So I want to be a fashion photographer. Not just a guy who shoots instagram models, but full campaigns and ads for magazines. I moved to NYC a few years ago and Ive been pursuing fashion photography part time. Started about a year ago with some random chick I met on insta. Now ive built myself up, got published once and have worked with a few really talented models/shot some pretty cool pictures.
I met this other fashion photographer on craiglist who was looking for someone to help him with random small organizing and editing tasks. He has become a good friend and Thursday he called me telling me about this party he couldn't attend due to other work. The guest list for the party included celebrities, Victoria's secret models, and fashion people.
He suggested I go, use the organizers name at the door and have a good time. I hit up a few models that I have shot or have scheduled to see if they would like to attend w me. Figure the likelihood of me getting in is higher if I have a pretty girl on my arm.
The 4th girl I hit up is game. Shes a freckled redhead who I had met on insta and was gonna shoot in a few weeks. We show up to the spot like an hour early, so we just go in and hang out. Literally only the staff was there and nobody bothered us or checked if we were on the list.
The venue fills up with an assortment of models, fashion designers, buyers and influencers. We wander around and I start pulling every hot girl I can find, asking them for a pic by the good lighting and getting their info. I shot about 6 pro (major agency) models including one who has half a mill followers on insta. I get bored so I pull the model I had brought onto the couch and start putting the moves on her. We go to make out in a stairwell.
Thats pretty much the story, I now have a bunch of real fashion models in the dms and I plan on shooting them all/getting in touch with their agency.
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Funniest thing that happened as I was about to leave. Everybody starts lighting up in the venue, so I sit by one of the tables with bottle service and the guy next to me passes me a joint. Just then the security guard walks up, tells us to put it out. I start putting it on on the table (dumb cuz the venue is fancy and the table probably costs a few grand) and hand it back to the guy who gave it to me. I tell the redhead that we are leaving, and the guy next to me turns to the security guard and asks
"you wanna puff"?
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Lessons Learned:
Show up early
Act like you belong
If you havent talked to the hottest girl that you see in the venue, why bother going out?
Absolutely do not give a fuck
CainPrice 5y ago
If you put on a nice suit and start walking around at a hotel convention, nobody is going to stop you and ask you what you're doing there or who you're with. Everybody will just assume that a guy in a nice suit who's walking around acting like he belongs is in the right place and knows what he's doing.
So stick that well-dressed guy in a room full of models, with a cute girl on his arm, and everybody will just assume he's the kind of guy who dates models.
Half the game is just walking, talking, and acting like you belong. Whether you're crashing a party or just on a date. Acting like the kind of guy who gets laid is half the battle for getting laid. The other half is mostly just not being ugly or socially awkward.
VasiliyZaitzev 5y ago
Here you go, kid. You’ll thank me later.
Uncle Vasya’s Guide On Dating Models
-You Landed a 10. How to keep her in line.
konigg 5y ago
I may not know a lot about woman as you know, but i'm a better sniper than you are tho... haha ♥
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German8835 5y ago
Can you tell me how you contact “models” on Instagram. Because I am also shooting portraits, and would like to go your way in the future, but I am lucky if a girl with really good looks gets interested. And how do you make money, by taking money for shootings or selling photos, because the agency models actually want to get paid for the shoot. Thanks
I-DRUNK-UR-MILKSHAKE 5y ago
I hit up tons of girls on Instagram. Literally hundreds that live in NYC. Say "hey I love your style". If they respond, ask to shoot. I cold approached girls that were super hot and took their pictures. One of the models I shot turned out to be a pop singer back home in Uruguay. You gotta live in a city with lots of models, NYC or LA.
I don't make any money from shooting fashion. All the photographers I know who make a living shooting are wedding photographers.
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To make money in photography you need clients. It comes down to who you know and how well you can attract their business. Modeling agencies pay their photographers, and brands who need their clothing shot pay for photography. It's difficult, but nothing worth doing is easy. There are pro fashion photographers who make tons of money, more than 5 grand a day for shooting. At that level the quality of the work isn't as important as being able to service your client. Terry Richardson had a very successful career shooting bad pictures because he built a recognizable brand and was well known.
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In terms of agency models, they have to want to shoot with you or you need to get the agencies attention. The first agency shoot I did was for a designer that arranged the HMUA, styling assistant and clothing. Then when we had a set vision for the shoot, we contacted agencies and got a few models to show up TFP. You can find that shoot here
KyfhoMyoba 5y ago
Not to be a nit picker (I've seen Terry Richardson's poloroids) but didn't he shoot every single cover of Harper's Bazaar for about 15 years?
IOW, he made a reputation shooting bad pictures, but made his money shooting really, really good ones.
German8835 5y ago
Wow, that’s a really nice shoot. Can you pm me your Instagram, so I can look at more examples? And thanks for the advice, now I know that I am not that hopeless ????
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Imperator_Red 5y ago
Bro you just doxxed yourself. I would highly recommend taking this down unless you don't care about being publicly associated with TRP.
German8835 5y ago
Great Portfolio ! That’s really next level fashion stuff, iIam still in the “Instagram portraits” level. I also made a second account for myself to post random pics, as I don’t want to trash my main account. And how long did it take you to grow to 2k followers?
I-DRUNK-UR-MILKSHAKE 5y ago
This account took me less than a year to get 2k. Follower counts are pretty meaningless and if not for the networking on instagram I am ready to give up on the platform. The algorithm-model really killed any possibility of getting natural engagement and incentivizes people to use bots and fake followers. Im waiting for the next instagram to come out and hopefully facebook doesn't buy it up and ruin it.
MyReddit6 5y ago
Dude - I really like the photoshoot with the black girl. Your shots communicate a sense of calm or have a very intriguing placid quality. Also - gotta love that you message 4 girls to come to some victorias secret fashion event and only one turns up......like WTF could they have possibly had better to do!?
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My gay friend is a mega successful stylist and designer and works with major movies and models. He meets these girls left and right and they hang out with him for coffee - but he always blows my game with them because he is the horniest bastard in the world - and starts hitting on me in a way thats a bit cringey with the girls. Anyway - watch out that they dont take advantage of you. Mid-low level models will literally just use NYC beginners to basically pump up their insta so they can say they had a "shoot in nyc" & never follow up with actual work for you
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Anyway, if you're in my area happy to help introduce you, or even do a shoot with you - your style would be great for me!
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