quote:

Originally posted by Mike Marlowe:
[qb] You dont say if its a test, a booking through an agency or direct with the model.[/qb]

Let's assume it was a direct booking. You're right in that that is a highly relevant question.

[qb]I always tell agencies and models that I dont want any surprises on the day so showing up and saying luggage was lost several days before would be a surprise I wouldnt like. She/they could have given you notice so an alternative could have been planned.[/qb]

I would agree that that would have been the professional thing for our hypothetical model to have done. I'm certainly not trying to defend her, or for that matter say what I would have done or that what I would have done was the "right" thing to do. I'm merely curious as to what other photographers - and most of the photographers on this forum have far more experience than I - would do in such a situation. If the response is, "You'd be an idiot for letting this happen," then that's fine, but it doesn't answer the question of what you'd do if it DID happen. Very few of us don't occasionally do something idiotic.

[qb]As for the acne, if it was a beauty shot then I would can it or someone would have to pay for the retouching. If it wasnt a beauty type shoot I would prob work around it.[/qb]

Assume you booked the model but that you are running the shoot for a third-party client. If that were me, I wouldn't try to pass heavy retouching fees on to the client. Would you? Or would you pass them to the agency (if there were one) or to the model?

[qb]btw, models who say they will bring their own wardrobe either turn up with 3 items in a carrier bag or a 40' containter on wheels with more changes than you could shoot in a month.[/qb]

Been both of THOSE places.

quote:

Originally posted by Patrick.S.:
[qb] In my experience you never book a model because of there clothes... For a job you need a stylist period.[/qb]

It's actually quite common in certain kinds of alternative photography because the clothes and other gear are extremely expensive, usually custom-made and custom-fitted, and can't be returned or resold. There are many models who make a good living capitalizing on their wardrobe investments in those fields. I'm certainly not arguing with you that a stylist is the preferred way to go when possible.

quote:

Originally posted by bruchi:
[qb] Too many variables for a straight answer. Is this a model represented by an agency? Big one is why you must "fly in" an out of town model that will also provide the wardrobe for the shot?[/qb]

See above, but to clarify, my original scenario was more along the lines that the model had gone out of town and the wardrobe had been lost in transit, not that she had been flown in for the booking.

[qb]Acne, how bad, morning breakup, few days growth?[/qb]

Let's assume the blemishes require sensitivity to posing and lighting and either extraordinary work by the MUA and/or extraordinary retouching - in other words, that it's bad enough that extra costs will be incurred but not bad enough that it's just game over by default.

[qb]If you do the shoot with the model regardless any situation no matter where it comes from I would pay his/her entire fee, so the fee for the assistants, crew etc. if not there will be cancellation fees due to them but there will always be room for negotiation on this and any other issue but that has to be agreed upon by all parties before you click the shutter once. [/qb]

An excellent point - any modifications have to be approved in advance. I might walk away, but I wouldn't shoot and THEN demand concessions.

quote:

Originally posted by Gordon Moat:
[qb] Ideally you would want at least two models at a location. Consider one as back-up, just like your extra camera gear. [/qb]

I quite agree. I try to arrange for this whenever possible. In the circumstances I discuss above with hyper-custom wardrobe, it's not always possible to have an exact backup, but you can do quite a lot.

quote:

Originally posted by Patrick.S.:
[qb] In my experience you never book a model because of there clothes... For a job you need a stylist period.[/qb]

It's actually quite common in certain kinds of alternative photography because the clothes and other gear are extremely expensive, usually custom-made and custom-fitted, and can't be returned or resold. There are many models who make a good living capitalizing on their wardrobe investments in those fields. I'm certainly not arguing with you that a stylist is the preferred way to go when possible.

quote:

Originally posted by StMarc:
[qb] A different kind of model from what?

M [/qb]