Paid models?

[draymorton]

Is it common practice for models who are not all that famous to want to be paid - handsomely, in some cases - just for the privilege of shooting them? Is it an occurrence that is generally accepted among photographers, a tacit model-photog understanding that has somehow managed to escape me?

Forgive me if this is a dumb question - I'm totally new to shooting models who aren't friends, or friends of friends of second cuzzins thrice-removed... or whom I'm not shooting for an assignment other than one which is self-imposed (portfolio-padding) - but is it the norm for photographers to have to pay someone who isn't Heidi Klum or... the male equivalent of Heidi Klum... for their time?

Reason I'm asking... I just pitched an idea to a model, non-famous in the grand scheme of things, who asked to be paid $150/hr plus travel expenses (which would in this case amount to about $100). If this is, indeed, protocol and par for the course, then cool, but is it, in fact?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[jetrim]

From what I know of the subject, there is a bit of a leap once the model has been published and has established a name in the industry. Going rate for models in the glamour world for intermediates is $50/hr with a 3 hr minimum. Travel expense is customary across the board no matter who hires the model. So unless this model has had cover/feature work published in a nationally known magazine, the quote is about triple what it should be, if they have, it's still on the very high end of customary. If they are completely unpublished and have less than 3 years experience, even with a substantial portfolio, going rate is $30/hr. Without a good port and minimal experience, it is TFP/TFCD (trade time for photos/CD of images from the shoot).

It's also customary to get a release (so you can sell the images later) and to provide the model with a CD of all the images for their personal use (not to be sold). Usually one provides 4 or 5 post processed images and the rest are unprocessed.

[draymorton]

Thanks jetrim. That definitely gives me a clearer picture. I thought $150/hr sounded a little steep.

Where does one find out what the going rates are?

[Loupey]

Easiest way to find out is to contact your local placement agency.

You'll find out that, to get people you want and who have experience, that rate isn't too far off. Keep in mind that most people are used to working for corporate clients who also hire the photographers and so there may be no incentive to work for less than what the clients usually pay. Not only are travel expenses usually paid, but sign-on bonuses are sometimes included in addition to additional pay for different medias (web-site, print, TV). It is easy for some people to earn 4-figures for a couple hours worth of work.

[jetrim]

There are a few big sites out there. Modelmayhem.com is probably the most active. The rates I quoted were simply the average I've seen amongst model who quote prices for paid work, and offers photographers put out there.

[draymorton]

Loup and jet - thanks. Loupey, yeah, this model does have tons of options, it turns out - more than I'd previously suspected - and is used to being paid quite a lot, so there you go.

jetrim - yup, Modem Mayhem was actually the site with which she was originally affiliated.

Anyway, it seems that she's just landed some major movie deal and adjusted her rates accordingly (which begs the question: can people raise their rates on you after they've already given you a quote?), so, unless I'm willing to mortgage my mortal soul, the whole project might be too impractical to bother pursuing at this point...

Thanks again for the advice, though; I'm sure it will come in handy soon enough.