In Commercial Photography, usually someone (Client) pays a photographer to take pictures of them.
Sometimes a photographer pays someone (Model) to model for him (personal portfolio or commercial assignment).
Trade For Portfolio or Trade for Print (TFP) is a term used when a photographer and a model work together for free to create images that can will be used both in the photographer and model portfolios. It can include other artists (hair, make up, clothes, lights...).
In any case what to expect from a TFP shoot with me?
MONEY
- FREE: Model doesn't pay. Model doesn't get paid.
- INCIDENTALS: I might ask for financial participation for shoot related expenses (for example if the shoot is in a hotel room or Air BnB, model pays towards the room).
PROCESS
- PROCESS: You can expect the same process and quality/attention as paying clients.
- PRIORITY: As a business, my paid assignments are on my priority list so TFP image delivery can take longer. Though I will definitely do my best to process the images.
- EDITS: Paying clients pay for each images they want me to edit. For a TFP the photographer decides if he wants to do advance edit 1, 5, or 30 images (it's time-consuming).
- PRIVACY: Paying Clients can decide if none, some or all their images are public or private. Models can request a reasonable (max 25%) number of images to be put in a private gallery (some people are not comfortable to have full frontal nudes in the public gallery). If Model uses a private image online for his own purpose I will consider it public. I do only free full advanced edit for images that are public (why would I spend a lot of time on images that don't bring me money or that I won't be able to show on my site?).
- PRODUCTS: TFP models are welcome (and most do) to order products (albums, displays, folio) at the same prices as regular clients.
LEGAL
- COPYRIGHTS: Image copyrights by law are always owned by the photographer. So it is still legit to tell the photographer how you will use the images. Only the photographer can sell or make a profit from the images. As for Clients you will get unlimited personnal and print use.
- MODEL RELEASE: You have to sign a model release. It's good practice to clarifying the rights and duties of everybody.
My Standard Model Release @ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- NO-HARMFUL INTENTION: I am clearly not here to discredit my models image, or to use the created images in the purpose to turn them into ridicule or for pornographic ways.
- CHANGE OF MIND: If for some reason a TFP model change his mind and wish to have all his images put in private, no issue. But he needs to purchase them at the regular price