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The Best Models Money Can’t Buy
A common gripe heard from photographers not being paid for their work is that they can’t afford to hire models. These hobbyists are full of great ideas, but can’t afford the expensive models they supposedly need to realize their dream.
This is a cop-out excuse at best. If you can’t afford to hire a model, then do the next best thing: Bribe your friends! They can be bribed for much less than it costs to hire the average model. Not that I’m saying that your friends are cheap or anything.
I have yet to hire a “real” model; I haven’t needed to. I have no shortage of friends who are willing to let me order them around and take photos if I ask nicely. Maybe I’m lucky, but I think that our friends are much more willing to help us out with our addiction hobby than we think.
What’s in it For Them?
Well, if you’re putting this into practice, you’re probably an amateur like me. That means fame and fortune are out. It depends on what they want, really. My friends are often just happy to have great portraits of themselves they can show off. I’ve had proposal from at least one friend who’s a professional makeup artist and she wanted to use the photos in her makeup portfolio. Everyone wins!
If you know someone who’d look perfect for one of your photo shoots, approach them with the full details. Be honest, tell them that you’d like them to be the model and ask what’d they’d like in return for their participation. Your friends might even do it out of the goodness of their hearts.
Your friends that is, not mine. My friends are pretty evil. Think Gargamel.
Tucker Said,
July 10, 2007 @ 5:45 am
Nice post I must admit I agree there always seems to be someone I know who would fit perfectly in one of my shoots and I have a few freinds who are so into pictures of themselves I often find them calling me up now and saying ‘have you got any idea’s for a shoot?’ My only ‘cop-out’ excuse is a studio I really want to make my own little studio as professional ones are right out of my price range.
Andrew Ferguson Said,
July 10, 2007 @ 12:43 pm
If nothing else, doing a random photo shoot with your friends is great practice. It teaches you how to deal with working on a moments notice, interact with models, check your equipment, and get creative in a short period of time.
There’s tons of fun to be had outdoors in available light! Your excuse has been defeated Tucker :P
Rather than just taking your camera when your friends go rollerblading or motorbiking, plan it out a bit and go early morning or at sunset :) Tell a story.
With regards to making your own little studio, I may have some advice for you in upcoming posts. I’m going to be making my own collapsible, reasonably cheap, home studio this summer and I’m going to write about how to do it.
Jean-Pierre Faucher Said,
July 23, 2007 @ 12:12 am
Eventhough I’m a so called professional model, I’m always willing to be helpful for a visionary-potentialful photographer. Keeps me warm and aware of what is coming. ‘Cause those guys ( or girls) often brings up a new style, a new vision of what’s going on out there. It’s often rewarding in the futur too… You “help” a photographer that turns out to be famous, next thing you know you get the call.
I always considered that industry as a give-give one. Might be wrong though this is the way i’ve been dealing with it and it’s always been rewarding. One way or the other.
Brian Larter » Blog Archive » Studio Shooting Said,
August 19, 2007 @ 8:12 pm
[…] if you just have a few good friends. Andrew Ferguson wrote a great piece a while back about using friends as models as they are cheap and already comfortable with you, or at least we hope so. If the work is […]