TFP-TFCD: What Is It And Why Do I Care?

Many photographers, models, makeup artists, and so forth do shoots on a “TFP” basis. Some do strictly TFP, some do a mix of TFP and pay shoots. What should you expect from a photographer who wants to shoot TFP? What exactly is TFP?

TFP stands for one or more of the following:

Time For Prints

Time For Portfolio

Trade For Prints

Trade For Portfolio

Whatever the particular phrase the letters stand for, the basic idea is simple: In a TFP shoot, no money changes hands. The model doesn’t get an hourly or session fee, and the photographer doesn’t get an hourly fee, a session fee, or any pay for providing the model with images.

All participants are doing the shoot, in hope of getting good quality images for their portfolios, which they can use for self-promotion to get more, and hopefully paying, work.

TFP is usually the domain of amateur photographers and/or beginning models, although many pros will do a TFP shoot with an amateur model (or an amateur photographer) who can’t pay their usual rates but whose look or previous work the professional finds intriguing. That doesn’t mean that outstanding work can’t be produced at a TFP shoot: many amateur photographers are “amateurs” only in that photography is not how they pay their bills, and have talent and equipment equal to most professional photographers. Images obtained through TFP sessions are in many a model’s portfolio and have earned many a callback from an agency or pro shooter.

A basic portrait session lasts for one hour. retouching consists of slight correction and removal of blemishes. (no drastic editing) i try to make the people look there best in a natural way not preform surgery. ;)

We delivered all the images as 1500 pixel jpegs

The pictures that delivered are licensed and meant for personal use only (this means promotional usage only not commercial) unless stated differently by the photographer.

Pictures are not allowed to be edited if you want something for a special reason just ask.