Time for print
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources (ideally, using inline citations). Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2006) |
Time for Prints (or Trade for Prints or Test for Prints) is a term used in many online photography communities describing an arrangement between a model and a photographer. It is often abbreviated TFP. Instead of paying for each others services, the photographer agrees to provide the model a certain number of prints of the best photographs from the session and a limited license to use those prints, in return for a broad model release.
A variant of this arrangement is Time for CD or Trade for CD (TFCD). With TFCD, the selection of images is provided on a CD in lieu of prints. Similarly, with the ease and convenience of digital distribution of high resolution images, the term TF* has evolved, where it does not necessarily refer to a tangible CD or Printed image since the same accepted rules apply.
There are no "standard" terms for a TFP/TFCD shoot. Every photographer and model have preferences on how to arrange and execute the shoots. However, the following conventions are common:
- Model is responsible for wardrobe and makeup expenses.
- Photographer is responsible for any location permits or studio and equipment rental.
- Photographer is responsible for any print, CD media, and shipping costs.
- Each participant is responsible for their own transportation.
- Photographer will obtain a signed model release to use the photographs for portfolio, art print, or commercial purposes.
- Model will receive a license to use the photographs for their portfolio, comp card, and online portfolio.
- The photographer will choose the best photos to retouch and send to the model.
- The amount of retouching also varies by photographer.
- The total time to select, retouch, and send the photographs to the model can range from one week to several months.
- The make-up artist may request a small "kit fee" from the photographer or model to recover makeup costs.
- Themes and wardrobe requirements are arranged prior to the shoot by telephone, in person, or over email.
- Some photographers only provide low-resolution photos (for online posting), others provide high-quality photos for printing.
- The photographer may require that all photographs posted online include a watermark (to deter image theft) and attribution.
- The model cannot sell the photographs to any web site or submit them to magazine/online contests without permission.
- If the model is under 18, a parent is usually required to attend the shoot and sign the release.
- The photographer may have rules about whether the model can bring a guest and how the guest can participate in the shoot.
While some professional photographers and models arrange TFP/TFCD shoots for personal projects, these terms are only common among the participants of Internet modeling and photography communities. Instead, commercial and fashion agencies, photographers, and models use a test shoot (also referred to as a "model test" or simply "testing"). Test shoots differ from TFP/TFCD in important ways:
- They are usually arranged through the model's agency.
- The model does not sign a model release, but the photographer and model can use the photographs for portfolio purposes.
- For test shoots to build a model's book, the model generally compensates the photographer, make-up artist, and stylists for their time at a special rate for testing.
- In some cases, the model's agency may pay for the shoot out of the model's future earnings.
- For test shoots a photographer arranges to try an idea, the agency may provide the model at no cost in return for some shots for the model's book or feedback on a new model's ability.
- The styles of photography are generally commercial or editorial print--the same genres the participants shoot for clients.
- Test shoots are not used for glamour, art nude, casual portraits, or erotic/adult styles, since these offer no benefit to a commercial or fashion model's portfolio.
