Bad experiences with models (or others)

~ManualFocusPhoto Sep 4, 2012 Student Photographer

So, today I was supposed to take some horror themed photographs for a local black/death metal band, for their CD cover, and for promotions. They had the themes in their mind already, with poses and everything, and just asked me if I could actually make those photographs, lighting wise, and building the set. Anyway, they're the ones that contacted the model, but I also talked to her to explain everything about the shoot, what to expect, and such, pretty standard stuff.

We were supposed to meet at 10am, at my house (I was using my living room as a makeshift studio, plus there's a PC hooked into a 37" LCD for the band to see the photos as I shoot them). Anyway, she came in at 11:30, 1.5 hours late (she had her boyfriend with her, as I agreed to let him come as bodyguard). I was pissed, but let it slide, I mean, there could be traffic and such, but whatever. But if that's not enough, she started bitching about the music we were listening to (Dimmu Borgir), and wanted us to listen to her Lady Gaga CD. Yeah, sorry, but everyone else besides her was a metalhead (including me) who hates pop music. I wasn't gonna annoy everyone on the set just to please her, especially when she's done nothing so far to contribute. She later bitched that my studio wasn't professional enough. And it all peaked when she started complaining about the concept, and saying she's not comfortable being covered in blood, and basically wanted us to change the whole concept into something that really doesn't suit a metal band (let alone a death metal one), I mean, fuck, why agree to the shoot in the first place then?

I basically exploded in the end and just told her to shut the fuck up and do the job she was paid to do. I try to make it as enjoyable as possible to the models, but honestly, she's been doing nothing but bitching since she arrived. At which she was kind to inform me that I planned to rape her from the start (dafuq is that from???) she could tell just from my "look" (huh? I'm a typical looking metalhead [link] ), and her boyfriend ended up punching me, and we literally had to kick them out.

In all of the commotion, my brand new Elinchrom BXRi 500 fell off the stand, and the flash tube as well as the modeling light shattered T_T further damage to the unit is still unknown, but I've sent it to the lab to see if anything broke.

I swear, Murphey's law at it's best, everything that could go wrong did go wrong today. All I did is waste a perfectly good day, and now I spent it cleaning the mess...

Other bad experiences I had with models was when they reply to TF shoots, and expect me to pay for their taxi or whatever. Just no, everyone has to sacrifice something in a trade shoot (it's called a trade for a freaking reason), and honestly, the model sacrifices the least, their job isn't exactly rocket science. I never had anyone ask me for compensation in a TF shoot except models, and from talking to others, seems I'm not alone with this experience.

tl; dr: tough luck.

So, anyway, just wanted to blow off some steam, and see what bad experiences everyone else had with models (or other crew).

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Devious Comments

~Raining-Insanity Sep 14, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

Geez. I'd slap the f*cking b*tch. Seriously.
I usually include my models into planning a photoshoot, we arrange almost everything together, since they are my friends. Yeah, sometimes they annoy me xD. For example, there was this casual shoot I wanted to do, but it took us two weeks to arrange the date. We already agreed before it will be Wednesday, since at that time I couldn't do the shoot on Monday or Tuesday. And the Wednesday comes along. Nobody was in the mood to do the shoot so we moved it for Thursday. Then on Thursday, one of friends I wanted to shoot had some obligations to do, but she didn't notify me earlier. I got a little nervous, but later I let it go. Then we moved it to Friday. The same friend said she couldn't do the shoot on Friday, too. A bit pissed, we moved the shoot onto Saturday. Then the other friend I wanted to shoot said she has a date, because she turned him down too many times before. That I kinda didn't mind, so I let that also go and moved the damn shoot to Wednesday. Again, Monday and Tuesday were taken for me, and Wednesday comes along. Then my annoying friend again says "Can we move it for tomorrow?". There I snapped. I started to yell I'll cancel the whole thing if she decides to waste another day! Then we moved it AGAIN for Thursday. Nobody finally cancelled it. Peacefully, I left my house at 6 pm to meet them, when a message arrives, saying only the other friend will join me, because, guess again, the first friend got caught SMOKING. Then I gave it all up and went for a shootless walk around the city with that friend. It was okay, but I was pissed as hell, and I had a massive headache and stomachache.
I don't know how I'd shoot someone I don't know, but if it would get like that, I'd go crazy.

~ManualFocusPhoto Sep 14, 2012 Student Photographer

Oh, this isn't the norm, she really went over the top, and is known trouble maker.
I've found that most shoots with strange models tend to go better than with friends or family, since with friends and family it's sort of like they're doing you a favor, with strangers, it's a job.

*JackMolotov3 Sep 12, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

its like being a director in a film.

let them know your in charge, and thats that. Just like Machevilli once wrote, if you cannot get their respect from kindness, get it through being tough.

If they can't work with it, find someone else. Its your shoot.

*SaraAnicic Sep 12, 2012

I love my model to death but this was a bad experience:
Had a photoshoot booked and the model needed to be able to blow large bubbles out of gum

She got her tongue pierced the day before so everything went to shit haha she's beautiful tho but grrrr

~ManualFocusPhoto Sep 12, 2012 Student Photographer

Heh, talk about bad timing

=Temperate-Sage Sep 11, 2012 Professional General Artist

I will be clear, that girl sounds incredibly unprofessional, but don't take your experience with her and her boyfriend and expect all future models to be the same! I agree with posts mentioned before, I am glad you did contact her agency.
As a photographer and a model I have had my experiences. Once I had a model (who was getting paid) call me 45 minutes after we were supposed to start shooting to tell me that she wasn't coming. I mean I guess I am glad she called..., but I had spent 3 hours that day draping 30 yards of velvet just so, so that it would be a perfect back drop. I was pretty pissed, so I invited a bunch of friends over and we had a photography hayday anyways. She called me back to say she wanted to shoot after 3 months of no communication. I wasn't interested.
As a model I do bring my spouse and occasionally other male friends when he isn't available, as shoot "companions" especially to shoots with individuals I have never worked with before (male or female). I absolutely will not go to a shoot if this request is declined because it is for my safety. My spouse is a professional though, he would never get involved in anything at a shoot unless I specifically ask for his assistance. He has been useful on sets because he has set experience, carries gear for photographers, and can act as a personal assistant and spot checker for me while I pose.

XD I guess what I am trying to get at is..., that model sounds like a neurotic bitch, they come in all shapes forms and professions. Don't let a rotten apple like that sour you against all models and all spouse set companions. I show up on time, I will take a couple lewd jokes on set, I'll stare into the sun wide eyed for minutes on end for photographers, and squeeze my body into spaces it shouldn't normally fit. There are tons of models who will do infinitely better jobs than me at all those things, you just have to find them and give a big F you to the neurotic set diva's.

I am sorry you had such a nasty experience!

If you want more set experiences I have a couple from the film/video side of my life. XP

My spouse was directing a feature length and we had a huge busy day with 30+ people on set. Before hand we had discussed wages with some of the crew members while most were there for volunteer. We had 1 make-up artist coming in for $150 for the day, another for $300, while the other was coming for volunteer/experience. Well two of the make-up artists were friends (the volunteer and the $150). So the $150 at the end of the first day of shooting comes to clock out but goes to the wrong crew member (assistant director) and asks for her check. He was a volunteer with us and thought everyone was a volunteer so he promptly informed her that no one was getting paid for the shoot (we should have talk with him before hand). She leaves in a huff and steals a make-up lamp from the studio as she goes, without talking to anyone else. Then her friend (the volunteer) calls my spouse on the phone to tell him that he owes her friend $150 and that he owes her (the volunteer) $150 as well. He's kind of a push over so he he paid not only the amount he was already going to give the first one, but he also paid the second one... Plus they got away with a $200 lamp. -_- If I had been the one on the phone with the make-up artist I would have had her review her contract.

We also on that shoot had a Sound guy decide he was going to stay in a more expensive hotel for the shoot and charge us $750 more than we agreed to. He asked if we needed a guy for the next three weeks of our shoots and I informed him that we would go with someone more reasonable.

I have also had actors who decide that they are going to use poorly done foreign accents for characters and not take any direction. They have also entered our "never working with again" list.

I had an actor get in a fight with another actor on set and run off for 2 hours...

And one time a tornado hit the small town our sound guy lived in and we lost all contact with him for 10 hours right before a premier. And the sound was not rendered in when we got to the premier.

Yup, photography can have some pretty bad days, and then you get to film. XP

Keep rocking, don't let the bad days get you down!

~ManualFocusPhoto Sep 12, 2012 Student Photographer

Oh, trust me, I don't think all models are like that, some models I've worked with before were just a joy to be around. But this whole thing was just one major mindfuck, that I thought I'd share it, maybe get some advice, and overall see what bad experiences others had.

Yeah, that's what I figured when I let her boyfriend on the set, we're all basically strangers to each other (well, me and the singer in the band are friends, but that's about it). And that's usually the case with most models I work with, so if they ask if they can bring a spouse or friend, I have no problem, as long as they don't interfere in the shoot, and generally, they just sit quietly on the side. Like I said, this is the exception. But it did teach me to not let things escalate this much next time.

Heh, yeah, I've heard a lot of horrors about the film industry, I'm glad I chose photography instead.

~Shurakai-Stock Sep 11, 2012 Professional Photographer

Just had one flake out on an ad campaign I'm supposed to be shooting in less than two hours. I feel your pain, brother.

~ManualFocusPhoto Sep 11, 2012 Student Photographer

Wow

, did s/he at least give a valid reason?

~Shurakai-Stock Sep 12, 2012 Professional Photographer

She did, but of course that still doesn’t help me. Thank god for model agencies.

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