Question for Photographers and Models - Direct messaging hindrance or a help?

I don't mind.

If I look at a model's profile I sometimes see "will be in your area on {dates}".

I wonder if inverting that, and offering a widget which lists models who have declared they will be in my area, would be appreciated.

While I’m unlikely to book based on an unsolicited Message (as I am organising shoots a long way in advance and generally people I have already worked with), I would never be irked or offended, particularly if it is a message to ME (as opposed to a blanket spam) and it may bring someone to my attention who I wasn’t aware of. So in sort, all good for me.

You'll get many nuanced answers here, which I doubt will surprise you.

For example, you're on one of my WTWW lists, so in my mind you get an automatic pass to send me messages if you're coming my way.  Against that, unfortunately, is that I'm taking things slowly having taken a break from photography for almost a year, so I'm not available on the dates you're down here.  Also to be factored in is that I rarely take any notice of castings unless I particularly want to work with someone, and then I'll watch their castings in particular.

So yeah, yes but no.  At least not for me this time.  But maybe yes another time.

I hope I made that all clear for you 😆

JonC said

if it is a message to ME (as opposed to a blanket spam)

I think this is one of the most common bugbears I hear about cold messaging from models.

Sensual Art said

JonC said

if it is a message to ME (as opposed to a blanket spam)

I think this is one of the most common bugbears I hear about cold messaging from models.

Thank you for the feeedback and that's really kind of you :)

Yes I wouldn't send a generic message to just anyone, More of have a look at photographers in the area and if they have styles I feel would work with my abilities then send them a message that way :)

Everly Rose "So does it irritate you when models message you or is it more the generic messaging that irks you? If you received a nice message with the models details and what she or he is offering with no pressure to book is this Okay?"

It has never bothered me. After being told I didn't respond to a models alleged message earlier today I did a scan through my messages as I don't delete anything.

Saw more than a few messages from models looking for a photographer to shoot. For me it's just not an concern.

The issue I do have is I'm just limited when it comes to money/time. If anything I *need* touring models more these days. An average shoot just isn't chump change and I often jump at the rare chance that I work with someone who doesn't "prefer" a studio shoot or where I don't need to pay a third charge of train fare.

Only issue I've had with directly messaging models myself is their alleged "business" which depending on the person I'm often skeptical about.

Sorry..does that answer anything?

It's no problem for me. You might get a short but polite "no" message but you never know. I shot a model recently who was on tour and would never have realised as it was just (by a couple of miles) outside my usual search criteria - I was quite 😊

Afrofilmviewer said

Everly Rose "So does it irritate you when models message you or is it more the generic messaging that irks you? If you received a nice message with the models details and what she or he is offering with no pressure to book is this Okay?"

It has never bothered me. After being told I didn't respond to a models alleged message earlier today I did a scan through my messages as I don't delete anything.

Saw more than a few messages from models looking for a photographer to shoot. For me it's just not an concern.

The issue I do have is I'm just limited when it comes to money/time. If anything I *need* touring models more these days. An average shoot just isn't chump change and I often jump at the rare chance that I work with someone who doesn't "prefer" a studio shoot or where I don't need to pay a third charge of train fare.

Only issue I've had with directly messaging models myself is their alleged "business" which depending on the person I'm often skeptical about.

Sorry..does that answer anything?

Thanks for the feedback it is helpful yes. Do let me know if you are coming to the Reading social :)

amgine said

It's no problem for me. You might get a short but polite "no" message but you never know. I shot a model recently who was on tour and would never have realised as it was just (by a couple of miles) outside my usual search criteria - I was quite 😊

that's nice to hear and the sort of feedback I was interested in so thank you :)

Personally I'm happy to be contacted to be made aware of a tour near to me or whatever.

I'm also fine with the fact it makes sense for the model to probably copy and paste a mass message with general info about the tour/location/rates etc. Only slightly bothered me if someone has tried to make it more personal by saying they really love my work when they clearly hadn't looked at my profile at all (had that a small number of times when I was new on here and had no pictures from model shoots on at all). But even then it was infrequent enough to be no big deal.

I never mind receiving such messages, and if a little effort has been made to personalise them all the better. 

What I would say (and I think you have this covered Everly Rose ) is that a message that has all the information up front (i.e. dates, times, levels, costs etc.) comes across much better than a vaguer, "Hey I'm in your area, PM me for rates" kind of thing.

If it ends up in my inbox then a casting which says 

"I'm going to be in place on date and I'm looking to shoot style on these terms" lets me decide if I'm interested. A model who is shooting 150+ miles away and adds every large town within 75 miles so it gets in the inboxes of people further away just annoys and I might even the report casting. In between there are lots of badly written castings, and if I have to switch from mail to PP to find out when / where / what / how much I'm probably just going to spike the email with the casting in.    

Targeted mails -"Hi - I saw the work you did with some-other-model I think we could do something similar, my rates are X and I'll be somewhere near you in a few weeks" actually have quite a good success rate getting shoots with me.  "Hi Hun, love your work, wanna shoot ?" not so much. But it seems daft to be on a site like PP which exists for models and photographers to get in contact and complain that someone contacted you unless the work being discussed is way outside what you do. 

I had a message once from a model, asking if I wanted to shoot, they would be in the area, rates, levels, etc, my reply was short, to the point,   "No."

The model was not happy and replied saying as much, due to PP's messaging rules I replied (to keep the reply rate good :( )

Always happy to receive messages. 

If it's not of interest it takes only a few second to say so. 

Personally wouldn’t mind in the slightest. In fact it’s preferable as we don’t seem to have time to go through castings.