Why I hate portrait photography

I just wrote an essay on the topic title. For a teaser, the answer to the title's why is this: "Because it’s the leading cause of death in my community. "

List of people who should read this:

1) If you're considering portrait photography professionally, and still need experience.
2) If you just want to read about my experience
3) If you want to do trade shoots with models
4) If you like my sense of humor

I didn't post its contents here, because on this board - it looks like a massive wall-o'-text. Link to .docx format: https://www.dropbox.co​m …t%20photography​.docx?dl=0

Should you be unwilling to open a .docx file, here's another link: https://pastebin.com/k​0bwqmky

"Error 3 in deleting this post."

Moderator, I tried to delete my post (twice, once after refreshing) so I could post it in the appropriate section. I can't delete it.

Please merge this thread with the one I'm making in The Lounge.

icor1031 wrote in post #18787043
I just wrote an essay on the topic title.

I didn't post its contents here, because on this board - it looks like a massive wall-o'-text.

I'm interested enough to give it a read, but when I clicked on the links you provided - wow - that is an extremely long article. . I just don't have the mental energy to plow through all those paragraphs. . My attention span is about 3 minutes, and there's no way I could carefully read through that whole article in that amount of time.

I certainly wouldn't mind if you made a much-shortened version and posted it here. . Here on POTN, you can format things so that they don't look like a wall of text. . It's simple enough.


.

I had no issues reading it.

Synopsis:

A. A programmer has been doing portrait photographer in his community.
B. Schedules with models and other customers are made consistently over time.
C. Very few of these commitments actually come to fruition due to "sudden family emergencies" or "death in the family"
D. Not very sure what is going on, but because of the number of missed commitments, he must be the cause of all the deaths in the community (not really, just making a funny).
E. Not sure if others have the same issue, it seems like, but perhaps help from others is warranted. People like his work, but why can't people stick to their word?
F. Shoot animals and other non people items, they don't bail on scheduled shoots.

icor1031 wrote in post #18787044
"Error 3 in deleting this post."

Moderator, I tried to delete my post (twice, once after refreshing) so I could post it in the appropriate section. I can't delete it.

Please merge this thread with the one I'm making in The Lounge.

This thread is now in Lounge and the duplicate start was removed.

Thanks for the synopsis, Cary. I really appreciate it.

I can understand why I or is having some trouble with model/subject committment. The whole thing with getting a model to pose for portraits in exchange for prints or a CD is a very flawed model that almost never works for anybody.

It would seem that if you want a model to take a shoot seriously, then one would have to pay a good model their regular rate for a shoot. I bet if a model is going to make good money from a shoot with the OP, then there would hardly be any cancellations or no-shows.

As for portrait customers, having them pay a non-refundable deposit when they schedule the shoot would undoubtedly reduce the number of cancellations.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18787134
It would seem that if you want a model to take a shoot seriously, then one would have to pay a good model their regular rate for a shoot.

Yes, but poor startups can't do that. If I started earning decent $ from my business, I'd be willing to pay good models.

It's almost the "starving artist" syndrome... you have to find those that think they want to go into the modeling business, and work with them to create their portfolio they can use to submit to agencies. They will likely not miss an appointment, but they won't be able to pay much, if anything. You could offer a single session for a very discounted price, but then after that if they progress with their career, you may have additional opportunities at higher prices, they tell their friends, etc.

Of course I have virtually no experience there, I have had one client that wanted a portfolio for such a thing, but I don't think she ever progressed, due to personal life, marriage, etc.

I think you've got it upside-down. I get paid to take photos of people - I don't pay them!

AnnieMacD wrote in post #18787204
I think you've got it upside-down. I get paid to take photos of people - I don't pay them!

What a novel concept ..

AnnieMacD wrote in post #18787204
I think you've got it upside-down. I get paid to take photos of people - I don't pay them!

Haha, yes. I just had to get to where I'm good enough to be paid. I'm at that point. The model shoots I've been trying to schedule lately are things that I wanted to do, for me - themes other people wouldn't pay for, being non traditional. But I think I'm done asking for new models, it's totally miserable.