Comments | lenstalk: Thoughts on trade work.

lenstalk

Thoughts on trade work.

May 20, 2008 11:14

Well, I've been avoiding this kind of post for a bit but it's a necessary thing to talk about when it comes to photographing models. The dreaded topic of TFP or TFCD. It stands for "trade for print" or "trade for cd". It's origin is in the idea that a model and a photographer whom wish to work together to create images that are of mutual ( Read more... )

tobias steiner, modeling, tfp, tfcd, trade work, photography

Comments 3

vyl8 May 22 2008, 05:42:59 UTC

For those types of people out there who think little of the value of another persons talents, labor, and skill; there is truly no greater insult to a creative person than to attempt to butter their ego with compliments and accolades of wonderment while trying to get them to work with you only to vanish into the night leaving a mere poof of dust when the subject of compensation is brought up.I must bring up that they must present the terms of payment up front and not 15 messages later. As soon as talk of work, it must be, "here are my rates" not well, maybe we can meet and I will decide later whether to charge you or not ( ... )

Professionalism, indecisiveness, and lack of discipline. lenstalk May 22 2008, 13:07:21 UTC

Thanks for offering insight into your experience. I agree, it's ridiculous to hold off on that kind of decision until well into dialogue with whomever we're communicating with. A portfolio of either the photographer or the model should easily demonstrate right up front whether a shoot shall be approached as trade or paid. It really isn't too much of a stretch to be able to gaudge upon review whether someone's work is on par with your own or of lesser or greater quality. Those are very basic things that can be easily seen right away. Granted those are highly subjective things, i.e. what the hell is quality? Who defines what is quality in another persons work ( ... )

Re: Professionalism, indecisiveness, and lack of discipline. vyl8 May 22 2008, 18:14:40 UTC

I can completely understand a photographer giving a models his or her rates and I can tell we see it the same way-- rates and the type of exchange should be discussed in the beginning rather than "oh, by the way. . . "