If it is your first photo shooting, it is natural that you have some questions before. Therefore, a short description, what you can expect and what’s usual.
The special thing about photo shootings on tfp basis is, that everybody shoulders his own costs. That means, that everybody pays his own travel expenses and nobody gets money from the other party – everybody offers his time for the goal to achieve good photos and both parties get the made photos. That is what TFP – Time for Pictures stands for.
If the travel time is longer, you plan, that you don’t start immediately, as there will be a brief talk and a get to know each other. There you can adjust everything together for the photo session. This has the advantage that, that you can rest a little from the travel and get relaxed before the shooting starts, that way you will achieve better photos.
If it hasn’t been discussed beforehand, then you can discuss/ set areas and topics before or aswhile the shooting lasts. This can be defined and agreed-upon by the character of the photo model. This is especially useful, when you hadn’t had the chance to get to know each other beforehand. Depending on the character and the wishes some topics match better and it is more likely that the wished photos get taken. There are bright and dark types, i.e. bright backgrounds/ setups and darker/ thrilling ones.
A lot of photos get taken in a photo session. This of course also happens because not all of them will be good (in fact, only 2 to 5 % of the photos are really good). Small nuances in the face or in body tension can make a crucial difference (and sometimes a blink comes at a wrong timing). This is okay, and no question of quality, but normal. This also happens in the professional area – but no professional will openly show his not perfect photos. That is the reason for the large number of photos (what causes a lot of postprocessing time, with examining, choosing and optimization). All this is part of TFP and there shouldn’t be any costs for the model because of it.
In general, because of postprocessing you don’t get all the photos immediately, sometimes you will only get a few immediately. Mostly, you will get the photos lateron as a download possibility or on a data carrier (or both) – this is a simple question of agreement between you and the photographer. This will be written down in the contract.
For the rights of use it is common that a contract will be made. The allowed possibilitites for using will be agreed-upon here. After German law, the depicted person has the right on her own picture (i.e. the photographer can’t do anything with the photo if the photo model doesn’t agree) and the photographer has also rights, so, the photo model isn’t allowed to use the photos without the agreement of the photographer either. That is the reason for a contract, as both declare, which rights the other one gets. I do not impose any strict restrictions, i.e. a model working with me can use the photos as they please.
If fine nude art or hidden nude art is part of the photo session it is possible to do a separate contract on that matter (for example with the extension, that when used the person shouldn’t be directly recognizable – i.e. the face shouldn’t be visible, etc.). A good reason for the contract is, that both feel well, what is extremely important. If the photo model doesn’t feel well, then the photos will mirror exactly that. That is the reason why the following two points are very important for me!
Especially as a woman you don’t want to be touched. That’s why all the instructions should be verbal or shown by the photographer in the shooting. There will be no touching. Unfortunately, some photographers don’t care, although a photo session can easily get ruined by touching, because the mood gets frosty and this can be seen on every photo.
A companion is always okay with me. This can reduce uncertainty, as you as a photo model isn’t alone with a freshly-met strange person (photographer). The life partner shouldn’t be your first choice, as some get jealous for no reason and maybe you want to surprise them with the photos ( This sometimes happens when photographing fine nude art; and is a bad basis for perfect photos).
The companion can also be used for holding the light or the light formers and saves everybody even more time by helping out.
A companion is a can, but not a must. If a photographer forbids it, then you should immediately ask why. Stranger danger alert.
Some people have clothing marks for longer times onto their skin, this is for some topics unfortunate. Here I sometimes see intense marks of bras or tight jeans.
Especially for fine nude art, but also for the planned projector series (for example on the shoulder), there shouldn’t be any clothing marks, as it costs a lot of time in post processing to remove those.
So try doing the drive without getting clothing marks. Sometimes professional models arrive wearing jogging suits.
Photo sessions have a danger of addiction – the mood is often nice, everybody has the same goal of achieving optimal photos and you rapidly get good feedback and as a result you have some special photos from yourself.
Clothes, make-up utensils, jewelry and accessoires (sun-glasses, etc.), which you want to get onto the picture
Author: Axel Pratzner
Translator: Felix Pratzner