blackest Loc: Ireland

I'm thinking about advertising on facebook for Models / Subjects so I can practice lighting and portrait photography. I've located a Large room with a high ceiling and plenty of space to work in (can hold around 50 people) which I can borrow for a few hours on most week days and some evenings.
I'm thinking 18-80 male and female and they get jpeg files for portfolio sending to grandchildren whatever they want really. I'd like to use the photo's on my website. Maybe even sell if there is any interest but mostly for the practice.

I'm also thinking that I could get other photographers involved sometimes assisting sometimes photographing. Maybe even doing some video work, there is even a stage available that could be used for some performances. Perhaps involve local musicians as well.

Is there a downside to doing this? Does anyone have any experience setting something like this up on an amateur basis? I'm thinking small groups for a session say 3 or more. This would be for fun and practice more than anything else.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

Don't know about Ireland, but if I were doing that here, I would post invites to join a portrait photo club in local paper, pubs, groceries, and church - need members and models.

blackest Loc: Ireland

So not too bad an idea, I hope. I figured facebook would have a fair bit of reach in the local area, enough to get a few people interested I want to keep it informal rather than formal. If you present it as a club and next thing you are having regular meetings and having to put an organisation in place.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

"Clubs" can be as informal as you need them to be. The trouble with facebook is that it is international - not local. In NJ I joined a camera club I found out about at a local camera store. There was no real "organization" we just met at a local school once every 2 weeks to show each other our work. On special occasions, we had guest lecturers or had competitions judged by professional photographers. One or two guys were the leaders and planners and did the invites for guest pros, but there was no formal president etc.

If there is a local camera store that is a really good place to start. The proprietor is going to be on board with the idea - good for business! Unfortunately with the big online stores now these are a vanishing species. And those that still exist are only in large population centers.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Face book ad would tend to make people leery
I would suggest One Model place or Model Mayhem they will cost you a bit but not break the bank, Look for "models" that will do tfp/tfcd and only give them your BEST images from the session , with the rights to use the images in their portfolio. The other route is to ask friends to pose for portraits, it does work
check out my work @ pbase.com/manglesphoto
Most of these subjects were from these sites or friends
onemodelplace.com
modelmayhem.com

blackest Loc: Ireland

I'm hoping for more ordinary people, I have no interest in glamour or nudity, right now i'm looking at getting good lighting and making people look good.