models

[April]

I hope I'm not beating a dead horse here...
I'm an amateur shooting with a Fuji FinePix S5200 (saving my pennies for an SLR). We've moved to a new area, and I don't know anyone here, but recently I've become very interested in moving from my usual hobby of landscape and macro to people. I was hoping to get in some practice, but don't know how to go about getting subjects. I've put a few flyers out advertising that I'm in need of subjects and am willing to do it for the cost of developing as I'm just trying to start a portfolio, so far, no luck. Any ideas? Keep in mind, I'm not looking for models who need professional photos, and I'm under a budget.
Thanks!

[KerryG]

Well ModelMayhem.com and OneModelPlace.com are good places to find models and many will do some work in exchange for good shots for their portfolios. However, without a good camera (mostly for guys here) you will come across as being your basic perv. I don't know too many models that will pose for someone with a point and shoot.

[April]

That's what I was afraid of. But the thing is trying to get people interested. My camera is a bit of a step up from your basic point and shoot with aperature and shutter speed settings, etc., so hopefully I won't LOOK like a perv with a disposable camera, lol. I do need practice, and don't want to wait until I can get an SLR which will hopefully be in the next few months. I have heard of those two sites, but I was thinking more along the lines of couples, families, children, etc, who might be interested in affordable pics. Any thoughts?

[heartseye]

Originally Posted by KerryG

Well ModelMayhem.com and OneModelPlace.com are good places to find models and many will do some work in exchange for good shots for their portfolios. However, without a good camera (mostly for guys here) you will come across as being your basic perv. I don't know too many models that will pose for someone with a point and shoot.

ANY camera CAN be a point-n-shoot. And what consitutes a "good" camera? Is a G9 and good camera? An M8?
Trust me.....if a women perceives a guy as a "basic perv", it isn't the camera that got that thought rolling!!!
Fuji 5700 for good photographs? Absolutely!! Cheers...Bob

[Driftwood]

Why not start with family and friends?

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by heartseye

ANY camera CAN be a point-n-shoot. And what consitutes a "good" camera? Is a G9 and good camera? An M8?
Trust me.....if a women perceives a guy as a "basic perv", it isn't the camera that got that thought rolling!!!
Fuji 5700 for good photographs? Absolutely!! Cheers...Bob

Ditto to this. It's not the camera, it's the person behind it. Fuji makes some nice compacts that are more than capable of meeting the task.

Flyers are a bit anonymous. I've had better luck using Model Mayhem but also using Craig's List or simply talking to people and handing them a card. Toss in the idea of family shots as a bonus (and more practice for you).

[April]

I'd love to do family and friends, but we have none here as we've just moved to the area. Thanks for the responses. Maybe I'll try the card idea...

[Blad Boy]

Originally Posted by April

I'd love to do family and friends, but we have none here as we've just moved to the area. Thanks for the responses. Maybe I'll try the card idea...

If their is a "we" there is a model. Start there. Find a manaquin head at a thrift store. After getting down the basics of lighting and posing, put out a message on www.craigslist.org in your local area. Practice, practice.

[TimAndrea]

if you belong to a church its a good way to meet people at least. it you have a website and not afraid of people go to the mall and hand cards say, i am trying to build my portfolio, i would like to do some free sessions with you, check out my site and if you feel comfortable with it let me know if you are interested, you can bring friends. (or something like that to help with your perv feel.)
ask people at work, let them know you shoot and are looking for people. it shouldnt be too hard you just have to network and get out there.

[axmrdrr]

I agree with Tim, encourage they bring company with them. It will make everyone less nervous about this and plus you get 2 or more models for the same amount of trouble.

Tell them you'll give them a couple of 8x10 and a set number of 4x6s for their trouble. Tell them what you goal is upfront, that their photo may be used in your portfolio.

[JoRoFoto]

Like some people have stated, starting out with family and friends is the best way to get started. Once you've gotten a start to your port then definitely make profiles on those sites, as they can be a great tool for networking and furthering your work.

I'd also suggest making a Myspace page dedicated to your photography to help spread the word about your work as much as possible.. seems silly but Myspace is getting more and more serious and has a TON of talented professional and amateur photographers on there to befriend and learn from.

If you'd like PM me with your email and I can send you an article I wrote for an online magazine for models/photographers trying to break into the model photography business..

Also, check out some of my my sites to see if they give you any ideas for your own.. best of luck!

- MySpace.com - -JoRoFoto Photography- - 100 - Male - Westchester County, New York - www.myspace.com/jorofoto
- ModelMayhem.com

[April]

Wow, Jose, your pics are amazing. I've never been a MySpace user, though I agree it's a great way to get some free advertisement. I'm thinking that once I get enough shots, I'll make a page somewhere, there's lots of options to do that. The kind of photography I love doing is more along the lines of candid portraits, if you know what I mean, I don't know how else to describe it. I think if I were to be lucky enough to do this for a living, I would advertise to take pics of birthday parties or family reunions and things like that.
Here's a few of my niece that I took this past summer...there are probably a thousand things wrong with these pics, but just wanted to give an idea of what I mean...

[INSOMNIAC269]

Originally Posted by April

That's what I was afraid of. But the thing is trying to get people interested. My camera is a bit of a step up from your basic point and shoot with aperature and shutter speed settings, etc., so hopefully I won't LOOK like a perv with a disposable camera, lol. I do need practice, and don't want to wait until I can get an SLR which will hopefully be in the next few months. I have heard of those two sites, but I was thinking more along the lines of couples, families, children, etc, who might be interested in affordable pics. Any thoughts?

Hey April,
I have an account on model mayhem, you can browse through model listings in your area, and what you'll see are a lot of models just starting out that have cell phone pictures of themselves in their port, so, I'm sure you'll find some that wouldn't mind being shot with your camera. Be sure to put your best shots in your port, up to 20 images, the better the shots the better the model you will attract. Best of luck to you.

[JoRoFoto]

Originally Posted by April

Wow, Jose, your pics are amazing. I've never been a MySpace user, though I agree it's a great way to get some free advertisement. I'm thinking that once I get enough shots, I'll make a page somewhere, there's lots of options to do that. The kind of photography I love doing is more along the lines of candid portraits, if you know what I mean, I don't know how else to describe it. I think if I were to be lucky enough to do this for a living, I would advertise to take pics of birthday parties or family reunions and things like that.
Here's a few of my niece that I took this past summer...there are probably a thousand things wrong with these pics, but just wanted to give an idea of what I mean...

Thanks April.. glad you like my work. I'd definitely stress the ease and efficiency of using Myspace to get your work out there..

And candid shots are great and I love taking them too, there's an immense market out there for the kind of shots you want to take.. lemme know if you need anymore help.. best of luck to you..