| My friend John and I were sitting in my studio | | | | job, as had the photo editor I'm sure. But she was still, |
| yesterday morning, playing poker and discussing where | | | | shall we say, not a classic beauty. But here she was, in |
| we would go for lunch. | | | | a well-known lingerie catalog, modeling - and selling - |
| No, this is not the beginning of a male-bonding story. It's | | | | some very nice outfits. Why had the director picked |
| the story of how two models missed out on a decent | | | | her? Why had she been given the opportunity to |
| payday. | | | | reach a national audience? I never talked with anyone |
| I had been hired to shoot a layout for a local jeweler, | | | | associated with that shoot, but I'm sure I know the |
| and had contacted a near-by model through one of | | | | answer. |
| the major online modeling portfolio sites. I was going to | | | | She showed up. |
| shoot her for the ad, plus spend an hour or so with her | | | | And that's the secret to making serious amounts of |
| doing shots for both our portfolios. Since we often act | | | | money as a model, or at any other job you set out to |
| as each others' assistants, John had booked a glamour | | | | do. The first thing that has to happen, before anything |
| shoot with another model for a couple hours after my | | | | else like "Do a better job than the other person," or |
| shoot. He'd help me, and then I'd move lights and props | | | | "Provide a superior experience for your customer," is |
| for him. | | | | that you actually have to show up. |
| But there we were, just sitting at a conference table | | | | The largest part of most fast food managers' job is |
| playing cards. Our cameras were laid out, the lights | | | | interviewing and hiring new employees. Why? Because |
| were on, but we weren't shooting. Why? | | | | after a few days, half of the new hires simply stop |
| Neither of our models had shown up. Neither of them | | | | showing up. Many never even come in for their first |
| had called, nor were they answering the numbers | | | | shift. The fast food industry is not known for having |
| they'd given us. As far as I know, neither one of them | | | | employees give a two-week notice before leaving, nor |
| knew the other, although our local pool of models isn't | | | | do employers give a lot of notice before asking a |
| that large, so I doubt they'd mutually decided to stand | | | | troublesome worker to leave. The pay certainly isn't |
| us up. Neither John nor I are famous, but we do have | | | | great - but it is better than most people think. Why? To |
| fairly good portfolios displayed on the web. Nor are we | | | | try to motivate employees and get them to actually |
| infamous. In over ten years shooting people, I've only | | | | show up for their shifts. |
| gotten one phone call from an angry boyfriend | | | | Most women hired for a modeling job are offered a lot |
| shouting "Who is this?" As professionals, both of us | | | | more than the typical fast food worker. They get |
| encourage models to bring someone along for their | | | | copies of the images. Sometimes they get to keep the |
| comfort, so I can't think of anyone who would have | | | | props and costumes. Many get their travel expenses |
| told these women that we weren't to be trusted. | | | | paid or reimbursed. Some even walk away with cash, |
| To paraphrase, "Crap happens." Sometimes your car | | | | much more per hour than they'd make in almost any |
| breaks down, your child gets sick, or you miss the bus. | | | | other job. |
| I understand that. If you are running behind, or have an | | | | And that's what real modeling is at it's most basic - a |
| emergency, the professional thing to do - hell, the polite | | | | job. Stick at it, learn the craft, hone your skills and |
| thing to do - is to call. And some days the fates | | | | talents, and it can become a lucrative career. But first, |
| conspire against you, and the phone is out of juice, or | | | | it's a job. Better paying than most, but still a job. |
| not where you left it. I get it - we've all had really bad | | | | So what did our two models miss out on? Well, John |
| days. | | | | and I had each budgeted $200 for our models, for |
| A number of years ago, I got a lingerie catalog in the | | | | between 2 and three hours work. That's between $65 |
| mail during the Christmas mailing season. All the outfits | | | | and $100 per hour. Each girl could have walked away |
| were modeled by only 5 or six different women. One | | | | from a half-day shoot with pictures for their portfolios, |
| of the women was a striking blonde. Now when I say | | | | professional tear sheets, and as much money as they |
| "striking," I do not mean in the good sense. True, she | | | | would have made at forty hours of minimum wage |
| was proportioned correctly for a catalog selling skimpy | | | | labor. |
| nighties, but her face... One brow was significantly | | | | You can make more money, have more fun, and |
| higher than the other. The one shot where she smiled | | | | spend more free time modeling than almost any other |
| with an open mouth showed teeth in rows like old | | | | job. But you must follow the biggest, most important |
| tombstones. Her nose had been broken and badly set | | | | rule for making money as a model. |
| at some point. The makeup artists had done a great | | | | The first thing you have to do is... show up! |