The month of August is a slow month with all the model agencies being closed and many models going on holidays so I posted a message on a Facebook group looking for collaborations. Before I started working with modeling agencies, I usually used Book.fr, ModelMayhem.com or ModelManagement.com to look for freelance models. This time however, instead of individually looking for models, I just tried a Facebook group and posted a casting call for collaborations just to see what surprises I may get. I received a lot of inquiries, more than I can count with both hands but I decided to go with actress, Cherley Moon.

So why do I use freelance models when I can get agency models for free? Well, sometimes agency models may lack a certain something when shooting portraits. Full-time models sometimes model too often that they just turn up to a shoot and strut their robotic poses without much investment in building a relationship. I prefer freelance models for portraits and fine-art projects because they are more involved in the shoot and we can throw around ideas. When going through model portfolios, I often look at model expressions in different shoots to see how differently they work with different photographers.

During the shoot, Cherley and I discussed how there are many "models" online nowadays who advertise themselves as professionals after a couple of amateur shoots trying to convince everyone they work on a paid-only basis. Not to say there aren't some models who deserve to be paid after a few shoots but rather it is an insult to other models who have worked in the industry for years. Newbies in any industry have to put in the blood, sweat and tears and not complain about not getting paid right off the bat...but I digress..

So here are few photos from my test shoot with Cherley and you can see her portfolio at Cherley Moon . Photos taken with Hasselblad 500cm and Ilford Delta HP5. I really need to get my other Hasselblad body , 503cx fixed one day.