How would you goth girls feel if
 

A photography student come up to you and ask if you'd be interest in modeling for the picture?

I'm wondering because there's this one coffee house in my area that have a lot of punk/goth people at. I've been really wanting to photography some of them. But I am not how they'd feel about it. I know most average girls would be uncomfortable about this sort of thing. Since most goth girls seems to be more easygoing and open, I thought I'd see what others here think before I go and try it.

Perhaps leaving a card would be a little less alarming? Not all goth girls are as easygoing and open as you may think.

They will suck yr blood and sacrifice you to Allah.

Personally, I'd be freaking out inside (I'm terribly shy), but if someone actually thought I was pretty enough to photograph, I'd go for it.
I second Honeythorn's suggestion of leaving a card.

I've been asked for pictures before.
Then again, I'm a guy, so I don't think the photographers may have ulterior motives.

HA! They're camera whores like me. They'll eat it right the fuck up. How about try not to take naked pics of them though?

I don't quite understand why a girl would be uncomfortable with having their picture taken, unless they were asked to be naked.

I've been asked for photos by photographers (and the occasional tourist) a fuckload of times. It's no big deal, and as long as it's not too much trouble I'll always oblige.

If anything the girls would be flattered.

It depends...were you wanting to take their picture in a studio-type setting, or just on the street or in a public place?

I've had people give me cards before wanting me to come to their studio...but I'm not very trusting about that. My first thought is, what if I go there, and they r@pe me or something....I knew a girl that had that happen to her.

However, if you just wanted to photograph someone in a public, non-secluded place, they would probably just be flattered. :)

I do have a suggestion for you though. Go to a goth club, especially when it's a bigger event or there is a band playing. There are ALWAYS photographers at the clubs I go to. They walk around, and ask if they can take your picture...I've never seen them be turned down. Most of them are like this guy here that is ALWAYS at the clubs, who goes by Sideshow Bob:
http://sideshowbob.darkravers.net/#pics

Just a suggestion. ;)

I think that most of them would be more comfortable if you asked their friends to come along as well, it just makes things a bit more comfortable for the ladies. I know that I have been a good bit sketched out by some guys asking me to model but those not when they want to do a shoot in a public setting and/or they say that my friends are welcome in the studio.

I've been asked before, and politely declined. I don't trust most people.

One day, however, while on a smoke break in between classes, me and several girls were outside smoking, and some random photography student started to take pictures of us. It was very weird.

Thanks for all advices. I appreciate it. I'll try to get known to a couple then see if any are up for public photography shooting.

The club is a great idea but.... I doubt that kind of thing happen in my tiny city lol.

In public, I rarely shoot pic of anyone. I don't want to deal with a pissed off person while holding a $1,000 + piece of equipments. So I am very caution about this.

I guess I'll wait until college start again then I'll start to really get moving.

I would just be honest and direct like you were here.

I can only speak for myself, but I have been asked by photographers on several occasions if I'd be willing to model for them. I've never turned one down (although I always take my umbrella with me; I'm trained in stick fighting, so my umbrella is always coming as a weapon- in- disguise, lol). Just ask them, try to be as friendly and normal as possible (not drooling often does the trick ;) ) and you should be fine. Asking isn't going to hurt. Just remember to introduce yourself properly, tell them who you are and what it's for and would they please consider coming around to so- and- so to be a part of it? And if they have any friends who might be interested, you'd be happy to meet them too. I'd consider such a request as extremely non- creepy.

That would be a completely inappropriate reaction.
But good for you.

Thanks everyone!!! :-D I follow the advices that many here gave, here's what happened:

Today I was at downtown. I saw a girl with pink hair. I went up to her and told her I like her hair and that I'm a photography student and asked if we can arrange a time to do a couple shoots around downtown area with her as a model. She agreed! :) Hopefully I can do it this week!

Btw yes I'll let her know that she can bring a friend or two if she want to.


Noir- No need to be a such bitch. Just a no thank you would be more than enough to get photographer to leave you lone. One thing photographer HATE the most is working with somebody who really doesn't want to be in the pic. It just ruin the whole work and waste everybody time.

When I took a photography class, I was told that while it is polite to ask permission to photograph someone - it's not legally necessary (in the U.S.) as long as you are in a place that is accessible & viewable to the public. So if you happen to see some people you want to be your subjects & can maneuver yourself so that it's not obvious just who you are photographing (esp. if you have a telephoto lens), you can get some great candid shots.

I wouldn't suggest this unless there are at least a few people in the direction you are shooting, though. You don't want to make it obvious that you are looking at one specific person. Also, go with your instincts. If you get a vibe that someone doesn't want to be bothered (and might get really pissed off if they are)- go with that instinct and find someone slightly more approachable.

Just asure them of who you are and what you are doing eg student. I think its an idea to take their names down, unless they want to remain anonymous. But other than that I think most girls would be flattered.

I don't care if it is inappropriate, as it guarantees (most of the time) to get them the fuck away from me.

Shut the fuck up.
this is perfectly appropriate because it guarantees you to shut the fuck up (?)

Yeah, I think it's pretty appropriate to me, Jillian. You wanted me to shut up (excusing this reply, I'm only addressing the question below your statement), and the context of your statement made that perfectly pristine, so I'll oblige.

See, a little aggression never hurt anyone. Well, unless you're one of those hot-heads prone to sudden, violent outbursts. Then there's a potential problem.

Shut up L'Oiseau Noir, that's bullshit. You flip your lid in most threads when someone says something relatively tame to you talking about how they're instigating or don't like you, stop trying to claim some other reaction purely because it helps your argument. You're a hypocrite.

Oh, I know, I'm the biggest hypocrite around.

I've just grown indifferent to the posts here, as I've woken up and realized it's just another stupid forum. After all, why let it continue to bother me? I'll never meet the people here, and their irrelevant to my life, so where's the point in exploding every five seconds at someone for something petty? It's just unnecessary stress.

You'll never meet these photographers again, so why not politely decline rather than an unnecessary outburst that makes you look like a cunt?

In all seriousness, it's grown to be a habit. In reality, I'm pretty mean to the majority of strangers who try talking to me, whether it be a photographer or just a typical pedestrian. My guess, it probably stems from encounters I've had in the past, where people approached me just to slip a snarky comment by me in front of their friends, or purely for their own entertainment.

I've been trying to switch gears, however, as I realize not everyone's like that. But it's not particularly easy to kill a habit I've cultivated for so many years.