TFP and Model Photographers: The Truth Behind the Fake Profession

TFP and Model Photographers: The Truth Behind the Fake Profession

The internet has sold photographers the lie that there is a profession to be had photographing models, "model photography." After reading the comments section in a recent article, I thought I would try to shed some light on the matter.

There  was a recent article on Fstoppers about what TFP (Time for Print) is doing for and against the industry. The article set about looking at the pros and cons of it all. What was as fascinating though, were the comments and the online discussion about why models should be paying photographers. This is where I want to pick things up. 

Time for Print

Time for print is an age old tradition where you get a bunch of like-minded people together to collaborate. If you are some big hot shot, you can probably get some big names in on the gig. If you are a local camera club attendee, you are probably not going to have the greatest pool of people to chose from. The benefits for time for print are that with little expense for a shoot you can all come away with something new. The down side is that you will always be working with people at the same level as yourself. The chances of me getting Karlie Kloss to sit for me, are slim to nil. Yet if I do want to improve my fashion photography (I am not a fashion photographer I should add, just an example) I need to be working with people who are the next level up. My personal belief is this: If you need to test a concept, shoot TFP, if you need something for your portfolio, don't.

Why Do Models Always Ask You For Money?

Time for some hard truths. In the comments I saw people complaining that the model always wants paying when the photographer is bringing all this gear along to the shoot at great expense. I can promise you that models are not interested in that, they want to see if you have work that will add to their portfolio and pull them up to the next level. Whether that comes in the form of being signed to their first agent or moving on to a bigger agent. If they are asking for money, it is because what you offer isn't worth them giving up their time. The hard truth is that most of them have a friend with an iPhone who is better than a lot of people who owning $5,000 of pro gear. People's time is of great value. I wont go for a coffee with someone who wants a chat if it means losing time to see my family, so why would they spend half a day getting bad photographs taken of them for free?

It's Time to Pay the Model

I often do test shoots. As a food photographer we have had to hire in hand models, models, stylists, home economists, prop stylists, and assistants. When it is a really important shot then we have to suffer the costs. If I were shooting fashion and I wanted to up my game, then I would have to pay an agency for a good model in order to create the work of the standard I need. At this point you need to dig deep and pay your team. When you are the worst person on set (and we all are at some point) we pay to have those around us elevate us to the next level. 

When the Model Pays You

Once you are established, and established to a point where everyone in the industry knows who you are, you can then charge for test shoots. However, these are slightly more reduced fees than editorial work and usually only to cover the costs of shooting and retouching. Compared to a $20,000 shoot for a fashion brand, we would be talking under $1000 and the work you would be producing in this shoot should be of vogue quality, although obviously lacking in production.  

The Profession of Model Photography

I have no idea where this myth comes from, but there is no profession of model photography, unless you are photographing model trains for a living. There is lifestyle, fashion, editorial work in various genres, ecommerce, and a host of other occasions when a professional model is required. However, there is no business model where a photographer makes a living from photographing models who are paying them. Where does one suppose the models income is coming from to keep paying you?

Sadly, these seems to be a growing hostility online from male photographers toward female models who wont work for free. I noticed this about a year ago and from others who I have spoken to in the industry, they have been feeling it on both sides. A lot seems to come from the misconception that there is a business in here and that models should be paying photographers to be able to afford the gear they want to use to photograph models. In any other walk of life this would be laughed out instantly, but photography as a profession already has a chip on its shoulder about being under valued and ripped off, so to be attacking another profession in a such a way for the exact same reasons is just daft. It is the same as photographers who pirate software and tutorials, but then get on their high horse about image theft and underpayment. 

Models and photographers are both hired and paid by the same people. If you want to be a portrait or fashion photographer then you need to be looking to ad agencies and photographic agencies for your paycheck, not toward the models. 

What Now?

So we are now in a situation where photographers feel that they should be paid, models also feel that they should be paid, but both seem to be looking to one another to float their industries. From the outside, as a food photographer it would be like me trying to get food stylists to pay for for shoots, it just isn't a viable option. There is clearly a need for things to move on and I think the best way to do so is to be clear as to what you are trying to achieve from a shoot. Are you testing a concept to later perfect? Great, TFP. Do you need some new work for your portfolio? You need to hire in someone who is the level above where you are atm. 

Your Ego

Now the above is all well and good, but the problem seems to get a little out of hand when a photographer is told that a model would only work with them for money. You just need to suck it up and realize that it is not worth them giving up their free time to shoot with you. Either you are not as good as you think you are or they just don't need more work in their portfolio atm. 

Scott Choucino's picture

Food Photographer from the UK. Not at all tech savvy and knows very little about gear news and rumours.

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76 Comments
Previous comments

Exactly.

I charge and get paid for models shoots. And always have a model released signed.

The rates really don’t compare to commercial work, but there’s still money in being a test photographer for agencies. The agencies I’ve worked with pay at least $300. If you’re able to line tests up back to back it’s not a bad way to make some pretty easy money.

This. Sort of.

In my experience, however, agencies aren't keen on paying for photos. If they are, it's typically some inhouse hack that does an awful job. Modeling is competitive and models soon learn that they can get good photos done for their agency profile page and give themselves a competitive edge.

Though not "make a living money" I've made money by doing TF work for one or two models in an agency, they use the images on the agency profile page, and then you can approach the other models/actors (in my area agencies rep both models and actors). Or, they approach you.

Back in the film days, I was starting out and approached the local Agencies. I shot quick shoots at the Agencies for new models and then they'd send their talent over and I'd shoot 3 rolls of 35mm film for $250 plus MUA. It was not a living but that and assisting was the path to getting booked by clients. In Micheal Gross' book, he explained why models do these tests. Essentially, it's for newer models that want to get images that look like actual tear sheets so they'd pay a photographer and MUA to do it.

I find it insanely baffling that guys will photograph models as a hobby. What is the endgame? The road to shooting models professionally is probably damn near impossible. So why do it? You're not going to hang the images on your wall. Models are not going to be paying photographers, so I really don't understand the point of it. I see some amazing images of models posted here on Fstoppers, and I just kind of assume they are TFP. I doubt any photographer is being paid by the models posted in the top images here. Perhaps at that level it's more about networking and building up a portfolio to gain paid commercial gigs, but the hobbyist...?

I find it insanely baffling that people would photograph landscapes as a hobby. I'd be willing to bet that most of the landscape photographers out in the wild don't get paid for it.

I'd also be willing to bet that the percentage of people photographing models and getting paid is higher than that of landscape photographers. The reason is that when you're photographing people, you're, well, photographing people. People are the only photographic subject that can actually have money.

Also, something that the article fails to point out is that we live in a different world now than we did just a few decades ago. Much of it has to do with the advent of digital imaging, social media, etc. It's not uncommon at all for there to be a "creative culture" (for lack of a better word) in local areas that is filled with both photographers and models that simply love to create images that they like. Within that local creative culture there is definitely money to be made; going both ways. This didn't exist 30 years ago. Neither did inexpensive online publishing. But now it does. 30 years ago self publishing a book was an almost hopeless path to anything other than spending a lot of money. Nowadays, there are quite a few self published authors making good money. And even if they're not making "good" money, they're making enough to pay for their habit/hobby.

Basically, the author of the article is trying to look at the world today through a prism that existed decades ago; to apply a paradigm that has long since diminished.

I shoot a lot at a local rental studio. On any given weekend there are a lot of photographers and models coming in and out. With few exceptions they are almost all non commercial/professional sessions. Little work being done for brands or campaigns. But there is a bunch of money changing hands between models and photographers both ways.

You see...you're failing to comprehend a key word, "hobby". `Hobbyists are not paid. It is done for leisure and pleasure. So...you don't know why landscape hobbyists, like myself, would want to photograph a scene and hang it my wall? Lol...keep on trolling my friend, or please re-read my post that you got so emotional about for further comprehension.

My response was "emotional" to you? Okay.

And just because someone points out a different take does not mean it's "trolling."

Oy.

But I'll go ahead and allow you the last word.

Why not juist pay the models and ban TFP after all the photographer owns the work and it's up to there sales skills to sell there work And give a few shots to the model for there C/Vs or ports Iether way professional shooters have a reputation to uphold and this is most important working in the Model industry Iv'e been shooting models since the seventies and came through the mill aprentice and qualified and had work in the world galleries and can honestly say pay the models I can say one thing you don't survive unless you invest in your future but there are no gurantees Even now a days i treat my shoots as a hobby and things need to change for the 21st century and no more TFP pay THE MODEL A WAGE AFTER ALL IF YOU GOT EMPLOYED WOUND'T YOU EXPECT TO BE PAYED,

This is solid. I've been reluctant about reaching out to models to do work because I feel weird not compensating them for their time when I'm unable to. I hope there is a general industry shift toward both sides of the camera being properly compensated. The world is changing and so should we.

Being "properly compensated" doesn't necessarily have to mean getting directly paid. It's a pretty basic business concept to look at something from the context in which it may be beneficial.

Like I've said before, I've done TF shoots that led to money gigs for both the model and me. I've also done shoots for establishments for free in which I used it to leverage paying gigs that I would not have otherwise had.

Also, what's beneficial for one person may not be the same as what's beneficial for another. If doing a shoot is mutually beneficial for both the model and the photographer, that's up to them to decide.

Really great article Scott....hit the nail absolutely on the head in regards to a really pertinent subject matter that seems to be constantly on the social media roundabout

When starting out several years ago I went to a group model shoot where the organizer collected money to pay the model, (NOT boudoir, if that needs clarifying) and she was awful - didn't know the first thing about posing, showed up in ratty jeans and a baggy sweatshirt, no make-up, bed-head hair, bad case of acne... pretty sure she had never modelled in her life (or even knew what to wear for a job interview). Kind of the opposite of what was required. I left that night feeling ripped off, and that I just wasted my evening. No amount of editing or model direction could have saved this shoot. I later hired a model (& mua, as essential as the model IMHO) for my own portfolio shoot a bit later - totally different and 100% positive experience. It cost more than the group shoot (but not unreasonable, about $200 plus jpegs for both) but I had them both working for me for a good 3-4 hours on a Sunday afternoon and I didn't have to divide up shooting time. The lesson for hiring? Don't trust some bozo to do it for you.

So odd that I made over 150K with a fake profession this year... lol Models pay between $1500 - $3k for a 10 photo portfolio. And I have some that have paid in excess of 8K just this year. In fact, I have had so much success with model photography that I decided to move from my tiny city of 200 thousand to a larger metro of several million to expand. The reason that photographers are not successful as model photographers is that they don't know how to create a product and sell it... not because it doesn't work. Another thing is that while many of the "test shoot" model photographers out there are great. Stick to writing about stuff you actually know bro... and let us have our fake careers. lol

BS

here's an invoice just for the session fee and hair and makeup, I just randomly picked a model and their session from 2019 I am in the middle of mardigras season so not currently shooting models right now. My retouched images are $100-$300 per print.

I think there may be a miss understanding here as that invoice shows a portrait sitting with maybe an hours make up in the morning, rather than a full days MUA, hair stylist, wardrobe, stylist and shooting time that a model would require.

The article is about professional models who are represented and work commercially rather than people who want beautiful portraits in a fashion style.

Both are of course perfectly valid professions for all parties.

BS!

Scott Choucino Yea there is no reason for paid working models to come to me. Their portfolio is constantly being developed by the work they do. I generally set up their initial portfolio to give them prime opportunities and stand out.

The article is about 'should' models be paid. My question is 'why' would anyone pay you (the money you claim) for the work you produce that appears no better than anyone else's on Instagram? This is per your Instagram page. Correct me if I'm wrong but - you assert - it's the product and selling that sets you apart...? Are you lying to people or is this a small-town Kansas thing? No offense, I just don't see what sets you apart in any way.

PS: Your website is somewhat broken. Links aren't connected as expected and the flip-indexes cover each other. Perhaps it's Firefox messing with me. Hmm. Safari is worse.

Nope...I had one of the best Island's models for free for a full video, and we both got a value of it ... https://youtu.be/Howludw3F9E

But that's video. Although, the same issues apply, and people (DPs, actors, directors, etc) also work for free in exchange for content for their demo reel (instead of a portfolio). In this case, maybe she needed something to help get into acting?

Well, I’m a rank amateur and the search for male TFP willing to take their clothes off for the camera is an arduous process. I have found a few willing but most not. You have to find the willing exhibitionist. And yes, I’ve been accused of being the creepy old guy with the camera but honestly I don’t care. Not all photographers wanting to capture the nude human form are a perv, like most here believe. I remain 100% professional during the shoot, touch only for the purpose of posing and only with permission. Oh, and I’m the one who’s been asked to fluff. Yeah look that one up. I’ve always refused because that’s not what I’m about. There’s a signed contract benefiting both parties. They go into the shoot knowing there will be product marketed and they get paid a portion of the net. So, I’m learning that the TFP market doesn’t actually exist but through trust, rapport, and good work I’m making it happen.

If I routinely had people at work ask me to blow them, I'd be looking for another job, dude.