I have run into an odd situation over the last few days. First, I was pretty naive when I jumped into modeling and acting. It did not even enter my mind once that everyone here knew each other. I don't have a clue who anyone is so it just seemed natural that no one else knew each other. WRONG!!!!!! And worse, once someone's ego has been bruised then getting this person to work with that person seems to be more difficult in this field than in any other aspect of business. Basically, when I signed on with the agency I am with, I was told I could use their photographers or I could find my own. Well, first of all, I had to find out if the agency's prices were reasonable and I wanted to know more about the photography community around here. I discovered this site when I googled commercial photographers in Omaha. The photographer's name is Andrew J. Baran and I was really blown away by his work. Considering my parents are retired photographers, I am less that enthused with most of the industry and have never really been impressed with anyone else's work before. But these photo's I saw on his site were really something. So, I decided I would shoot with both the agency's photographer and Andrew. My portfolio could use it and the cost was reasonable. The agency brought in a "nationally known" photographer and quickly set me up with him. It was a nightmare and the words nationally know mean nothing....you can be nationally know for anything. In fact, once I saw those pictures I had a real crisis. I was worried that somewhere between the age of 23 and 43 I had lost my ability to be photographed. I have never seen work this bad. So once I saw what Andrew and I did together I was sure my agency would want to use those. Funny, not only did it cause a problem that I went outside the agency, just the fact that I refuse to let them use the 'NATIONALLY KNOWN' work because it is so bad has caused a problem. But I discovered that my agent has had a "relationship" with both of these men. One was romantic and one was professional but for what ever reason she has developed a real hatred of Andrew. To the point she is unwilling to see how bad this other man's pictures are! I know my original photo shoot has been posted to their site and I haven't worked since those photo's went up. I posted Andrew's photo's on my own modeling sites and have booked work immediately. Sadly, I have never dealt with someone so willing to sabotage a business as well as the people she deals with before. What worries me further is the director of the agency is backing up her and the lover/nationally know photographer. And by the way, a photographer isn't someone who owns camera's . That's a guy that takes pictures and has gotten a couple of lucky shots. A photographer sees images and light - they are artists who understand creating and their part in that process. And if they don't understand film then I really don't trust them. Too many people have decided that a digital camera makes them professional. The whole idea that all they need to do is point and shoot because the camera takes care of the rest is so infuriating to me. But now the question is going to be, do I force my point or do I just move on to a new agent. Honestly, I really don't believe the agency I am with has a real interest in promoting talent. They are to busy getting the 12 and 13 year olds to sign up on the "school" side. Mommy and Daddy pay a lot of money for classes, pictures and more classes. Apparently I allowed my ego to get in the way of common sense. I know a real agent from the pretend, "let us train you at the low, low cost of...." agents and all I was interested in was signing. I didn't do enough homework and the little bit I did do, well, I was able to justify the negative things I was hearing. Well, I guess we are never too old to be caught by our ego's are we? I do have one or two other things going for me however, one is I am just stubborn enough to get my way and two, my ego will never dictate my common sense. I figure out a way to have my cake and eat it too. Just watch me! And while you are watching....my next entry will be more on scams and the modeling industry. In my short month and a half I have already learned a lot!!!
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