Today I had lunch with a good friend of mine photographer Heather Talbert. I hadn't seen her in a while and it was really nice to just sit and catch up. We talked a lot about how dead it is right now and how its really hard to find good models because its not season. Model apartments are empty and shooting is scarce but it is a really good time to network and get in contact with people before things pick back up again. Make your connections now wether it be with photographers, designers, bookers you never know what kind of doors it will open for the next season.
Photos: Skinny Intern and Kevin Clancy from ALIFE
Its funny how small the industry is we can sit and talk about everyone on a first name basis because everyone just seems to know everyone. When you live in NY there is such a massive amount of talented people its amazing and then here... its a struggle just to find a good stylist or a model who isn't burnt to a crisp with tan lines. How are creatives (stylist, MUA,photographers) supposed to make a living in this industry when everyone is wanting everything for free or at a really cheap rate. Testing models for agencies isn't even a good way to make money anymore. The rate for testing was once about five hundred to seven hundred dollars depending on what you wanted... and now it seems as if you are lucky to even get two hundred dollars. People really don't understand the amount of time, talent, and preparation that goes into doing these shoots.... and to not get paid from it is a bit ridiculous. So I say let the people who cant hang die out, it makes more room for the more talented artist that are really in it because they love it. If your in this business to make money you should probably stop now, but if your in it because you love it and truly find the beauty and art in all this mess then I say fight the good fight and hang in there.
If your a talented artist and you like Skinny Intern, contact me. I want to hear from you. skinny.intern@gmail.com
2 comments:
If photographers are willing to do the same amount of work for less and less money, why should agencies pay them more? In fact, why bother paying photographers at all? There’s an endless supply of desperate photographers out there who are willing to work for free in order to build their portfolios, so just keep on taking advantage of them. I’m pretty sure it won’t affect the fashion industry at all. It’s not like the photography part of it matters that much, anyway.
Besides, if “the people who cant hang” were serious about photography, they’d have other sources of income, rich parents, and/or lots of credit cards. And they’d understand that the thrill of giving agencies what they want is more valuable than money. Even if they can’t use that thrill to pay their studio rent.
Like you said, “if your in this business to make money, you should probably stop now.” Seriously. Why would anyone be in a business to make money? Except for agencies, of course.
So, yeah, “fight the good fight and hang in there.” Because if photographers spend enough time and lose enough money doing test shoots, something good will happen for them. Almost definitely.
Hey Skinny,
I agree with you. Monetarily speaking, testing is dead. Me, I am a photographer so I can tell you first hand that testing rates have gone way waaay down in the past 4 years.
Personally, when this started to happen I was pissed. But then, after much sole searching I realized that it was a blessing in disguise. I used to shoot a lot things that I hated. I was chasing the money a lot. I was shooting things for others, not for me: catalogue, look books, and very structured tests. I wasn't doing it for the love.
Then testing dried up and the economy was bust. Nobody had any money (still don't). I wanted to walk away from fashion photography all together. In fact, I tried but I just couldn't put the camera down. That's when circumstances forced me to realize that I hated all of my photos, that I wasn't shooting for myself. Finally I started shooting creatives for free 'cause nobody had any money. (Heck, even the creative teams these days have no money).
So what I'm trying to say is that the reduction of testing rates and the fact that budgets are so small nowadays may be mother nature's way of squeezing out all of the people doing it for anything but the love. One thing is for sure, it's a new playing field. Long gone are the days of the supermodels and top photographers. The jobs are like jam on toast now, spread out, equal. Not a lot of models, photographers, etc. have one client that they shoot for time and time again. (OK there are some..) Long gone are mega budgets of the eighties and nineties.
Now all I have to do is build a brand new book full of pictures that are mine, not other people's creations.
Jonny
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