A photographer reached out to me through social media asking me to shoot with him sometime. Although I’d love to have a shoot for myself, does this seem sketchy? He’s taken photos for friends i know and they said he seemed cool and laid back. They also mentioned that he took a while to send them their pictures and wouldn’t respond before sending them. Anyway, just wanted to hear some thoughts on this.
I’d say it’s the photographers’s job to set the relationship up and start from message one to ensure your comfort.
I used to do a lot of TFP type shoots. As a photographer, I always A) Had references B) Offered to shoot in a safe, neutral environment C) Offered opportunity to bring a friend.
Now that I’m a little older, I stopped just because I felt it hard to get past possible “creepy guy” vibes, but it really was always out of love for photography.
My experience with other male photographers is that your kind of 60/40. 60% creepy. Others can weigh in but that first message is important in my view.