models who listed Illinois as their primary or alternate state and came up with 6262. Of those 146 have accessed their site in the past month. And 79 of those 146 will pose nude. And there are currently 13 travel notices for female models to Illinois, 11 of which indicated they model nude. But Illinois is just one state. Jul 11 25 07:22 am Link I’ve had a profile here since 2007. Today is the first time I’ve logged in since 2012. Jul 12 25 01:16 pm Link Is now a bad time for a new model to try using this site? I'm really interested in modeling as a career, and Model Mayhem stood out to me among the websites available to find and post casting calls, but this thread is a bit disheartening.. is it worth it to try and get comfortable here? Jul 13 25 04:58 pm Link Aria Nunley wrote: Lower website traffic can cut both ways,
Jul 14 25 08:24 am Link Aria Nunley wrote: Basic Membership is free.
Jul 14 25 08:47 am Link Aria Nunley wrote: This platform is one of the few online where you can post with little issue of censorship due to nudity. I have shot environmental and artistic nudes in the past, and wish to continue doing so. Otherwise I'd recommend using multiple social networking platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for verification and messaging with potential people to work with. In addition, you should keep a profile here. Jul 14 25 04:05 pm Link I've made a few connections on here Jul 15 25 10:23 pm Link I don't think a decline in MM traffic is a setback; this site was one of the early pioneers. Sooner or later, everyone will return. All we need is to keep MM alive.
This traffic has been very supportive when nudity art was discriminated against by society. Personally, I just returned after two years, but I always support MM. Jul 23 25 08:47 am Link Chris Macan wrote: I think that's being nice. It's been more than a decade. MM chose not to embrace working with social media and to fight against it, it lost big time. Poor decisions and bad management (sorry, ban me, the truth hurts). Jul 24 25 07:36 am Link Mark Salo wrote: Lmao. Yep, we all are. haha. You get my lol for the day. Thanks for that. Jul 24 25 07:39 am Link Shot By Adam wrote: Oh sheesh, it was funny. Com'n, don't be butt hurt like that. We are all here. smh. Jul 24 25 07:43 am Link Aria Nunley wrote: I don't often post here any more, but here is my two cents. Keep an active profile on all platforms. I know quite a few models who only have their portfolios on Instagram. I think that's being a bit short sighted. MM has a uncensored Gallery and is structured in a way that it's easier for jobs to find you. But I would advice any models to have an MM and an Instagram account at the minimum. It widens the net of possible contacts who may want to work with you.
Jul 29 25 03:57 pm Link This place died when Tyler sold it and all the new heavy hands took over. Jul 29 25 10:11 pm Link Bound Photography wrote: I don’t think it died at that point but it certainly became less fun Dec 23 25 12:31 am Link StarePhoto wrote: Six months after his post, this OP has decided to close his account and leave Model Mayhem (another nail in the coffin).
Dec 23 25 01:01 pm Link l don't know about yall but I still book 95% of my work on this site Jan 16 26 01:43 am Link Dario Western wrote: 1. No proper mobile app (one that exists sucks), which is what most of today's youngins are into.. and given that more than half of today's internet traffic comes from mobile devices, this hurts this site.
May 12 26 04:17 am Link A LOT of models are on Instagram and TikTok.
You can pay for advertising and target a mileage radius for less than $5 a day. Because of that, I do pretty well booking and getting inquiries via those sites. Occasionally, you still see those attention-seeking "interested" posts under your advert, but those are usually from people you wouldn't touch with Jesus' camera. Nonetheless, it's still effective. Like most sites, though, they run their course. Good luck finding a plethora of "5'5 stars in their eyes" on here. May 12 26 04:46 pm Link |
