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One time only. About 20 years ago I saw a young Asian man with a mustash that hung down about 5 inches below his face, I though his face was unique and would make for some great shots. I offered him $20.00 and photos for a release. I was with my wife at the time and he flatly said, "hell no, I'm not gay are you?" I never asked another stranger before or since.

 ..... and I never will again! 

-Larry

Perfect teeth, clean fingernails, ironed clothes, be on time, and sign the MRF before the shoot. Strangers? Never. Acting is much more important than looks. People usually don't act on a bus.

Hi Klapamos,

 It is known as street casting in the industry and it is used by major motion picture companies down to little guys like myself. I find a woman offering the flier is the best approach, it might sound sexist but people generally don't feel as threatened by a woman approaching especially if the potential model you are approaching is a woman. We keep it brief and hand out a flier and ask if they would please give us a call we would love to pay them for some modeling ( our fliers always show a couple of our images and then have links to Getty and other agencies to show what work we do, we want them to realize immediately that we are legitimate ). Most people don't mind being stopped for just a second to be told they are attractive. I think in this upcoming economy you will find more people calling back just for the extra income. Very important to watch for the extroverts, people that are animated in public and draw attention to themselves these people are your best chance. If they say no thank you do not push just say thanks and move on there are billions to choose from. One place we have had good luck is gyms. A lot of gym junkies love they way they look and are flattered by the opportunity that someone else feels the same way. Always 18 and over unless accompanied by a parent.

Best,
AVAVA

Ah, just read Jonathan's post.  Looks like money is the crucial sweetener I have been lacking

Great topic!

Too many timid Tims and Tinas out there.

If you don't ASK you'll miss out on fantastic shots and experiences. I'm not talking microstock although most who've posed would have signed a release. One that I asked actually did. Let me recap a few portrait shots from my web site: http://www.louoates.com/HTML-NEW/contemporary_portraits.html

I just asked all these folks. Some I knew. Some were just strangers (for a short time). The top picture is the president of the Copper Valley RR in Arizona. I just flat-out asked if I could do his portrait. Just drove up to his RR office, saw the face, and asked. This shot was in one of the tunnels on his railroad.

In the 3rd row was a homeless guy with all his worldly goods attached. I just saw him in the shadows off a downtown Phoenix street and talked with him for a few minutes. I asked if I could shoot a few of him. He readily agreed with the proviso that HE tell his own story. And after digging into his plastic bags for about ten minutes he produced a nub of a pencil and two scraps of note paper whereupon he wrote his biography.

Several of the other shots were from a indie movie set. I just asked the director if I could shoot between scenes of the characters in their film persona. He agreed so I ended up shooting for three days on the set.

The last portrait is of Roy, a motorcycle fan I met in Superior, a small mining town in Arizona. He agreed to pose on Main street next to a US flag on the local VFW hall. He signed a release, I uploaded it to several sites and have generated small but steady sales.

Interesting note that day I shot Roy: The director of the film I described above asked me to be in a bar scene that day. I guess I looked sufficiently like a scruffy bar-fly type. I had other plans so I suggested Roy for the part. Not only did he get hired, he played a rapist in a major scene!

So if I didn't get out there and ask I would never have had these portraits. And I would never have so many interesting stories to look back on. I paid zero for all these shots and hundreds more.

Go ahead and ask next time you see something or someone interesting.

My only regret was not having that bar scene for my resume.

Avava,
    Great idea to set up in a public place. I think that would work just about anywhere large numbers of people are.

I think there's a difference between saying - "Hey, you're an interesting guy, mind if I snap your image?" and "Hey, you're an interesting guy, mind if I snap your image, and sell it for up to $30 a shot, possibly making me hundreds of dollars, by the way, you could be on a viagra ad, would your mom mind?"

Avava,
   I would never ask a city for a permit for such shooting. As long as I am not obstructing anybody and am on a public sidewalk or such I've never had a problem. Have I been hassled? Yep, several times by private security personnel or guards of some type or another. I've been courteous but firm in pointing out my rights to be there and photograph as I see fit. That's been the end to it so far.
   You do have to be mindful of local laws as they pertain to certain special locations. Chicago, for example, requires special permits to set up "professional" style equipment -- including a tripod-- in Millennium Park on Michigan Ave.

What about someone like me who is experienced in shooting landscapes but has no model photography experience?  I don't feel confident enough to ask someone to model for me because I don't have any real experience except with shooting my son who loves to have his picture taken.  How does a person break into this area of photography in the first place? 

We call them the camwhores. All my current models come from my Friendster. I just browse my 2nd and 3d order friends and I pick the ones with 200 self-photos (mostly cellphones) or more, and those who are local.

It's also very culturally dependent. If you'd try to shoot kids in the West, you'd probably get busted as a potential pedophile. If you shoots kids in the Philippines, the parents are totally flattered and they beg for more. The problem is getting a MRF signed, as people think they are selling their house 

Hi Tan,

 Sorry about the jerk on the bus. You have to have your armour on you never know who you'll meet and what they have already experienced that day. He might have lost his job that day or something or he is just an ass. Move on to the next. Also when dealing with something like a school bus talk to the school district first and go through the proper authorities there is a good chance they might need some promotional kids on a bus for their district promotion on a trade and will show up with a bus when and where you want it. Just another approach.

Good Luck,
AVAVA

It's too hard to explain it all to someone - and you come across as a weirdo to some, or a jerk to others.  Some people just don't want to be bothered in public.  Once I had success with one of my mother's clients, but that's sort of leveraged.  She's a hairdresser, and was doing a color on this client she had done since the girl was an early teen.  She didn't mind at all - she had no problem filling out the model release either. 

I've approached kids at skate parks with my business card, but they never contact you back.  I just find and book my models through online networking sites now.  I have friends that would make great models, but they don't really want their pictures floating all over the internet to end up in ads or billboards they probably will never even know about.  I could care less...my mug is probably all over the place by now.