Negotiating Modeling Fees
July 5, 2005

As I write this, there's a bit of a brouhaha going on in the community over modeling fees.  In one instance, a visiting "old school" photographer is a bit offended when a model asks for a modeling fee for over a half day's worth of work.  In another instance, another local photographer has called a model's requested fee "irrational"; worse, rather than making a counter offer, he brought his issues to a wide e-mail distribution list of local photographers & was shot down (including some inappropriate personal attacks).  Further, in some cases, the model's feelings were hurt, which can be discouraging (something no one wants).

So, first some random observations:

• We photographers tend to pay models by the amount of time spent in front of the camera, but a model's time commitment can be significantly greater.  For example, for a two hour sitting, a model might commute 90 minutes or more each way, plus time primping (shaving, plucking, applying makeup, gathering wardrobe & props, etc.), plus photographer's small talk time.  Thus, she may get paid for two hours, but she might work for six or more.

• It ain't fair, but some models are simply worth more than others.  Models vary in their appeal, beauty, ability to present themselves, posing limits, comfort, attitude, confidence, preparation, poise, grace, and most importantly, chemistry with the photographer.  Simply put, some models are more valuable to a photographer than others.  (In other words, not all high school basketball players are Lebron James.)

• The photographer who called for "rational rates" noted that at $100 an hour, a model could stand to earn $200,000 per year.  Hardly!!!  Most models are lucky to get one modeling job per week, and at most for a couple of hours.  The best models (at my level) can earn maybe $20,000 a year if they are lucky, certainly not enough to support themselves.  Nearly all of the models here earn just a little bit of "mad money"; very, very few of these models are making a career out of modeling.

• I've noticed that as my skills increased, I started employing models with improved skills.  It is more likely that the improvement in my ability as a photographer is directly related to the fact that I've used more experienced models.

• I've also noticed that models are more flexible with their fees with photographers of greater skills -- perhaps sad but true, beginner photographers are not likely to get significant breaks in modeling fees.  Or perhaps another force is at work here -- as my skills increased, I was better able to treat models well, with respect & support & joy, and perhaps that factor, more than my improved skill, makes models more generous to me.

• Sad to say, but some photographers get caught up in distractions & fail to treat models as people worthy of respect.  I understand that especially for beginner photographers, the technical details can be overwhelming.  But advice to photographers -- you are photographing a person, and if that person isn't happy, you won't get too many worthy images.

• Someday, I'll write an essay about "keepers" and the "keeper ratio" -- suffice to say here that with some models, my "keeper ratio" is higher than when I work with others.  Thus, some models are more valuable to me than others.

• Models work hard!!!  Sure, you may think that sitting around on cushions without any clothes is easy work, but it's not.  During the sitting, the best models are focused.  They are flexing their muscles.  They are sucking in their tummy.  Many models have great discipline in their diet & exercise routines day in & day out.  They are using their creativity to interpret the photographer's direction.  They have practiced a variety of methods for presenting themselves.  

• Let's not forget that models are taking the greater risk -- society judges their morality more strongly than they do the photographers, and models are occasionally prey to unscrupulous photographers.

• My prediction:  no one who has posed for nude photographs will ever be President of the United States.

• Negotiating a modeling fee is like any negotiation -- know your limits.  Just because a model feels that she needs $X, that doesn't mean that the photographer can afford $X.  Either make a counter offer or politely walk away.  It is quite inappropriate to feel insulted or to lecture a model for her "irrational" rates.  Remember, it isn't the model's fault that you can't afford $X.

• Traveling models deserve a higher rate, because they have additional expenses, including lodging, transportation, food, etc.  

• Some photographers say or think "A model should be honored to pose for me and shouldn't require compensation", to which I'd say, "Get over yourself!".  If you think you are that good, you are probably not growing as an artist.  A corollary:  not all models want prints or CDs, and you shouldn't assume that such is part of the compensation in all cases.  Remember the Golden Rule -- treat models as you would want yourself treated.  

• If a photographer fails to compensate the model is some way, then the ownership of any resulting images can be brought into question.  Thus, model releases & compensation in some form are important.

• Sure, there are cheap models out there, willing to pose for free or TFP (trade for prints) or a very low rate.  These models tend to be less experienced & less skilled at posing.  It's probably true that you get what you pay for.  For me, experience is very, very important in a model -- I may occasionally work with an inexperienced model, but I feel that I've got to work hard teaching them how to model, and as a consequence, I don't get many good images.  Some inexperienced models simply don't even move -- you've got to talk them through poses.  At some point, photographing a bowl of fruit would be less frustrating.

• I'm willing to guess, with high confidence, that those photographers who complain about high or "Irrational" modeling rates are not very skilled or good; conversely, those photographers who strive to take care of their models are much more likely to be successful and much more likely to get repeat sittings from models.  Further, with past successes, models are more likely to be generous to photographers who have treated them well.

• A life spent being generous is a life well spent.

I've also observed that photographers consider many crazy things when trying to determine a modeling fee:

So, some advice:

For Photographers: 

• Research the model and understand her past work.

• Have a clear idea of what you want to do, what kind of images you want to make, and communicate this to the model.  The nature of the sitting is a key component for the negotiation.  Don't stray from the parameters you've laid out -- otherwise, you may find yourself at best renegotiating the modeling fee in the middle of the sitting (a real turn-off, if you ask me).  Things to communicate:

  • What, if anything, will the model be wearing?

  • What style are you trying to achieve?  Show the model some examples.

  • Who will be at the sitting?

  • How will you use the images?

  • What does your models release look like?

  • How much time will the sitting require?

  • Where the sitting will take place?

  • Do you get income from your images?

  • etc.

• Never change the parameters of the sitting.  It is the height of inappropriateness to ask a swimsuit model to pose nude at the sitting -- stay within the limits you've already negotiated.

• Just because you are having fun, that doesn't mean that it's okay to go over the time parameters set.  Be organized enough to ensure that you are done on time.

• Understand & appreciate what you are asking the model to do, including her commute time, preparations, etc.

• Treat your model well -- you are more likely to have a successful sitting with a happy model.

• Have a clear idea about how you want to compensate the model.

• I will note & acknowledge that some successful photographers are in a position to pay little to nothing to models (other than TFP).  That's fine, as long as the model is comfortable with such an arrangement.  Two thoughts on this:

  • Just because a model accepts TFP from another photographer, that doesn't mean that she'll accept the same arrangement from you.  That other photographer may be offering her images that are different from the other images in her portfolio.

  • Some other factors may have influenced the model to accept a TFP/low priced/free arrangement.  For example, I've bartered posing time for web site creation, lodging, business card creation, and other things.

  • It is quite possible that the model may or may not think your images by themselves are worth her time.  Don't take it personal if a model declines a TFP offer -- she may have enough images of herself in your style, or she may be too busy not to accept some kind of compensation.

• As a general rule, better photographers will need better models, and better models deserve better compensation (at least that's my thinking).  As your skills increase, you may have to find ways to find better compensation.  Speaking personally, my skill increased greatly when I started accepting donations on this web site, and those donations in part helped me find the funds to pay better models.  Or, in other words, as we get older, our hobbies become more expensive; some hobbies will have to generate some income in order to help pay for themselves.

• Know your limits.  Sometimes a model need more compensation than you can afford.  If this is the case, be professional & supportive.  Make a counter offer -- most models expect this.  If you can't agree to a rate, it's okay to say "Sorry, but I can't afford that" and walk away.  But never, never, never act insulted or huffy, never call a model "irrational", never lecture the model, never tell the model she's not worth that, etc.  Do that often enough, and you'll run out of models. 

• I know that several models have been generous to me (and I greatly appreciate it!).  Sometimes this is because they know that I really don't have a real job, and I can sometimes be strapped for cash.  Sometimes this is because I strive to help them out (for example, I'll send out e-mail notices to local photographers when a model is looking for work).  Sometimes, for traveling models I've met & feel comfortable with, I'm willing to put them up in my guest room.  I've helped models with web sites.  I've helped models create business cards.  I have a local resource page that lists information (including available models); I share this page with traveling photographers.  I strive to create an artistic community in the area.  All these factors contribute in subtle ways on occasion.

For Models: 

• It doesn't hurt to understand what the local going rate is.  Talk with local photographers & models. 

• Especially talk to local models -- they are a great resource & are often willing to share information including how much modeling fees they are able to collect.  In particular, try to find models who have worked for your photographer.  And by the way, local models will help you avoid those photographers who are worth avoiding.  One note, though -- not all models are paid the same rate; don't be surprised if you can't get the same rate as the top model in the area, especially if you don't have the same level of experience or skills.

• It's also a good idea to know something about your photographer.  Some are cheapskates, some are simply strapped for cash, some are hobbyists, some earn revenue through photography.  Some might have a style that is new or interesting to you, and it's always good to extend the range of your portfolio (i.e. you may be more open to TFP with some photographers than with others).

• You get to set the amount that satisfies you.  If the local rate is less than that, you may not be able to find work.

• Don't agree to terms that aren't satisfactory to you.  Some of the best deals you make are the ones you walk away from.  Accept only those deals that will allow you to arrive at the sitting with the right attitude.

• It's up to you whether you want to include TFP or CDs as part of your negotiations.

• Don't renegotiate the fee once it has been agreed upon (unless of course, the photographer changes the parameters of the sitting).

For Both: 

• This is a negotiation.  Prepare for some give-and-take, and definitely don't agree to a rate that would leave you feeling resentful.

• Sad but true -- the person who makes the first offer (first one to mention a price) is at a disadvantage.

• If you don't like an offer, make a counter offer or walk away.  Don't get huffy.

• Remember:  just because one side wants $X, that doesn't mean the other side should accept or can afford $X, and there is nothing personal about that.

• If the two of you can't reach a middle ground, be sure to part ways without any emotional outbursts.  Who knows, someday perhaps you will work together.  Don't burn bridges.  Don't punish the other side if you can't reach an agreement.

• Models talk to models, and photographers talk to photographers -- if a negotiation fails with hard feelings, your ability to make future agreements can be at risk.  Treat each other with professional respect, even if (or especially if) you cannot reach an agreement.  Or, in other words, a news of a bad, unprofessional negotiation will be spread around.

Final thought:  Finding, selecting, and negotiating with the "right" model is a crucial part of the artistic process, and the money issues can be distracting.  Be fair, be generous, be considerate, be respectful, and things will work out.

How Do You Find Such Beautiful Women?
January 17, 2005

I'm writing this less than a week after posting Jessica's second sitting images.  On the day of our sitting, I walked over to the Light Rail stop to meet her.  The stop, near the Central Library, was crowded, and the day was cool, and I was struck by how she blended into the crowd of pre-Christmas shoppers.  Jessica is about 5'4", and she was wearing jeans, a comfy sweater, and a warm jacket.  When she first posed for me, about a year ago, she had purple hair, but now her hair was a natural brunette.  On the street there that late morning, Jessica looked like every young college student I've ever seen.  Our eyes met, she smiled, we embraced, we walked back to my house, and we made several beautiful images.

There is a scientific principle -- I'm sorry but I don't recall its name -- that basically says that the act of observing a phenomenon  changes the phenomenon.  I think that this is central to all good photography -- photography is all about light & observation.  During our interactions, my affection for Jessica has grown.  As I've said, she is a very impressive young woman, and when I get her in front of my camera, I get a moment to take a deep breath, and then I get to look at her.  I look at her, and I see her.  You might see a lovely, athletic, nude woman, but I see a bright, curious, hard-working, sweet, energetic, natural talent.  

I should point out that I don't feel friendly and/or close to most of my models.  Usually, it is sufficient for me if my models leave the sitting feeling respected & appreciated; it is definitely a bonus if she leaves feeling happy & excited to see the resulting images.  In nearly all of my sittings, this is what happens.  Occasionally, I run across a model, and we just don't have the right chemistry.  It's no one's fault; it's just something that happens.  That's rare, but it happens.  With Jessica -- I greatly enjoy the time I get to spend with her, whether it's when we are making pictures or when we are just touching bases on the phone.

So, the real question is this:  how does my affection for Jessica contribute to the resulting images?  I contend that it has a great impact.  She is comfortable & confident when she is posing for me.

When I look at photographs of people (clothed or not), I often finding myself looking for that kind of contact between the model & the photographer.  There is an awful lot of stuff going on during a sitting:  one has to place lights, calculate exposure, compose the photograph, instruct the model, get the right angles, check how the background is contributing to the photograph, keep an eye on the time, make sure that we aren't running out of film, ensure that the camera is appropriately set, and all such details.  But what separates beginners from advanced photographers is that advanced photographers can get all those details right while managing the relationship with the model.  I see tons of photographs of models who have nothing to do but sit around & zone out; I don't much like these photographs.  It is better to engage the model.

So, how do I find such beautiful women?  First, I've got to believe that they are beautiful.  

Old School Photography
June 29, 2004

This web site has been around since late 1997.  Here you'll find dozens of models, over 2000 images comprising over 50 different photographic sessions.  And I realize that I haven't talked much about how I got started in photography or how I learned to do what I do.  So, here goes.

When I was about 14, I spent one summer at an art school in Michigan.  I originally went to work with film, but my films were pretty awful.  The good news, however, is that I discovered that I had an innate appreciation for good light.  With a borrowed Pentax Spotmatic SLR camera, I made tons of portraits of my friends at the school, and many of those were very good.  Those portraits were particularly inspiring.  I returned from that school with an interest in photography, but I had no equipment.

The following school year, I was walking around my neighborhood & stumbled upon a friend's father who was packing up some photographic equipment to be carted off.  I volunteered to take the lot off of his hands, and that was that.  On that day, I got my first camera, as it turns out, it was a classic -- an old Nikon S or S2 camera (I'm not sure which, but I suspect it is an S2) -- that camera is about as old as I am.  The collection also included darkroom equipment -- I don't have the enlarger anymore, but I still use the trays & tongs.  

Anyhow, I got an Army surplus gas mask bag, in which I carried the camera, its filters, extra film, a light meter, a gray card, lens cleaning materials, and other various gadgets.  It got to the point that I carried that camera everywhere -- it was totally natural for me to sling that Army surplus bag over my shoulder as I went about my day.  And I'd highly recommend that to anyone, especially people just starting out.  The things I photographed:

• Anything that was well lit.

• Landscapes.

• Patterns.

• My neighborhood.

• My friends. 

By the time I got to college, I was in the habit of exposing about 2 36-exposure rolls of film each & every week, and I'd print maybe a third of those.  I felt naked without that camera bag -- it followed me everywhere, including to class.  Heck, it felt weird to leave it behind when I went to the bathroom!

Sometime during college (in Northern Vermont), I tried my first nudes, but I wasn't comfortable or ready with it.  For the most part, I photographed landscapes & portraits.  Also during college, I took my first & only photography course, learning the basics of film exposure, film development, and printing.  But I hung out with the other photographers a lot -- I remember our "photo orgies"; trips for photography only.  I remember being stranded on the coast of Maine for a few days, doing nothing but making pictures & eating frozen Jello.

There were some to-be famous people at that college; I have photographs of David Mamet & William H. Macy long before they became famous (well, Mamet was semi-famous then, but Billy certainly wasn't -- he was a fellow student who lived in my first dorm).  Remember, this was the early 70s.

Gradually, I grew up, I guess.  I graduated college, worked in social services for a while, went to grad school, earned a M.S. in Computer Science, and got a "real job" as a software engineer in California.  I was offered a position in New Hampshire, and I seriously considered it because I loved living in New England, and I loved living in New England because of the wonderful natural light there.  But in the end, I took the job in California because the Bay Area was the old stomping ground of many of the photographers I admired (like Edward Weston).

Somewhere along the line, I lost my youthful vitality, and the "real job" / career took up much more of my time & energy.  Plus, the general overhead of being a grown-up (e.g. laundry, insurance, taxes, grocery shopping, cooking, house cleaning, etc.) -- all this ate into my photography time.  I entered an artistic dust bowl -- I didn't do much photography, and the old stuff just wasn't inspiring to me.  I was concerned about losing my photography because of my job & my grown-up responsibilities.

A significant turning point came when I read a notice in a local paper -- it was a call for auditions to a local production of A Chorus Line.  I didn't want to perform, but I figured that I had never photographed dancers before, and perhaps the production company would welcome a photographer.  As it turned out, there's this scene in the show where the dancers all hold up head shots, so they needed a photographer.  They were very, very, very, very, very supportive there, and I threw myself into the production, helping with everything.  And we had access to the theater -- several dancers stayed late to do some dance photography, while the director stayed late with us to run the lights.  We created some terrific dance photographs -- many of the dance photographs on my web site came from that production.  I consider the dance photographs to be some of the most creative stuff I've ever done.  (If you haven't looked at the dance photography, you should.)  After the production completed, I continued doing some dance photography for several months, but doing that kind of dance photography was logistically difficult.

Soon after that, I started doing nude photography.  I did it because I thought it would be difficult & a challenge, especially the part about finding people to model for me and being comfortable being with them while they were unclothed.  I won't talk much about that -- there's plenty here on this web site to learn about my nude photography.

The interesting thing is that this:  just before I did the dance photography, I moved from 35mm to 2¼" camera.  I think I had a twin lens reflex camera for a while, but I didn't like it; at this time I had a Bronica ETR camera, which made negatives that were 2¼" x 1¾".  Now I use a Bronica GS1 camera, which makes negatives that are 2¼" x 2¾".  Guess what -- neither of those cameras fit into an Army surplus gas mask bag.  I started doing studio or production sessions exclusively, and lately I've been missing the casual aspects of carrying a camera around as I go about my day in my neighborhood.  That's one of the advantages of the new digital camera.  Go look at the pictures I make with it.  Look at this recent picture -- I like it a lot.  Those pictures feel like the old days to me -- they might not be high art, but I enjoy it, especially since I don't have to devote darkroom time to those images.

Summary:  it's never a bad idea to bring a camera along.  Don't take your photography too seriously.  Be willing to make an image of anything at any time.  The goal of photography isn't the photograph -- the whole idea is what you go through to make the photograph.