Modeling opportunities (2nd round)

[Jemapela]

Introduction

I'm a photographic technician and photographer based in Australia. In multicultural Australia, I have photographed people from Sweden, Germany, US, Canada, UK, Oman, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, etc. I'm not the best, or nearly the best, photographer in Melbourne city or Victoria state, but statistically, I'm 1 of very few Asians in the city/state who open-mindedly, frequently, and actively works with Caucasian models to produce a wide variety of liberal/alternative themed images that sometimes include nudity and sexual references. (I'm open-minded, and I don't care if half of Singapore's female population label me a "pervert".) I acknowledge that the style of my portrait photography is different from what most photographers and models in ClubSnap are accustomed to, and not everyone may appreciate my flavour of images.

Portfolio Viewing

Some of my not-the-best and never-winning photographic images can be seen at:

http://jemapela.net-model.com
http://www.friendster.com/jemapela(more images here but mixed with personal/social photos)

Of course, if you like my photographic work, I’m delighted, but if you don’t, I’m not fussed.

Plans / Expectations

In early Feb, I visited Singapore for a short 12-day vacation during which I did a few photo shoots with 4 carefully selected models. I was generally pleased with their positive attitudes and better-than-average abilities.

In late June, I will visit Singapore again for an even shorter 5-day vacation, and I hope to photograph models again. I will again carefully select new models to work with.

Although I unreservedly photograph swimwear, lingerie, and nudity, I don't and won't expect most Singaporean models to be as liberal as shameless westerners. Still, I'm looking for models who are just that little bit open-minded and not shy in front of the camera. (Frankly, shameless persons pose/model better.) Since I don’t know who may respond to this, I can’t lock you into a definite idea/theme/genre/clothing/costume for you, and I hope that you voice your own ideas to the best of your abilities. I may propose my own but it could be something unsuitable/inappropriate for you, and unfairly take the blame for being rude/crude.

The photo shoots I intend to do are preferably TFCD, and may be, with compensation by apparel merchandise (if any are sponsored by me). If any interested model wishes to charge a fee, please include your expected fees in the e-mail for my consideration. (Consideration doesn't mean confirmation so you could be end up staying at home.)

Do understand that it costs me a substantial amount of money just to fly over to Singapore. I will frankly admit that whatever idea/theme/genre/clothing/costume a model is willing to do, and do it on a TFCD basis, I’m likely to jump on that opportunity just as you are willing to jump on mine. Also understand that my time in Singapore is extremely limited, and I will not be able to accommodate many models. I will select models who can offer me the highest value to my portfolio, and say sorry to the others.

Requirements / Instructions

I'm looking for models who are:

1) committed to their modeling endeavours (persons who have goals and aspirations, and want to reach them),

2) enthusiastic about creating better images (natural and uninhibited in front of the camera),

3) open minded towards alternative themes/styles/genres (not glued to casual and clubbing wear that is so often done, but if most respondents are like that, then I will be glued too),

4) professional (treat modeling like a job, arrive punctually, bring a positive and friendly attitude, and don’t behave princessy).

I require 2-3 female models who are at least 1.55m tall, must not be underweight, dress size 6 to 10, with minimal scars, marks, blemishes on the skin, and no dental braces.

Interested models should respond by e-mailing me at "jemapela AT hotmail.com" (change AT to @) including your:

age, height, weight, waistline, dress size, shoe size, (if unsure, please ask for advice)
a few images of yourself that present you well (or a web link to them),
types of clothes you are comfortable modeling in,
comfortable working with another model or not,
expected fee (if you wish to charge),
contact telephone

Do not add me into MSN Messenger until I add/tell you. I can't multi-task Photoshop while chatting with people from 2 countries at the same time. Moreover, I want our e-mail correspondence to retain details of our photo shoot arrangement.

Since I won't have time to organise anything in my short 5-day stay in Singapore, I will again, like I did earlier this year, organise with chosen models via phone from Australia. Provide me with a contact number which I can reach you on. I usually call in the evening around 8-10pm Singapore time. Models whom I can't contact and verbally discuss plans/ideas will be deemed as uncommitted time and money wasters. If you know that you are half-hearted about this opportunity, then don’t e-mail me so that I don’t have to bug/call you thinking that you are interested.

In any of my photo shoots, a chaperone is allowed but I won't pay for any cost (entry fee, transport fares, meals/drinks) incurred by the chaperone.

 

[Jemapela]

More information/instructions to be released soon.

 

[Shiberty]

Ups for you and your search, Jeremy! I can recommend a few of my model friends for you to shortlist, they are pretty awesome.


How bout meet up for coffee when you're here? Or perhaps, just perhaps, I'd be granted the opportunity to shoot with you again? Heh :sticktong



:heart:,

Jess

 

[Jemapela]

Ups for you and your search, Jeremy! I can recommend a few of my model friends for you to shortlist, they are pretty awesome.


How bout meet up for coffee when you're here? Or perhaps, just perhaps, I'd be granted the opportunity to shoot with you again? Heh :sticktong



:heart:,

Jess

Thank you Jessica for the heads-up.

I should be working with you when I come back, and you should be hearing from my voice on the phone soon.

Please, you may direct your friends to this thread, and e-mail me as instructed. I hope to remain fair and neutral to everyone so I don't want to know if they were referred by you.

 

[Jemapela]

Deadline / Schedule

Interested models should express their interests to me through e-mail by the last day of April.

From late April, I should begin to call from Australia some models who have e-mailed me to hear your opinions/ideas, discuss what you hope/want to achieve, and confirm that you are available and committed to the dates when I’m in Singapore. I will give you advance notice through e-mail about when I will call because this conversation may last 30-60 minutes. (I believe it is good to build rapport.)

In May, I should begin searching/sourcing for clothes/costumes/props that may be needed for models who require them for our ideas. Depending on what may or may not be found, more phone calls may be expected to discuss progress, or change, of plans.

 

[Jemapela]

Continued opportunities in Singapore

I understand the importance of building rapport between photographer and model. When models are comfortable, familiar, and trusting, uninhibited and attractive images are created.

If a model has done reasonably well on our first photo shoot, I find it advantageous to work with the same model again and again to gradually produce better images. As such, many of the models in my portfolio tend not to be one-off affairs – you see repeat performances from them. They have earned, what I call, a preferential status. Since they are photographed multiple times, a collection of images is eventually created, and this may become a wonderful excuse for a photo book compilation. (No promises though.)

Although I’m based in Australia, I visit Singapore occasionally. When I return, I will naturally prefer the models whom I have worked with successfully. They are allocated better/bolder idea/theme/genre/clothing/costume because their risk of failure is presumably less. For this reason, I will be working with the models whom I have worked with earlier this Feb.

However, I’m also open to accepting new models who may eventually be marked as successes in my books.

Potential opportunities in Australia

I plan and look ahead, and since I live and work in Melbourne, I foresee potential opportunities for some Singaporeans arriving in Melbourne.

For several reasons, and some not easy to explain, I’m in a constant lack of courageous, confident, committed and photogenic Singaporean/Asian models in Australia. It would appear that not many Singaporeans/Asians become as open, as confident, and as creative, as their Caucasian counterparts as I had hoped the liberal environment/society would influence them so. Almost every Singaporean/Asian will tell you that they love Australia for its freedom but they don’t appear to have freed themselves (and opened their minds) to escape the conservatism that had tightly bounded them in Asia.

If you look at my online portfolio, I open-mindedly seek, contact, propose, discuss, negotiate, plan, style, instruct, direct, and photograph Caucasians frequently. On a monthly and quarterly basis, as much as 100% of my model shoots involve Caucasian models. It’s very simple - Caucasians are willing to do much more with/for me, and travel 3 hours (200+km) with me to scenic and isolated countryside locations. Roughly, 90% of Caucasians I ask to model for me say “yes” but 90% of Asians I ask say “no”. Moreover, I also receive invites from Caucasian models to work with them, and even do topless for free. (I guess they like my work.)

There are many attractive and stylishly-dressed Asian girls in Melbourne who are physically better proportioned than their heavier Caucasian sisters who bulge in the wrong places due to overeating and overdrinking. However, it is very unfortunate and disappointing that Asians rather walk the shopping malls of the world’s most naturally beautiful country as rated by the travel industry. (I’m not exaggerating about Asians.) I don’t know if I should blame this on the lack of self-confidence, uppity, or the different priorities.

Singapore-based models whom I have already worked, and succeeded in making good images, with are naturally preferred for modeling opportunities in Melbourne. I will not risk time, effort, resources and money towards models whom I have not worked with before only to finish any Melbourne photo shoots in failure.

Any courageous, confident and photogenic Singapore-based models who have made solid plans to further their studies in Melbourne, or have good reason to believe that they will further their studies in Melbourne, or have already planned a holiday to Melbourne, this is to inform you that I’m based in Melbourne. If you are one such model, you should be able to imagine the value of this opportunity I could provide. You are invited to initiate correspondence with me.

 

[Virgo]

Upz for you bro. I'm sure you'll have no problems sourcing for potential models.

 

[Jemapela]

Upz for you bro. I'm sure you'll have no problems sourcing for potential models.

Thank you for the heads-up Virgo. I hope so.

 

[Jemapela]

Thank you to the interested models who responded. I will reply to you next week.

I'm going away tomorrow to an island 100+km from Melbourne to hopefully kiss koalas and peep at penguins.

 

[Jemapela]

I'm delighted to receive more responses while peeping at penguins at a faraway island on Sunday.

I should return a courtesy reply to your e-mails by mid this week.

I hope to receive more responses.

 

[Jemapela]

Waiting for more responses.

 

[Jemapela]

Just to openly clarify some issues:

(1) I would favour TFCD opportunities, but experienced models who expect a fee may respond and state their expected fees. If the experienced/professional pay-only model has the appropriate/better looks for the idea/theme, then perhaps I may feel it is worth paying for the model. Conversely, if I could execute an idea/theme that could benefit a model with the appropriate/better looks, then the model should perhaps propose/accept TFCD to encourage us working together. I know many Singapore-based models here are mostly driven by monetary gains.

(2) As per industry practice worldwide, working on a TFCD basis means that the photographer must provide all images to the model, whereas working on a paid basis means that the photographer is not obliged to give any images to the model, and models aren't entitled to copies of the images. (Please check this up on the web to confirm that I'm not lying.) Understand that if any images are given to a paid model, they are given mostly out of the photographer's goodwill.

(3) If we worked on a TFCD basis, the images we produced during my short 5-day stay in Singapore in June will be mailed to you on a CD from Australia. You will first receive a preview CD which contains low resolution images for you to select your favourite images. I will process these selected images and save them in high resolution on another CD that will come later. If we worked on a paid basis, the images we produced reaches your hands only out of my goodwill, and if I think it is beneficial to me that you show it on your own portfolio/profile for greater exposure.

(4) I have received responses from models who say that they are keen to try alternative ideas including goth. While I'm delighted at your openness, please understand that it is not very easy to portray just any Asian in this theme. Wearing black does not make it goth. Goth began from western origins, and it is really best left to Caucasians although I have done it on 2 Asians. Goth images may also have some anti-religious or blasphemous references which could be offensive. (For me, I don't care about walking, sitting, posing on a grave as you may have seen and suspected in my goth shoots. I'm not religious or superstitious.) The Japanese began their own version of goth which is popular among some Asians, and I may try that if I can find the clothes/costumes in Japanese stores in Melbourne to fit the appropriate model. For this, I would insist on TFCD because it is fairly unusual and uncommon in ClubSnap/Singapore, and I will have to spend substantial money to buy and execute this idea/theme.

(5) I have 2 reasons for wanting to know if interested models are comfortable working in the presence of another model. Firstly, I may kill 2 birds with 1 stone due to my super short 5-day visit to Singapore in June. Models who have a healthy level of confidence in themselves would be able to work in the presence of another. Secondly, I'm considering doing a lesbian couple shoot that would raise the body temperatures of not only the models but also the viewers. This pair of models would ideally be good friends. (In case you haven't guessed it, I'm very open-minded.)

 

[Golgotha]

Can i be your model? Jem, I'm bored shitless!

 

[EtherealMasquerade]

Hello, do you need an asst for your upcoming shoot here? I'm an amateur photographer and am keen on helping out and gaining more experience. =)

 

[Jemapela]

Can i be your model? Jem, I'm bored shitless!

Did you see my recent photo shoot of 3 Aussie guys with swords and guns in Friendster? I remembered we discussed something like this before.

 

[Jemapela]

Hello, do you need an asst for your upcoming shoot here? I'm an amateur photographer and am keen on helping out and gaining more experience. =)

Thank you for your keen offer. I will keep you in mind although I foresee that my shoots will be minimalist and unlikely to require extra hands. I often shoot without lavish set-ups.

 

[Golgotha]

Did you see my recent photo shoot of 3 Aussie guys with swords and guns in Friendster? I remembered we discussed something like this before.

Yup saw it and definitely interested to shoot something like that. Might need you to bring something for me. Gonna email you. Anyway if you need help in getting equipments/studio etc let me know.

Gosh, neber thought i will say this to a guy but I miss ya!:bsmilie:

 

[EtherealMasquerade]

Sure, no problem. Thanks for keeping me in view.
I'll be looking forward to your favourable reply

 

[Jemapela]

Gosh, neber thought i will say this to a guy but I miss ya!:bsmilie:

Hah! You should not have left Melbourne. If you could stay just a little longer, I would have continued to organise us more nude shoots. We did 3 nude shoots in a short span of, what, just 2 months? And I wasn't even really trying hard very find Caucasian models to do it. Those shameless Caucasian models write to me.

Come back to Melbourne, and we could create news headlines for being the 2 most shameless Singaporean photographers in the state.

I miss you too!

 

[Jemapela]

My apologies to those who wrote to me. I've been busy, and haven't got time to carefully look at your portfolios. I will try to do it this weekend, and respond to some of you.