Wasted Time & Wasted Days

Alice has been nothing but dependable from the first time I shot with her in 2015.

Typically I am not one to put drama out online. I've gotten on my own friends and relatives who participate in it on places such as Facebook, but today I need to climb onto a soapbox. I, however, will not be naming names here. I'm, instead, here to vent about a topic that is near and dear to many photographers out there. That topic is models who waste your time and waste your open days.

Now, I will be totally up front and say that I generally do not shoot what most consider to be "foot fetish models." I mostly stick to friends and friends of those friends. I still, however, face that same fate as so many of my peers. And just like those peers, it annoys the hell out of me. This weekend among them.

Again, I will not be naming any names, but today I was set to shoot a friend of mine who has not shot with me since 2013. Her debut was halfway through 2012 and in that short span of time, became one of the most talked about, most beloved models on Soles of Silk. And best of all, she was simply put, a doll. 

This model and I were good friends, first and foremost. Best of all, she loved modeling for the site. Then one day, she just stopped replying to me for shoots. We had plans to do some really interesting ideas too. To make matters even worse, I had given her a couple hundred dollars worth of outfits and accessories I wanted her to wear in those planned sets. When she stopped replying to me and then ultimately no showed that shoot date, I was perplexed. I kept trying to reach out to her, but nothing.

As the months went by I tried to reach out to her, even if it was just to get the outfits back. If something had changed in her life to where she didn't want to model anymore, that is okay. Just be honest with me and give me those items back. I could always have someone else wear them. Still, nothing.

This got to the point where I just stopped trying - until recently. I decided to see if I could reach out to her a few years later and much to my surprise, she got back to me. We made small talk and decided to get together and shoot. She was looking forward to it, so it seemed, and I was so excited to be having this model back on the site. Then today's shoot... well, cancellation.

This model told me she'd be able to shoot after class on Monday. I told her I would leave the day open and look for some spots around her way. I wanted to try to get in several sets because she has been away for so long. She said that sounded great and that was the plan.

Well, in the days leading up to today's shoot I didn't get an answer from her when I sent her texts. In the back of my mind I figured this would happen, but I had kept my fingers crossed. It wasn't until today, about an hour or so before we were scheduled to shoot, that I got any kind of reply from her. In it, she stated that she hasn't paid attention to her phone lately, she's super swamped with class and work, and her feet weren't in any condition to shoot. She then asked if I could do next Monday instead.

Really?

There was part of me who wanted to just say no and I'm not bothering with you anymore. All she would have had to do is tell me this in the days leading up to the shoot. I would have been fine if she said that things are getting a little busy for her and had asked to postpone to a later date. Just give me some advanced notice! But an hour before we were supposed to shoot? C'mon!!!

So now, here I am, sitting at my computer, writing this, and asking her what time slot she has open next Monday. I have some plans with friends that I had made over a month ago to head out to a haunted house and hayride. I am not going to cancel on them to do this shoot because that's not who I am. But should I even consider shooting her to begin with?

Now that Monday was wasted, a day in the mid-70's by the way, that makes two straight days that I had shoots planned that didn't happen. Yup, someone else cancelled on me yesterday. 

Yesterday's planned shoot was with a new model. Since she's new, and I don't really know her yet, I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. She mentioned some health reasons, which are good reasons to miss a shoot. I just wished she would have reached out to me about it earlier instead of me learning the night before when I messaged her.

So that was my weekend. Two different models, two different shoots not done. What makes this so much more annoying is I only have two days a week to shoot, typically. I pencil in models in advance on my calendar and try to maximize my month. When a model no shows me, or cancels last minute, it leaves me without a shoot. All these models would have to do it tell me a few days in advance and I could try to see if someone else is open. I constantly have friends asking me if I'm open to shoot, so I could always ask them if they're still open. I just need some advance notice. Too many of the people I shoot have kids, families, and work jobs on the days that I'm open. They usually make time to shoot with me, so I can't ask the day of if they're open to shoot. That rarely works.

Over the years this sort of thing has happened to me more times than I care to discuss. I only bring up this weekend because of the beautiful weather and my sheer excitement of a popular model return and a brand new model now wasted. So, if you happen to be a foot model reading this, please keep this in mind the next time there is a reason why you can't shoot. Even if that reason is legit, just try your best to be considerate of the photographer who oftentimes, made his/her schedule open just to spend time to work with you. I'm sure some of my peers are less understanding and might even cease working with you because of it.

To end on a positive note, I'm just glad I have friends/models such as Alice (above) and Mindee and Kelsey (both below) who always keep their plans and go far and beyond anything I ask of them. I put their photos here just to give props to a handful of my models who don't waste my time. I would gladly shoot these three each and every week, if I had the time. To you ladies, I say thank you!

Mindee (left) & Kelsey have long been dependable when it comes to keeping plans.