Shooting for free and finding models

I feel like i'm at the point now where i'm able to deliver decent photos.

I really like shooting couples, and have had the opportunity to do it on two occasions for friends. Would really like more opportunities to do it though and i feel like i need more practice to get better, and to try new things.

I just want to do it for fun, so don't want any money/reward for it.

For those who had to go through the process of building a portfolio, just wondering if there were any good ways of finding people/couples willing to stand in front of a camera and kiss/hug for an hour or two??

 

facebook groups, search for TFP or Model Mayhem in your area

 

Do something totally different like approaching 50+ year old couples. Start with grandparents. It'll probably go viral. Then profit. Then death. Always death.

 

Its not something you really do with your partner on a whim.. I have only ever booked one Portrait session for a couple and it was a 'we have been together for ages and never done this' type of deal.. and they broke up not long after (go figure).

So you dont generally find people jumping to go and do one just because, they are usually doing photos because they are getting married, celebrating and anniversary or some type of milestone which is encouraging them to book with either an established photographer, someone they know, someone they have booked for another event (such as a wedding) and so on and so forth.

How to solve that? Keep asking people you know.. go assist a professional photographer and learn some things and ask if you can shoot a little with the couple each time or think of some way to approach couples and work hard to get them to give you the chance to shoot with them.

It is just the effort you put in to get the reward (which is being able to shoot). Dont be put off if people say no, I had asked pretty much all my friends and their partners to shoot them and two only ever took me up on that. At the end of the day it was for a bigger picture thing mind you. I dont shoot nearly as many as I used too, as I dont include them in my packages and lots of people are happy to not do them. Good fun when I do get to do them though

 

Do friends first, get a body of work behind you then start putting the feelers out on facebook modeling groups. Model Mayhem is full of wannabe models who only want to work with the pro shooters.

I think you will be limiting your options by doing just couples, so you may find that doing standard model portraits may be a great ice breaker - "Bring your partner along and I'll get a couple of shots of you two while we are there".

 

Post on FB any couples want some free photos? Guaranteed you'll get a hit or two.

 

No experience, $200/hr, my boyfriend will be there to stand over you with a baseball bat at all times - oh, and I'll want a copy of all your shots, to use how I want.

 

"Thank you for your reply".

 

FTFY.

 

haha so true

+ "sure i'll be there", and then 15 minutes prior "sorry cant come now"