For Those of You Following Along At Home

[St Marc]

I'm now three-for-three on my last three bookings. No-shows, every one. Two no-calls, one didn't-call-until-I-was-already-in-the-city.

This is such a glamourous life.

M

[CJ Maziarz]

I've had so many girls flake out on me in the last few months that I'm thinking about getting a telemarketing job! :shock:

[Elin Strigå]

I feel bad for you. I've never had a noshow, ever, if I recall correctly. And I've been around for many years.
Maybe you should look up the models resumé with their past photographers to hear what they have to say about her, how long it took before they actually took some pics.
Maybe this is a common problem for male photographers. I'd like to hear other female photographers experiences in this area. Any noshows?

Or maybe I just get to work with the most professional models out there. 8)

[Mark Greenmantle]

have had a few no shows this last few months too. most of them were justified but one in particular got me really peeved. it was a commercial booking and I had less than an hour's notice that the talent (who was the actual client) was flaking. Their booking payment bounced so I'll be knocking on their door with my unhappy face on, and my wallet ready for a deposit.

were your no-shows TFCD or paid gigs?

[St Marc]

One was supposed to pay ME and the other two were TFP.

I finally broke my streak on Saturday with a delightful young lady who wanted some Victorian nudes. Then I went to a nightclub and shot pics of Gothchix and dominatrixes. That's one broken streak.

M

[Mark Greenmantle]

oh bollocks - you just reminded me I have a hundred goth club pix to process from the weekend. :roll:

[Lost Coast Photo]

I've been so lucky on this, only two no-shows ever, and a few day-before cancellations.

OK, maybe it's not just luck. They need more than just looks before I'll say yes... a frequently-used brain is a prerequisite. And then, sometimes, I try to scare them away. Works wonderfully with some of the mainstream wannabes, they disappear after the first message and never come back. Better to waste 30 seconds on e-mail than hours on set up for a shoot that will never happen.

Still, I'm surprised to hear about no-shows from any of the photographers here. I guess that means it can happen to anyone, if we shoot long enough.

For the record, I've never had the slightest bit of drama or lack of reliability from any Wicked Talent model... just had the most recent of quite a few excellent experiences about two weeks ago.

[Mark Greenmantle]

shooting for bands is where I have the most trouble. local punk bands especially.
I'm sticking to my No Deposit No Shoot policy from here on in.

[Lost Coast Photo]

Mark, the trick with punk bands... having photographed hundreds of them while writing for a 'zine in "80-'82... is to be totally jaded and not give a **** if they want to shoot or not. Pretty soon they want it so badly they follow you around the clubs and beg. Or at least it worked in the old days, and it worked with some bands you've heard of. Just don't expect them to get out of bed for a special shoot (there's a reason most bands break up wiuthin a year); when they all coincidentally happen to be in one place, just take them out in the alley and shoot, ideally before they get too stoned or wired or drunk.

It would probably work with models too. But at least with the better ones, I just can't bring myself to completely not care.

[St Marc]

I've been so lucky on this, only two no-shows ever, and a few day-before cancellations.

That is because you are made of WIN.

Still, I'm surprised to hear about no-shows from any of the photographers here. I guess that means it can happen to anyone, if we shoot long enough.

Photographers do it too, to be fair... Yesterday my studio partner called me and told me a model had called her after seeing her some other site portfolio, and said, "My photographer for tonight flaked on me (her words) and my agency needs pics by this weekend. Can you shoot me?" So now she's $600.00 richer for some other photographer's flake. (Of course some photographers wouldn't care about a piddly $600.00.)

M

[Lost Coast Photo]

True. Over the past few years I've heard at least as many stories about flakey photographers as about flakey models.

gosh darn it humans.