Where to find amateur models?

MFstooges · Jul 21, 2024

Is Model Mayhem dying out? I read somewhere that most of the folks turn to facebook groups. Any pointer on what groups are they?

koraks · Jul 22, 2024

I think most people use Instagram and other social media for that, yeah. In the few instances I photograph models, I do it that way. Put up an ad to explain the project and have people respond if they feel like participating, and/or actively approach people who fit the bill for the project. Be ware of ethical and legal aspects.

Martin Aislabie · Aug 13, 2024

Try PurplePort

It's where I go looking for models.

Martin

John Phive · Aug 13, 2024

I've been having a hard time locating a model also. So I'm considering buying a cheap mannequin..

MFstooges · Sep 5, 2024

Martin Aislabie said:
Try PurplePort

It's where I go looking for models.

Martin

Thank you. Nice website. Are there TFP or amateurish models @ PP ?

loccdor · Sep 6, 2024

Honestly, I had no models for portrait work until my wife expressed an interest. There are a lot of models on Instagram, but be aware, there is a lot of overlap between that and OnlyFans these days. Could be a good or bad thing depending on what kind of pictures you're trying for.

There is a photographer on YouTube (channel WhosYourBrad) who just approaches women on the street in European cities, and ends up getting a lot of good photos that way. How well a person does with that method would depend a lot on whether the situation is perceived as "safe", if you seem very non-threatening you'd get better results.

I recall seeing a story about a murder related to Model Mayhem, not sure if that is one of the drivers in decreasing its popularity.

John Phive · Oct 1, 2024

For the time being..

Film-Niko · Feb 19, 2025

MFstooges said:
Is Model Mayhem dying out? I read somewhere that most of the folks turn to facebook groups. Any pointer on what groups are they?

Facebook is meanwhile "out of fashion" for this genre. Most freelance models (who don't work with a model agency) use instagram nowadays for their business.

pentaxuser · Feb 19, 2025

John Phive said:
For the time being..

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Are these based on one person still living and two who are dead?

In order of presentation, could they be Stormy Daniels sunbathing by a golf course somewhere hot like Nevada; Charles Linbergh at Paris wondering why the Hindenberg's docking station was on top of the only big tower he could see; Ronald Reagan saying to bonzo "Come to Daddy"?

pentaxuser

Pieter12 · Feb 19, 2025

Why amateurs? If your work is up to it, many modeling agencies will let you work with beginning models in exchange for photos. Depending on what you have in mind, a pro will know how to pose and take direction, offer poses you might not have thought of and most will be able to do their own hair and makeup (as long as it is nothing too exotic) as well as have a decent choice of wardrobe.

Don_ih · Feb 19, 2025

Film-Niko said:
Facebook is meanwhile "out of fashion" for this genre.

Facebook groups can be localized. For instance, there are a significant number of model and photographer groups close to where I live. Instagram .... well, you know, there are no groups, there's no search that limits the geographical scope (other than hashtags that can't be trusted).

Yes, all models are on Instagram, because it's a free portfolio.

But most models need to be found locally. Facebook isn't outmoded just yet.

Pieter12 · Feb 19, 2025

loccdor said:
Honestly, I had no models for portrait work until my wife expressed an interest. There are a lot of models on Instagram, but be aware, there is a lot of overlap between that and OnlyFans these days. Could be a good or bad thing depending on what kind of pictures you're trying for.

There is a photographer on YouTube (channel WhosYourBrad) who just approaches women on the street in European cities, and ends up getting a lot of good photos that way. How well a person does with that method would depend a lot on whether the situation is perceived as "safe", if you seem very non-threatening you'd get better results.

I recall seeing a story about a murder related to Model Mayhem, not sure if that is one of the drivers in decreasing its popularity.

I consider those who pose for portraits as subjects rather than models. It is hard enough to get everyday people to drop their selfie faces. Models just have a lot more of them, usually less grotesque. I try to get portrait subjects to be a bit more genuine.

RalphLambrecht · Feb 19, 2025

koraks said:
I think most people use Instagram and other social media for that, yeah. In the few instances I photograph models, I do it that way. Put up an ad to explain the project and have people respond if they feel like participating, and/or actively approach people who fit the bill for the project. Be ware of ethical and legal aspects.

Exactly! and don't forget a model release.

Film-Niko · Feb 20, 2025

Don_ih said:
Facebook groups can be localized. For instance, there are a significant number of model and photographer groups close to where I live. Instagram .... well, you know, there are no groups, there's no search that limits the geographical scope (other than hashtags that can't be trusted).

Yes, all models are on Instagram, because it's a free portfolio.

But most models need to be found locally. Facebook isn't outmoded just yet.

What you are writing is right.........but more on a theoretical level. Simply because the huge majority of models is not using facebook at all. Not for their personal social media, and not for their model jobs.
It is a generational thing: People younger than 35 consider facebook totally outdated, being for older people like their parents. They don't like to be active there.
I know a lot of people in this age group, and none of them is using facebook. Quite a lot of my photographer friends are active in portrait and fashion photography, working with professional and amateur models. All are saying the same: The models are using instagram for getting in contact with photographers. Not facebook.
We will see how that evolves in the future, as more and more users are becoming unsatiesfied with instagram (and some software developers are working on alternatives). But currently instagram has a very dominant position in this area.

Don_ih · Feb 20, 2025

Film-Niko said:
People younger than 35 consider facebook totally outdated

I agree with that. And the models using facebook groups are probably the most amateur of the amateur - maybe more along the lines of trying it out than actually being working models.

Where to find amateur models?

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