I was wondering what are the common ways getting non-familiar models for amateur potraiture. Is there any web site or some kind of forum?

-- Sourav Roy Choudhury (sourav.roy@ncmail.net), March 03, 2000

Answers

Plant your feet in front of them and say, "Hi, you have a great look. I'm a photographer and I am always on the look out for models, if you'd be interested please give me a call", then hand them your card, and be done with it. Do not ask them for their phone number, name or anything else. Be professional and be polite, and remember that there are a lot of creeps out there so don't be pushy. You could also have a few work samples ready if THEY pursue the conversation further. Make sure your card has your web site address on it [you do have a site, right?] so that they can see additional work samples.

If youre lucky, you will get about a 75% success rate.

Good Luck!

-- Robert Anderson (randerson1@uswest.net), March 03, 2000.

...and if you're going after the most beatiful women you see in a crowd of thousands, you'll see up a lot of noses; but don't ever take it personally, cuz just when you think she's way too beautiful to work with "me", she ends up being the one who is dying to work with you...and loves your work...now multiply that by every one-in-a-thousand model you meet, approach every one (and for g*d sakes, get out and LOOK!), and you'll have to keep a schedule just for all you models...

-- shawn gibson (SeeInsideForever@yahoo.com), March 03, 2000.

I have had no problems recruiting models, and virtually all of them were found working somewhere. For people in low paying jobs, putting together a modeling portfolio is one way to find a way into better work. I've had success with coffee shops, bowling alleys, bars, tranvestite bars, restaurants, farmers' markets - you can try just about anywhere. Have a business card, this will make a big difference. Always offer prints (which I have found is more appealing to amateurs than money) and get a model release signed.

-- Jeff Spirer (jeffs@hyperreal.org), March 04, 2000.

Go to art exhibit openings and offer to photograph the artist with their artwork.

Robert's advise is good, although I try not to use buzz words like "look" (If you want to photograph fashion models that would probably be okay, though. Personnally I don't want to photograph fashion models, they look too self aware/concious... like deliberately something/one instead of actually something/one).

Instead, I'll say they've got a great face or hair or tattoos or just the right attitude for an image or project I've been thinking of or I'm working on (all true, never bullshit people, you'll get busted and deserve it).

I'm making a small portfolio of portraits and other work that I will carry with me everywhere and which I will use as Robert suggests.

Put an exhibit of portraits up in a cool busy coffee shop and hang there, you'll see lots of people worth photographing and they'll know you're serious, since your stuff's right there. At the worst people will say no, right?... t

-- tom meyer (twm@mindspring.com), March 04, 2000.

Get a postcard printed with some of your best images. That way people will be able to evaluate your work beforehand and know if they want to participate.

I think the area in which you live will greatly influence your success rate. I live in a sleepy area--Monterey, CA--where people don't do much except retire and die. The energy in a cosmopolitan city like San Francisco or L.A. is much more "up."

-- Peter Hughes (leo948@yahoo.com), March 05, 2000.