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Hi
Thanks to everyone that contributed to my recent question about the use of digital images for photos, so it appears things are not quite ready for these images yet.......... at the risk of being incredibly boring and techie, which I'm completely embarassed by, I was wondering whether David or Mr Mason could tell me if their is a preffered transparency film type that magazine prefer or does it not matter. Thanks awfully.

Jeff

Just my thoughts.

You can find lots of help in Practical Photography magazine.

I am not sure if this has been said in other posts, but, if it has sorry.-

When taking shots for magazines, you will need a few things from the model (to cover your back), (1) a modelk release form, (2) evidence of age (ie birth certificate). She must be at least 18.

Magazines will not send you money the same day, you may be waiting 6 months or longer.

Take shots that are interesting, rather than the standard, ie bedroom shots are dull, try a different location, you have more chance of being pubilshed.

As for film, the cheaper top shefe agazines seem to publish any old shot, but I would go for slide film myself, but you can also use negative film. Do not bother with the cheap stuff.

I like Fuji myself velvia. For ease I tend to go for pre-paid fuji, but fuji will not send any shots back stronger than pink shots. A lot of places will publish full sex shots, look in the back of practical photography for a list of places that develop film. Phone them first and ask what they are happy to develop. Most places do not care, but some will stick to the obsence puplication through the roal mail law like glue.

As for speed of film, this depends where you are doing the shoot, if in a studio or with studio lights, I use 100 speed, but at somone home I use about 200, I also have a powerfull flash gun (cast me ?200).

May I sugest that you do shots on both 35mm and digital.

This way you can set up a web site and put up the digital shots and then sell the 35mm prints. You thus have more chance of making your money back.

I would say, rather than sell your shots, set up a website and put your shots on it.

The other thing I would say is the types of shots you take, you may want to do a web site, fine. Why not do a area not touched on, such as:
pantyhose
lesbian
group sex
young (18 plus)
older (50 plus)
Amatures
Profeshionals
Bondage
Food
Smoking
Outside/location shots
Rubber
PVC
Toys
Outfits (such as police)
Weeing (watersports)
Glasses (girls with glasses)

And so on.

You could make a new fetish up. More unique it is, more chanses of getting more hits.

Now as for models:

There are lots and lots of models, some you can see on www.uksweet.com/ukmod.htm

My site (www.uksweet.com) has had most of the models pose for free, I get emails asking to be on the site. Great.

But not everyone will get models happy to pose for them for free, so how much do you pay?

A ruff guess is:

Nude: ?50
UK mag: ?60
US mag: ?70
Toys: ?80
Model release: From included in the price to ?100 or more.

Remember, a magazine may pay you at most ?150, so you may not make much profit.

On top of that you have:
Travel, price of film (you may want a few rolls, ie 4 rolls of 35mm slides is about ?20), processing (could be about ?4 per film), on top of that you may also be looking at studio costs (?10 to ?30 per hour).

Some models will also only work for 1 hour.

By the way, if a magazine has published a set of the model you hae sent in, then they may not publish your shots.

Hope this is some help.

A lot of magazine editors like to have set submitted on Kodachrome 64, but I tend to use either Ektachrome Elite 100(not the extra colour!) or Ektachrome EPP 100.
This does the job and hasn't been rejected by any publications so far.
Remember that some editors tend to be a 'funny breed' and turn down sets for weird reasons, like 'not likeing the bedroom wallpaper', or 'the girl looks like a girl that he (the editor) hated at school!'
Sad but true, but don't be put off and be careful of dealing with Fantasy Publications. They have a weird rule that they only pay photographers if you happen to SEE the set in one of their magazines. They won't tell you they've used it, even if you phone and ask! You have to ring them and tell them you've seen the set, in whatever magazine, over whatever number of pages and then they will pay you!
But be warned that they publish shit loads of magazines, and you would probably end up spending around ?60 - ?70 a month just to see if they've used any of your sets. (I know one photographer who does this!)

Good luck

John

This is why I no longer send in shots.

I phoned the magazine to say, hay whats going on!!!. I was told it would be looked into.

I only use the shots I take on my site.

Allan
www.uksweet.com

My advise is take the shots, set up your own site. Or at least get all your shots put onto cd rom, send them into the magazines but also put them onto your own site.

John's film choices are about right. Kodachrome 64 uesd to be *the* film to use, but for various reasons it now takes a back seat. Unless you can get it processed in the USA, where the labs are the mutt's nuts.

He's also right about magazine editors. My advice would always be to send in some sample shots of the girl before you commit to a shoot. Don't tell the editor where you got the girl, in case he tries to pinch her for his favourite snapper.

As far as Allan's comments about interesting shoots go, that's true, but only to a certain extent. People like Fiesta prefer to do their own weird shoots in-house so that they get the shots they want. And who wants to build a gothic castle in their studio and then fill it with baked beans? Buy the mag you're targetting and look at what they're currently publishing. Don't think that you've got *the* idea for a set, because chances are it's already been done. There's nothing wrong with bed sets as long as they're well lit and well shot.

Minimum turnaround for payments is three months. Most adult mags work that far ahead, and both PRO and Galaxy pay on publication. Call the company concerned for rates, because they're all different. Another good trick is to not put the model's real address on your release form. That way they can never be nicked by anyone!

So thats how you got hold of my girls.........only joking

Me thinks somebodies been ripping you off me old!!!!!!!!!

name wouldn`t happen to begin with g would it??

GOSH,digital what's that? Im still grappling with my Thornton Pickard (a plate camera to you new ones)and putting the black cloth over me head,looking through the ground glass screen (subject upside down please note)and cocking the shutter while
struggling getting the plate holder in...
Nuisance though,no more 'Blighty' or 'Spick & Span'to place me glamour pictures.
Have we moved on,pinch me if so,because me chemicals I've mixed are becoming stale and the image is running off the plate cos the emulsion is over fixed.
The wonders of photographing the nude..
TheProf.

No, I wasn't talking about Gordon, but I know he looks through all the mags. He's got some deal with his local newsagent!