Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic

shaycobs · Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 170

It's an issue I've been pondering about in the last few days.
I want to shoot photos of people, for that I need models. models, being humans, need payment.
But how do I pay them? By the hour? A percentage of sales? (that would be terrible)
And how much do I pay the average anonymous model?

supertramp · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:03 pm

TFCD - Trade For CD

What I've been doing is offering them a copy of the images on CD/DVD, but they can only use the images for self promotion. I still own the rights to the images.

hhltdave5 · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:36 pm

Look into places such as Model Mayhem. You can get many people who will model for a copy of the images. Also what about friends and family? Most people have models right under their noses and don't realize it. Some of the best models are the non professional models.

shaycobs · Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 170

shaycobs · Joined: 13 Apr 2012 Posts: 170

mscates176 · Joined: 10 Feb 2011 Posts: 77

I do actually pay all of my models. There are reasons for this, firstly i feel its the right thing to do so it gives me some peace of mind. Also one of my images was used recently by a major international company and therefore I feel that the potential exposure that occurs is justified by the fee.

Maybe im just too nice, dont know. However, if any case ever went to court at least i can argue that the model was paid for the service.

I guess its down to personal choice of photographer. I do however have two rates of pay a low rate for inexperienced models and a higher rate for experienced models.

Mark

rinder99 · Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:19 pm

By offering them a CD. your are paying them. I've never paid a Model. I spend a lot more time than they do.And what dave said is absolutely true. Regular folks sell Much Better. I see people all the time in grocery stores or whatever. Give them a card and be totally Honest. You would be surprised how many people want to have there Picture taken. Go to Drama schools etc, Those people need pics constantly, Actor workshops. Models are everywhere. Just walk up and do your rap. And if your thinking about Pro Models? I've shot a ton of Super pros, Don't pay them either. If you do good solid work, They need you more than you need them, Myself and others here Have models pay us and sign releases. it's business.

And after 40 years of shooting Models. I prefer Non Models anyway. Give me an actor anytime.
but, When Im teaching portrait Lighting or doing a workshop. we pay them as they have to work much harder and don't get much benefit.$50.00 per hour with a 3 hour Minimum. You would have to sell a lot of Microstock for that to be cost effective.

Giving a model work that they in turn can get work from is much more important than gas money or something.

A pro or newbie model can sense pretty quickly you either know exactly what your doing or don't, My sessions last 3 hours usually averaging 1200 shots at a keeper rate of 15% with 5 setups and the only way to get that is to storyboard everything. I also prescreen every model at least 2/3 weeks prior to the shoot along with 3/4 snapshots of left and right angles to study.Much more efficient and much better and more productive output.A good model to me is an amazing thing and theres many,many tricks to use.male and female.