Website update suggestions list for Blade... lets discuss before sending via email

... and also doubt that the stock photography market can support everyone with an interest in photography.

Pieter, I don't think you have actually considdered the pure size of these industries...

Every magazine on the shelves in the world uses stock images as fillers, for articles, borders, designs and or advertising for clients. Not to mention small business fliers, websites, blogs, and packaging material, backgrounds for powerpoint presentations, etc.

Just one subsection: there are over 30,000 registered businesses in South Africa related to tourism, of which most of them target international tourists... all of these people use images of South African people, places and attractions to sell their businesses.

On the modeling side, South Africa is a haven for fashion shoots because of our weather (catalogues shoot for the next season) and we get swamped by international photographers and models every year.

Last year Victoria Secret bought out La Senza for $710mil . They spend about $10mil on their single fashion show every year. Their sales to date for 2007: $37 billion

Ok, so how does that relate to this thread?

ModelBase can provide models, MUA's, photographers to both industries and make a considerable amount of money for itself and everybody concerned, or it can maintain a solely free for free service level (as it does now) and eventually die as people move along looking to find ways to pay their bills.

I think it would be a good move on the side of MB to monetize some professional services so that the hobby photographers can remain in a free section on the site,

EDIT: Cleaned up to keep suggestions only

Back to Practical suggestions:

Hair. What about an extra category for hair?

And then also. As an artist links a model to an image, can't that image be displayed in both galleries. Right now there is duplication of many images (so it's a bandwidth saving) and comments are missed by either the MUA, Model or Photographer

Sean, perhaps I am a 65 year old retiree, "who needs to count the pennies" because I obviously don't have your business sense. At this stage in life however, I am not sure that I would like to get involved in a full time photographic business (or any other business) and I also don't believe that I am good enough — a lot of practice and improvement is needed.

"...what would you suggest would be a reasonable fee?" That is a difficult one to answer, but anything is better than what happens now.

"And what should you be getting for your money?"
Exposure and contacts, as is the case now.

"And who pays? the photographers? MUA's and models? How should the models pay if they don't get paid for their shoots? The models allready have to pay for decent make-up that doesn't kill their skin, hair care, clothing, etc so that they can work for free... I just don't think that is fair..."
Everyone should pay. As has been mentioned, it is not only MUAs and models who have to pay for what they need, photographers, especially those with more than basic entry level equipment (like Game's, Canon 350D + kit lens, special for R5K) have fairly hefty outlays as well. In fact I think most serious photographers, whether they be pros or amateurs, probably spend more than most others here. I have for instance, probably spent in excess of R70 000 in less than 2 years on all my equipment and having spent that I do not own a single pro lens, which could cost as much as R50 000 or more per lens (admittedly at that price, not needed for model photography). My mere, "consumer" lens, which I use for most things, "only" sets you back by slightly over R7500 (lens only, no body included).

"....they can walk away to a free StarNow...."
I am a StarNow member, but I wonder why I have to pay to be a member if it is free???? It states "Get Discovered! Your profile is not visible until you become a full member" ($10/month or $20/6 months) Hardly what I would call free!! Needless to say my profile is not visible as I have gained nothing from StarNow, even when I was a "full member".

I agree with your thoughts on model agencies.

"Pieter, I don't think you have actually considdered the pure size of these industries..."
You are right, I certainly have not, perhaps I should come for some training by you. What are your fees? :-) :-)

EDIT: Cleaned up to keep suggestions only

You seem to be under the impression that I believe that everything should be business, business, business, and I have never advocated that.

What I do say is that there is no reason why more advanced features shouldn't be added to facilitate the growth of models and members that do want to turn what they are doing now into a business (or for those that is allready in business)

The fact remains that Blade (site owner and developer) claims not to be a model, and not to be a photographer - Seeing that he has nothing to gain from this site at this point in time leads me to believe that his initial businessplan was free services to get mebers active and then move over to a version 2 site with features that people would pay for.

EDIT: Cleaned up to keep suggestions only

Hair. What about an extra category for hair?

Oh yes I know a few stylists that would love that, and we can get some TFCD stylist, and what about fashion houses, or student fashion designers...

Back to Topic:

For the models and togs that want to do a bit more: how about an online rate card for typical shoots? to give an indication... If this can be a search criteria, then togs etc, can decide who is available at what rates

{Edited] Sorry this was way off topic so I deleted it (12:25 30/12/2007)

It was about photographers costs, which are often overlooked by many.

Guys, can we pleaaase move this "argument" to another thread.. this is getting silly who the hell cares who spent what on what.. some of us has spent R200k so far who cares... this is site is for everyone, get off your own personal desires and think of the rest of the over 2000 members who not all wants to just do paid jobs and who not all just wants to work for free.

This thread is for site proposals only thanks.

Sorry CT. It's not an argument, I don't think Pieter, Matt and Myself have any open hostility to each other, we both just represent the two main sides of MB:

The Hobby Photographer vs. The Money-makers (before I get flamed for calling the rest "professionals")

Both sides want certain features vs cost outlay, and as mentioned before, we discuss why it would be beneficial to either or both parties.

BTW... No Pieter, It looks like you got a good deal.

More suggestions:

MUA's: What kind of Make-up do you use? Primarily stage, primarily studio? etc...

Models: I would like to be able to search for models on smoking preference, as smokers tend to take quite a bit longer to edit (skin, eye clean-up, teeth stain, etc

Ratings:

It seems I might be the only one that doesn't like ratings, so, I think the ratings should at least be "intelligent" ratings (If it's purely a emotional rating, and not based on tangible points)

I suggest a "Karma" rating system: Your vote counts more or less depending on your history and activity on MB.

Basically the system checks your activity on the site and assigns you a "Karma" value.

When you start, you are 1
If you consistently rate higher than 20% or Lower than 20% of the average (linked to your groups of friends as well) your Karma Drops to say 0.95

If you are active on the forums your karma goes up by 0.05

if you actively rate and comment on images: karma goes up by .005

and so on and so forth

These ratings can be attached to every action on the site: Adding images regularly, cleaning up portfolio, forum warnings, etc.

Can also be attached to bookings done through the site, responses made as feedback after shoots, as well as complaints against togs, models, etc that did not do what they were supposed to, etc

Booking system:

I would like to suggest a form based booking system that supplies the brief, payment, dates and times, wardrobe, and other requirements. (including when images are likely to be up, etc)

I have seen quite a lot of members pages that claim that such and such never shows up or so and so never pays, etc.

Feedback of how the shoot went can then go on the site as a response linked to those fields, which then attaches to the rating of a member.

It can also Flag blade/moderators if a there is consistently some kind of inconsistency with a member, to suspend an account, or at least see where the problems are... Kind of an Early warning system to root out troublemakers

oh great idea... few people has mentioned something like this

I am out of here. Certainly no hostility from my side Sean :-)
I must apologise for my off topic ramblings — have removed some of it.

But nobody rates pictures here... well almost never. Step one would probably be to get people to rate.