MODELS, ACTORS, PERFORMERS...
AND ALL TYPES OF CREATIVES AND ARTISTS... Who are serious about harnessing their creativity to a full or part-time career... I recommend checking out... #theprofitableperformer https://instagram.com/theprofitableperformer... On Instagram, or find the website through Google... Run by my friend Camilla Cream (her performing name) it is a wealth of easy to follow, accurate, and realm information, without any of the usual bullshit and blabber from wannabee x spurts that we all see far too much of... Definitely NOT just for Showgirls... See also: #CamillaCream #TheSugarShowgirls
0 Comments
Forget the sugarskulls, faery of the glen, geisha girl, cupcake costumes, cheesy cosplay, facepainting, hair extensions, fake nails, fake tan, fake booty, show some more skin, and all the associated nonsense the fauxtographers tell you is necessary in your "port" (this is what amateurs call it) if you "wanna make it" as a model.
There are only two major things which a model's "book" (what the legitimate industry calls it) needs to show clearly: an expressive face, a.k.a a headshot that you really know how to wear clothes with attitude, a.k.a a full or 3/4 length shot – and it goes without saying, the most difficult part of being a model. If you are planning to go the "freelance model" route, get yourself a photographer who knows what a portfolio shoot is all about and what a beginner's book needs...you would be surprised how many photographers, facebook and internet providers who offer "portfolio shoots", and especially pretenders haven't the faintest idea. It is actually better to look out two or three decent photographers, as this will show: -a variety of styles and looks for basically the same type of shots... -that you are not a one trick pony, or worse still a captive monkey owned and trained by a single organ grinder... -that you can work with different people, and that you have experience doing so...which is actually what freelance modelling is all about...no matter what type of modelling you want to go into. But expect to pay for your folio shoots! Legitimate photographers are hardworking and time poor business people trying their utmost to earn a living in a demanding industry – no-one will grant you *tfp unless, and until you prove that you are serious, committed to learning, dedicated to your future career, and realise that you will be joining the industry as a small business person as well, genuinely looking to succeed and not a user of the people who help you along the way. As you are most likely already aware, "modelling" has now replaced rock star as a "career" path chosen by far too many dreamweavers, bedroom supermodels, and lounge lizards who have been threatened by Centrelink with having their dole cut off unless they get off their chubby, pimply butts. Every photographer I know has ended a time-wasting discussion about paths to modelling with a potential hopeful after hearing : "I don wanna rooly be a model. My 'daddy' tole me to git him some nekid pitches, or hes get hizzelf a nuvva hoe. If use do em fer free, oil do watteva yz want. No holes barred." And as too many court cases attest, some of the GWC's (guys with cameras but not much else, looking to chat up gullible, apparently world wise girls) still fall for such come-ons, but professionals have heard it so many times it doesn't even raise a smirk. And if you are planning to try to get signed with a modelling agency, be aware that in recent years legitimate agents have been turning away all girls clutching a 'port' under their or more pics on their phone, or a link to their online "modelling" website, showing agglomerations of dozens of selfies, and badly taken snapshots, and the rest of what they now openly refer to as "so much rubbish" Retirement is over-rated…
After more than 45 years of doing the freelance hustle, and with the value of photography at an all time low, and photographers almost universally considered to be “dirty old pervs”, if not out-and-out criminals, it was a good time to retire… But that was three years ago: and although hard to find among the Instagram idiots, the Facebook Fauxpros, and the Yootoob Yahoos - If you look behind the deluge of excrement: there are still some good photographers out there; there are still many publishers, editors, picture buyers, and ordinary people who value the work of photographers and models; there are some excellent and accomplished models, especially in Australia, where I come from. And is it really possible that a person can turn off being creative, and settle for chomping packets of chips in front of the TV? Although, since retiring, I am no longer shooting with an eye to licensing images, I am still surprised at what people are interested in buying.
This image of mine from early this year has no been licensed 6 times in as many weeks. Contrary to what 'Many Mindless Microstockers' may claim, photographs are not, and never should be "Sold" ( and certainly not given away for pennies!)...an image is licensed for a particular use, in a specific media, for a limited time. And as a grab shot snapped while walking past a Police Station en route to an appointment elsewhere, why is this particular photograph a good candidate for a stock image. What for, when, and Why images are licensed is of course very much an obscure branch of "The Dark Arts", however some of the things which make a good stock photograph are some of the same things which make a good photograph per se... - It has an obvious subject, which is seen in a relevant context. - It is composed using colour and shape distribution, leading lines, brightness and contrast, negative and positive space, and "eye room" for either overlay of text, or just giving the eye somewhere to rest, explore, or "fill in the gaps"...it doesn't simply rely on that silly go to, be all and end all fallacy of "the rule of thirds"! - It is well exposed, with regard to not only adequate, but attractive and functional lighting, and has then been well processed with correct colour balance, and a full spectrum of tones from dark to light, without unintentionally obscuring or indeed obliterating details in either the highlights or the shadows. - It goes without saying it has not been interfered with by addition of "filters", effects, or intentional or otherwise "artifacts"...it simply is what it is. And also contrary to popular belief among those same Many Mindless Microstockers it is NOT a "sensitive subject". True it is a shot of Police vehicles parked outside a Police Station. I have however avoided including the name of the suburb it was taken in by careful composition, and I have also blanked out the number-plates on the vehicles, not to appease any nutters, or imagined requirements of "the law", but to simply make the image relevant to a wider audience, and widen its possible usage. As for photographing Police, either officers or their vehicles, whether during "operations" or simply hanging about the streets, this image was taken from a public place of vehicles parked in a public street in front of a building freely visible to the public. Just to make it clear, in Australia, and more specifically in NSW where I am located - These are the rules as outlined in the NSW Police Force Media Handbook : "Members of the public have the right to take photographs or film police officers which are observable from a public space or from a privately owned place with the consent of the owner or occupier. Generally speaking, if a person takes photographs or videos Police Officers, operations or incidents from a public space, Police do not have the power to: prevent the person from taking photographs or filming confiscate photographic or filming equipment delete images or recordings, or request or order a person to delete images or recordings. If Police Officers try to confiscate equipment or interfere with members of the public to delete images or recordings, the officers may be liable for prosecution for assault or trespass to the person concerned." Of course there are cases of "Citizen Journalists", vigilantes, "wayward souls" or just plain anarchistic nutcases who do there utter best to disrupt, and provoke Police Officers (and even Ambulance Officers and Paramedics for f...ks sake) in trying to do their job. Unfortunately that kind of behaviour will inevitably lead to restrictions , and soon after more draconian restrictions on not only Photographers doing their job, or merely going about their lawful business, but also further limits on what hobbyists, anyone merely carrying a camera, or even "microstockers" can or can't photograph. So obviously there is much more thought, skill, and expertise, to a "grab shot" than merely taking a snap of everything you see. I have not updated this blog, or website for over 12 months, in line with having retired from model photography and model promotion, except for some select models and genuine aspiring models,
2 years ago. HOWEVER THE WEBSITE IS SET FOR A COMPLETE OVERHAUL AND RENEWAL which will be ongoing as time allows I will be incorporating this non-economic "pastime" of "Model Photography and Promotion" into the more lucrative Stock Photography and Stock Video Footage, which has long been my core activity. I will still be needing models, but no longer of the glamorous, potential fashion, beauty or "covergirl" kind: I want to hear from everyday types of people- women, men, all ages, families and relatives, especially if they have interesting or unusual jobs, hobbies or pastimes which would make good photographs/video clips, which will be provided to the model free of charge in exchange for permission to use as commercial stock. Stay tuned for more information and developments, and if you would like to appear in stock photos or video clips - ordinary people doing everyday things - then send me a message detailing your interest through the contact page, and keep checking on the new and improved website, as it develops I have been contacted three times over the past 12 months by 13 year old girls wanting to become models...not asking for advice, but wanting to step immediately in front of the camera so they can 'be a model', seemingly for no other reason than to impress their girl mates, or 'boys' by posting my pictures of them, subverted by the most horrible of 'instant glamour' filters on Instagram, and other 'evil unsocial media' sites.
Three too many! In the current photography climate there is very little...and I mean a minuscule...amount of work available for the 'difficult' ages of 12 to 14 year old models...usually with fashion work this age group either model clothing meant for younger ages, or are basically limited to catalogue work. All this work is for AGENCY LISTED models only. There are literally hundreds of 'agencies' catering to this age group, but almost all these agencies with the exception of but a few, are scam artists in different guises. Most importantly for you: NO LEGITIMATE freelance photographer wants to hear from you, especially if you contact that photographer YOURSELF, and include pictures of yourself in makeup and dress which try to emulate glamour models or magazine covers. You are simply asking to be exploited, or inviting disaster. If you genuinely interested in modelling as a career, and you wish to ask for advice, no photographer who values his good name will answer you unless the inquiry comes from a parent. Needless to say the usual and best advice your parents will receive, will be to register with a legitimate agency...and some may give your parents a name or two of the very rare good ones. If any photographer tries to tell you he/she:
You are simply exposing yourself to danger. (there have always been 'photographers' around who will take advantage of any girl, no matter what her age, but nowadays far more than ever before...)
After 42 years of photographing beautiful models and would-be models, and some of not quite model material (especially in recent years) I am calling it a day.
Now that modelling "careers" seemingly exist nowhere except in girls' heads and on Facebook pages, or that most horrible of Faux Hollywood Glamour sites known as Instagram, "photoshoots" consist of nothing more than a mobile phone selfie in front of a bathroom mirror, and random "advice" from the internet and narcissistic "boyfriends" is valued more highly than that from decades of industry experience, it is time to leave it all to the scam artists, pimps and pretenders, who seem to have the controlling interest on model photography today, and considering the public perception of photography and photographers is at an all time low, they are welcome to it. In other words, I will no longer photograph, train, mentor, or be available for advice to would be models especially for those who think themselves such a "beautiful, but sadly undiscovered talent" everything should be for FREE. I would like to pass on some words from the blog of a young photographer I met only just today, Monika Jia Rui...her blog and website are well worth checking out, and her photography is well worth supporting...very different from the constant stream of eye fatigue we are daily bombarded with, and set widely apart from the millions who claim to be artists, this girl's work and words actually begin to approach "art". Monika: I think of the cruel acts that so many kind people had and have to endure and get furious. Today I’m stronger, but back then, four years ago, I was still grey and isolated and so many people judge you by your ‘social worth’. Weird, insecure and plain? Worthless. Perfect victim. I’ll never understand how some people can draw satisfaction from bullying the weaker. Thinking of how the culprits get to live their life untroubled while their victims in some cases are haunted by the consequences for several years makes me incredibly sad. I doubt that they’ll ever get a bad conscience to plague them and that’s so unfair. I don’t want to take revenge, those people don’t deserve that I hold a grudge against them. They’ve probably forgotten about it a long time ago. Vengeance is not the solution. It serves no purpose to think something like ‘I’ll be successful and prove myself to them‘, because that way, we still give them some power over our life. Unfortunately, I’m also not ready to forgive them yet. So what remains? The will to make the best of this experience and try to spare others of going through the same. I want to compensate the meanness with the double amount of kindness. Check out Monika's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/monikajiarui/ and her blog: http://destinationhumanity.com/ |
About:
Stephen Bennett Archives
January 2022
Categories |