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Agencies require photographers have social media
I must admit I've never been one to have social media - no facebook, tumblr, yammer, etc, etc, etc. The list goes on and on and, as I only do portrait photography and have my own website, I just can't see the point. I can certainly see why models would have it but occasional photographers? There used to be a time when a website would have been enough. I've recently started on Instagram and honestly won't be keeping it. Over the last year, I've tried booking non-celebrity models through agencies for shoots in respected third-party photography studios while having no issues paying their full rates without question. You pay for what you want and pay for what you get. However, none I've approached will entertain a photographer unless he has a wide and established social media presence. Really? Now I have to audition to give them my money? When did this start or am I missing something? One reply I got from an agency that required I apply for membership before they would entertain my request said: "We have reviewed your application and you do not meet our criteria. Your website alone is insufficient. We require all photographers who wish to hire our models to have an established social media presence. We therefore must reject your application." I had supplied them several references. The world has gone pretty crazy over the last number of years but this beats the cake. Some of us tend to beat on about MM not being as useful as it used to be but, realistically, it might be all that's on offer. I did, however, manage to make contact with the model I wanted to hire through social media and book the shoot independently of the agency. A lot of work to bypass an agency that is supposed to get their models work. Feb 19 20 01:33 am Link If they don't want my money... There are enough competitors who are glad to take it. Feb 19 20 04:00 am Link Hi TomFRohwer - I love your profile image! Feb 19 20 04:57 am Link I can see the day coming where those who shun social media will be persecuted as Heretics and brought before the court of the Inquisition! Feb 19 20 11:02 am Link I don't agree with it, but, sadly, I understand it. It's an ego thing for the agency. They want to be able to say that their models are getting hired by "world renowned" or "popular social media person" photographers. If they don't know who you are, they can't promote you as someone who hired their models. Pardon me while I exaggerate a bit to try and explain.... An agency can't get any mileage out of unknown me hiring models for a fashion shoot, but they can get a ton of press out of having people like Mario Testino, Patrick Demarchelier, Russell James, or Mert & Marcus. I would think anyone who can pay the fee should be good enough, but, not in today's world. They want social media gods first and foremost. Feb 19 20 01:38 pm Link I get it. Unless you have an established client you are shooting for, they will question your motive for hiring their models. John Wayne Gacy probably could have found a handful of people to get stellar references, too. Anyone with a bad reference for him was not talking. Are you trending? Do models use your name in their hashtags? You can supply them with that hashtag for your social media presence. It is their game, and you play by their rules. It is not that difficult to start an Instagram account. You either do by smartphone, or you use a desktop version of Safari's web developer tools to mimic an iPhone. Getting real followers is not so easy. Feb 19 20 01:55 pm Link I have to wonder how the high dollar photographers like their name used to promote and agency. There used to be a few here on MM. Most didn't like their name used in that manner. In their place, I wouldn't care to have my name used to promote an agency ....for free. Would I go through such an agent to get a model. No, bit too tacky for me. Back in the day, I had no trouble booking a model from agents in Chicago. Start in the loop and work northward. Feb 19 20 06:06 pm Link They want publicity for them and their models, you shoot, and post they want that free PR At I workshop they told of a photographer who wanted to shoot a night cityscape from a hotel roof. The reason they turned him down is he only had 5000 followers on IG. On a fashion shoot they had three model, a 5'11 Female, a 6'2 male and a 5'4 female . Why was she chosen? A large IG following. Feb 19 20 07:42 pm Link G Reese wrote: I am not clear what is tacky about going through an agency to work with one of their Models Feb 19 20 10:05 pm Link G Reese wrote: Also You need to understand that its a three way street Feb 19 20 10:11 pm Link LnN Studio wrote: I find that a bit troubling really. I'm old enough to remember when agencies were there to get you work... not to promote themselves by restricting work... maybe I'm just old. Feb 20 20 03:55 am Link It’s for screening purposes Tags=verification No tags=possibly stolen Feb 20 20 06:09 am Link Sometimes people (agencies) may turn you down because your work and style isn't what they want for their models and that you can pay isn't important. Why? Because they want to insure their models shoot with photographers who produce solid fashion, beauty or commercial imagery. A few tips for those looking to reach out to agencies. Your website should look professional be easy to navigate and load quickly. Only show your best. Limit or don't show any nudes especially when contacting new to you agencies. Having a social presence is good but if your photos shine they won't care. They like published shooters. Having tear sheets (if you have them) is helpful. Agencies tend NOT to want their models signing anything and that goes for any kind of release. They want to often limit how and where their models images can be used. Keep in mind that most agencies deal with clients like stores, magazines, designers and companies rather then random photographers offering to pay their models. Frankly I think its usually best to offer unpaid tests and see where that goes. Feb 20 20 02:24 pm Link Garry k wrote: That may be your price, but it's not mine. Feb 20 20 05:13 pm Link Tony Lawrence wrote: Agree with most of this Feb 21 20 11:35 pm Link G Reese wrote: You could have stopped your message there. There has been a complete revolution/evolution of photography and modeling since then. Complaining about how a paradigm from the past doesn't work today is just sad. Feb 22 20 07:28 am Link I can't imagine any sane licensed agency in Chicago letting photographers hire their models directly for shoots. "Back in the day" or today if your work is good or great and you want to shoot agency models. You can approach them with your printed book and a website. If you are unknown to them but some paying clients have used you then you may get to not come in with your book. Otherwise they will want to see you and your website. Several questions are critical in this process. Part of why they don't want photographers directly hiring their models is most will want them to sign a release. Having a lot of IG followers may be considered but is your work solid. You can buy IG followers. Here is the truth in most cases. If an agency gives you silly reasons why they don't let you shoot their talent its likely because they simply because they don't like your work. This isn't to say you aren't a good shooter but is to say that they don't see any value in allowing their talent to work with you and that you're paying means nothing. My suggestion is to on Craigslist or Facebook or IG and offer $$$ to models. Feb 22 20 08:01 am Link Last week I talked to an agent in my area about hiring as many as 20 models for commercial work that would pay each model between 500 and $2500 per shoot. I have social media and web site and have been shooting commercial work since the early 90s. I also presented her with some tear sheets. All she would say is no...that they only hire out models to work with photographers from NYC and LA. Hey, this is central Alabama where maybe one model every decade gets hired for a NYC or LA shoot. The truth is that agencies outside of major markets make most of thier money selling classes and getting models to pay $5k to attend worthless conventions. Alot of them call themselves agencies but if you check thier business licenses they are registered as schools and are not even legally able to hire out talent as they are not registered with thier state to do so (alot of times under employment agency requirements). My opinion is you are dealing with one of those types of agencies who simply come up with silly reasons to not get models hired because they legally cannot do so. The saddest part is there are models sitting on their couch wondering why they aren't getting jobs or making money while agencies are playing gamea Feb 22 20 09:25 am Link I suppose my surprise was that it doesn't matter if you have produced solid work over many decades, an established website proving your ability with a great portfolio, professional memberships and a degree in photography, awards and competition wins, are a published author on photography and have created incredible portraits with world leaders being sought after for your work (I'm not saying I fill all, or even some, of the above) but you'll still get turned down. The criteria the agencies seem to use is " We'll make you jump through multiple hoops first and then decide if you have a sufficiently wide and public social media presence that will allow us to take your money to hire our models. Models who we are supposed to represent and get work. It doesn't matter how good you are, how great your work is, how much you're willing to pay. No social media and we're just not interested. Go away!". I know times change and agencies must be careful their models receive good work that will not damage either their personal reputation or that of the agency. After all, image is everything. My original post was just querying why lack of social media is a deal-breaker even if your work is incredible. I can understand my being turned down, after all not everyone is into portraits. Some might even consider my work not good enough. But social media should not be the single driving factor. Feb 22 20 11:11 am Link I wouldn't worry about an agency that has such criteria, what photographer has time to devote to social media and run a successful business? Odds are, those that meet those requirements were already doing well and hire someone to manage their postings. I put a little time into it but find that it generates very little as far as new clients. Those so called agencies clearly don't understand which direction the money flows. Feb 23 20 09:24 am Link Sigh....Here's a Chicago photographer with around 1100 followers. Jack could call ANY agency in Chicago for a un paid test and get models that day. https://www.instagram.com/jackperno/ He's fantastic! He doesn't have a large social media presence. Jack is an extreme example for sure as he is a Chicago legend. This is not to critique the OP in any way. My guess is the agency he approached reviewed his work and didn't feel it was going to help their models and again what they were being paid wasn't important. A lot of the photographers here including the OP do fine work. Its often beautiful yet in most cases not what a fashion or commercial agency wants for their models. My suggestion is to go on Facebook as I mentioned and find model groups of where you're going. Hit up designers at fashion shows. Craigslist is another option. https://dublin.craigslist.org/ Look if your a portrait photographer go to a few fashion shows and grab a few shots. Feb 23 20 01:31 pm Link Tony Lawrence wrote: Probably the top Fashion Photographer in my City ( for many years ) Feb 23 20 11:08 pm Link I'm not familiar with either photographer but Mr Mazzucco's website doesn't seem to be working. http://raphaelmazzucco.nyc/?reqp=1& … EyoabhpTW6 Perhaps with all those clients is too busy to pay to keep it active. However neither man has a really large IG following compared to many other influencers and my guess is could get plenty of great agency models to test for free. Garry I will add I am often confused why you pay at all. What I would do given you seem to get really good faces is to assist which might fine tune your work. However that isn't the conversation. If I were the OP I'd focus on IG, Facebook and Craigslist for model. While it may be more work overall he'll pay less for models and deal with fewer hassles. Another idea may be to get to some of the local fashion shows and work with models designers book. ...and with that let me bow out. As usual I've hogged the conversation. Feb 24 20 08:12 am Link Thats Funny - I mean that his website isnt working . He is a Top Fashion Photographer I swear ( lol ) has done a lot of work for Guess and Sports Illustrated . Has several books out and has held several major exhibitions . etc Here is some of his work for Guess ( edit ) https://www.google.com/search?q=raphael … p;bih=1019 Feb 24 20 12:50 pm Link You ask about paying Models and why I do it ...... I used to do a lot of trade with aspiring fashion Models but I now work mainly with more established Models and I compensate them $100 for a shoot ( either cash if they do their own makeup or $50 cash and the rest of the amount in makeup as i have a deal worked out with a local makeup counter to get free makeup in exchange for a $50 purchase ) Most of the Agency Models I work with have Day rates of$1000 plus and so are expecting to be paid something ( my shoots average about 1.5 hrs ) Paying Models gives me more latitude with respect to whether i also decide to provide them with photos and how many My paying ( plus being a capable photographer ) gives me an advantage over much of the competition in my city that don’t pay The $100 I spend is really my only shoot expense as I borrow the studio of one of my ( real ) Photographer Friends . do my own styling etc On Occasion an Aspiring Model will hire me to help build her portfolio . If I like her Look and think She has a shot at being signed - I will shoot with her in exchange for dinner Feb 24 20 01:05 pm Link Yes it has become a strange world - late last year I had a client pay to fly models from America as they have more followers on instagram. What the! - And another ask to view my instagram account (which is crap @studio49sydney) so that they could view my work! Feb 25 20 02:23 am Link Congrats - you now have one more follower! BTW - the last image you posted - incredible. Studio49 wrote: Mar 09 20 01:22 am Link |
