Contacting a Model

Happy Monday!

Today's blog post is one about etiquette for those just starting out on their model photography journey. Imagine that you've seen a model that you would love to do your first one to one shoot with. How do you start that conversation? What do you put in a first message?

It can be so daunting to do things for the first time, especially when you don't know what the standard is. You never get to see the communication between established photographers and models, so how are you supposed to know what to put? By reading this blog post, obviously.

I can't speak for all models, I can only speak to my opinion on what makes a first message I receive good or bad. This post is basically what things I find helpful and refreshing to read in a first message from someone... and also, what annoys me.

What to avoid

I'll start with some of the things that I think you should try to avoid before I talk about what makes good practice when messaging models. All of the things I will mention in this section are things that I've experienced and most of them are minor annoyances that make the process take longer than it should, or are just unnecessary to getting a shoot booked in easily. And then some of them are just unprofessional.

• First off, models don't need your entire life story. A few sentences about who you are and what you like to shoot is enough. We don't need to know any personal details about your life, or what your day job is (unless it's relevant to booking me for whatever reason).

• Similarly a message that is too brief is not very helpful either. Things like 'I want to book you' or 'Can we shoot?' doesn't give models anything to work with and will mean you have to send loads of messages back and forth to sort something out. Saying 'I like your portfolio' doesn't make it clear if you are just complimenting the model or wanting work with them, so you need to send a longer first message.

• Poor grammar and using text speak makes it difficult to understand what you are trying to ask. I understand that some people might not be able to do this for example if English is not your first language, or because of something like dyslexia. If this is the case, then just mention that so the model can be aware when they're responding so they can be more clear in their reply to help the process.

• There's never any reason to make sexual comments, if you can't be professional in your communication, then models will assume that you wont be professional when shooting, so they will likely decline the opportunity to work with you for their own safety. You can say things like 'I like your work' or 'you photograph beautifully', but there's no need to be objectifying and say things like 'you look sexy' or 'I love your [insert body part]'. Being overly complimentary also comes across as creepy and off-putting too, so keep that in mind.

• Don't ever ask a model to change any part of her appearance for a shoot. Personally, I have pubic hair and I've lost count of the number of times this has been brought up. There have been comments made that have crossed the line and been creepy, and I've even been asked if I could shave for a shoot. There's just no need!

Some of these things have been said to me by photographers I've worked with and ended up developing a good working relationship with since, so if you've made any of these 'mistakes' with me or another model, don't panic. Models likely won't remember minor faux pas or annoyances... but we do remember the ones that are rude or sexual (because obviously the latter is just bang out of order when we are all supposed to be professionals!)

What to include

So what does make a good first message? Being clear, detailed and reducing the need for a lot of back and forth is key. You want to be direct about what you're wanting to shoot, and include as much detail as possible.

• Start with a brief introduction to who you are, how long you've been shooting, and what sort of photography you are into. This gives an idea of what you'll be like to work with and what you will want out of the shoot so the model can make better recommendations in their reply.

• You can state where you're based, which is especially helpful if there's a distance between you and the model and you're wanting them to travel to you, or if you'll be travelling a long way to work with them.

• A short and professional compliment is good because it shows that you're excited to work with them, and that you have a genuine interest in being creative.

• Be as detailed as you can be about the shoot you're wanting to do. Here are some questions you can ask yourself before messaging a model so you can include these details in your initial message:

  • Where do you want to shoot? On location or in a studio: do you have a specific place in mind or are you flexible. Are they travelling to you, are you travelling to them, or will you be meeting in the middle?

  • When do you want to shoot? Do you have time off work that you want to fill with shoots, or are you travelling past their location and want to shoot on your way through. Is there a specific date you have in mind, or are you wanting to book something in over the next month? If it doesn't mater when you shoot, you can state that.

  • How long do you want to shoot for? Is it a half day booking (four hours), or just two hours? Will it be in the morning or the afternoon? Is there a specific time that you want to shoot: is a studio already booked or is it a location that is only accessible at certain times?

  • What styles do you want to cover?

    • Are there any specific outfits you'd like to shoot, something you've seen in their portfolio that you really liked, or is there a particular type of outfit you want to shoot (short dresses, strappy lingerie, casual clothing etc).

    • Will you be wanting to shoot nude on this shoot? Most models want to know this in advance. Do you want to shoot only nude? If so, let them know so they don't bring loads of clothing for no reason.

    • You can also mention any props you're thinking of using too, so they know if they need to bring anything with them.

    • If you genuinely don't know what you want to shoot then you can say that, so the model can make suggestions to you.

  • Do you have any additional needs for the shoot, such as a disability? If the model will need to make accommodations for you, they'll probably be happy to do that if they know in advance. For example, if you can't walk too far then they can suggest a better location to fit in with you, or if you struggle standing for long periods of time, then the studio they suggest may have more seating options.

• If you have a negative reference that can be easily explained then add that in too. Some models won't work with you if you have negative references but if you're genuine and disclose it in the first message, then the model can make up her own mind. For example, if you have a 'no show' reference and it's because a pipe burst in your house so you couldn't make the shoot, then just tell them that and they won't be worried you won't turn up, or may choose to charge a deposit to secure the booking.

An example of a good first message

To put all of this into practice, I have written an example of a good first message to a model. I'm not saying to copy and paste this to every model (although you are more than welcome to use it and adapt it for your own needs if you wish to), but I just wanted to show you what that message could look like be cause sometimes it's good to have an example to look at, rather than just loads of info thrown at you.

The first example is geared towards messaging a model to do your first model shoot and the second is an example of messaging a new model for the first time as an established photographer.

Example 1:

Hi Misuzu,

My name is Daniel and I've been doing photography as a hobby for about five years now. I have done a few model shoots at my local camera club, but I'm wanting to do my first model shoot by myself to explore some ideas I have. I think you'd be perfect for this shoot, as I really like your style, especially the low-key, black and white implied nude work you do as it's similar to what I want to shoot.

I was wondering if you were available for a studio shoot in early September? I'm thinking about shooting for 2 hours one morning, and I don't mind travelling to you if there's a local studio you can recommend. I would be wanting to shoot up to implied art nude, with some fashion and lingerie in there as well to build up my portfolio with a variety of styles. As I'm new, I will leave outfit choices up to you, whatever you feel comfortable wearing is okay with me.

If you could let me know the total cost for booking you and link me to any studios you think might be suitable for this shoot.

I'm looking forward to getting a shoot arranged with you, and I will bring Oreos with me! Also, let me know what your preferred dairy alternative is and I will bring some with me so we can have a coffee too.

Thanks,

Daniel

So what makes this message good?

• You introduced yourself and your experience level, so I know that you might be feeling nervous as a beginner and I can be more accommodating of that in the shoot as I have a lot of experience working with new photographers. It also tells me that you may not have any references if you're new so I would take extra precautions to stay safe like ensuring the studio owner would be around for the duration of the shoot.

• The message specified when, where and what.

  • It specifies that you prefer to shoot in the morning so I have an idea of timing.

  • I can choose the studio so I can ensure I feel safe shooting with someone with few or possibly no references.

  • I know that I will need to bring a variety of clothing options with me as you want to build up your portfolio.

• It shows that you've read my profile by mentioning Oreos and acknowledging that I'm vegan and that you can accommodate that.

Example 2:

Hi Misuzu,

My name is Jeff and I'm a photographer based in Manchester. I've been shooting models for about ten years, and I have a project I'm wanting to work on that I think your look would be perfect for. I've been following your work for a long time here on PurplePort and I've recently started to follow you on social media too. I really like your work, especially your location art nudes.

Are you available next week as I have a week off work and I can do any day except Thursday. The weather forecast is dry and not too cold for next week. I want to book you for four hours, and the location would be near to me in Manchester. I've scoped out the location I plan to use: it's quiet on week days so we shouldn't be disturbed, has a variety of settings we can use, and it's a 20 minute drive from the station. I can be flexible on time to fit around you.

What would the total cost for this shoot be, including your travel cost? I am aware from reading your profile that you don't drive, I can collect you from Manchester Piccadilly station and drop you back off there afterwards. I have a lot of positive references, feel free to contact any of the models I've worked with in the past to ensure you feel comfortable.

If you are not available next week, then I have some more free time next month, so I would be looking to book you regardless. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Regards,

Jeff

So what makes this message good?

• You introduced yourself and your experience level so I know that you have experience working with models, so I can trust that I will be safe shooting on location with you after checking out your references.

• The message specified when, where and what.

  • It gives an alternative if I'm not available for the specified dates, and states that time isn't important so I can plan my travel accordingly.

  • I know how long you want to shoot for, so I can get back immediately with a total cost of my modelling rate and the travel expenses I would require.

  • I know that I don't need to bring much with me in terms of clothing and outfits as it's an art nude shoot.

  • I feel comfortable that the location will be suitable because you have told me you've already scoped it out.

• It shows that you've read my profile by acknowledging that I don't drive and rely on trains.

Both of these messages are great because all of the information needed is in there, so it reduces a lot of unnecessary back and forth. It saves us both time, and gets a shoot booked more quickly and easily. It also means that before the shoot, I can re-read it all quickly to ensure I have everything I need without having to scroll through lots of one line messages to find out what we have discussed. On top of that, it's just good to have everything laid out early on, so that if it wasn't a shoot I wanted to do or couldn't do, then I'd let you know straight away and you can contact someone else who better fits what you're wanting to do!

Leave a comment if you're a model and let me know if you agree/disagree with me on any of these points; and if you're a photographer, have you made any of these mistakes or were you already aware of these things? I'd be interested in reading other people's experiences.

I hope that this blog post has been useful and interesting, and I hope you have a wonderful week ahead of you.

Misuzu <3