Getting people to be your FIRST guinea pigs

[angelinabee]

Hi all.

I got my Canon T1i a couple of months ago, and I've been practicing with it every day.

I'm an actor, and since most of my friends are actors as well I want to possibly get into taking headshots as a side-gig. I have been offering people the chance to get free headshots so I can practice on them, and oddly enough nobody is interested.

These folks already have their shots that they paid money for, and they just don't think it's necessary. It's mind blowing. I won't give them a perfect product, but I think I"m prepared to give them a really dang good product.

Has anyone else had trouble just FINDING people to practice on so you can get really good? If so, how did you resolve it?

 

[misstwinklytoes]

Friends? Family? Kids?

 

[o hey tyler]

You could get actual Guinea Pigs.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

:lmao:

 

[angelinabee]

These people ARE my friends and family since my family lives 2,000 miles away. I don't know anyone else. Bwahaha. I could just sneak photograph them ninja style then show them it's worth their time.

 

[OffTheWall]

to be very honest in the town i live in its extremely hard to get anyone to let me take a picture of them, i started to doubt my talents but started to offer a home made meal for a shoot and so forth but also depending on where you live try out Where Professional Models Meet Model Photographers - ModelMayhem put up four pictures your best pictures and start adding folks around your area here is my link
ModelMayhem.com - OffTheWall Photography - Photographer - Show Low, Arizona, US

its a great site to get with models and such and start with a side job how i can afford my expensive hobby before i decide to keep this as a full time job

 

[angelinabee]

OffTheWall, thank you! That is a great site!!

 

[ababysean]

craigslist.

then facebook.

make an acutaly soandsophotography

People hark on facebook, but so far 90% of my test subjects are from other off facebook. you shoot someone, they TAG you in the pictures and it explodes from there....

so while it is not a professional website, it is a great meeting place.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Go take a look at what Caroline has been doing this month over at Whimsy Whispers. You may need to go back a page or two so that you can see how it all started, but personally I think she's doing a magnificent job with the challenge she set herself. Now would people like that be good enough guinea pigs for you?

 

[ericonoahu]

I have shot with models I contacted through Craigslist and Model Mayhem. Read all the info pages at Model Mayhem so you don't do anything unwelcome there.

What you are (likely) looking to do is work with them TFCD (time for cd) - they model for you and you pay them with the pictures from the shoot. Your services for their services.

You could also just put up a casting call and offer to pay $xyz per hour.

I've also shot a lot of coworkers, family, and friends, especially younger women - young women seem to love to be photographed. At least some of them who aren't self conscious. If they have self esteem problems pulling out a camera near them seems to frighten them.

 

[OffTheWall]

I have shot with models I contacted through Craigslist and Model Mayhem. Read all the info pages at Model Mayhem so you don't do anything unwelcome there.

What you are (likely) looking to do is work with them TFCD (time for cd) - they model for you and you pay them with the pictures from the shoot. Your services for their services.

You could also just put up a casting call and offer to pay $xyz per hour.

I've also shot a lot of coworkers, family, and friends, especially younger women - young women seem to love to be photographed. At least some of them who aren't self conscious. If they have self esteem problems pulling out a camera near them seems to frighten them.

Ahh yes the dreaded TF* shoots ive delt with many girls on MM where they would TF* for a tattoo some for pizza others for clothing if the shoot involves clothing. It all varies from model to model, in my town ive got a whopping 5 models lol not much fun. I need to move back to san diego like now lol.

 

[Robin Usagani]

I did a freebie from an ad on CL. She loved it. She posted her pics on FB. Her model friends love it. Now all of these pretty women want me to shoot them (not sure because my shots were good or because it was free LOL). I probably do one or two more but poor wife isnt happy about it.

 

[robertwsimpson]

I practice on my wife