Applying for a TFP- photoshoot - Dos and Don'ts (A guide)

*DISCLAIMER – The following specifically applies to MY (zenchanphotography) way of working only and doesn’t apply to any other photographer in the field*

I have made several Instagram story posts concerning this topic already. Recently, the inquiries regarding collaborations/TFP-photoshoots have been increasing which is why I feel the need to write a more detailed guide about this topic. I appreciate the people who inform themselves, before asking questions that could have been answered with some research. It’s similar to when you apply for a job at a company. You would look up some information about the people you want to work with before applying for a job, wouldn’t you? And if not, I don’t think that is the best strategy to convince people to work with you.

If you want to work with me, but think that it is too troublesome to get some information before contacting me and that it takes too much time to read this and it’s not worth your time, then I’m sorry to tell you that I won’t have that time to spare for you either. 

1. What is TFP?

First of all, what does TFP even mean?

There are different terms and the ones that seem to be the most common are „Time for Prints“, „Time for Photos“ or even „Time for Portfolio“. That means that a model and a photographer work on a project together, without any monetary compensation involved. Both parties will get photos to add to their portfolio and to use on their website, social media etc. That way the model as well as the photographer will benefit from the photoshoot equally.

People who are just starting out will probably shoot on TFP-basis in order to gain experience and to build their portfolio. Sometimes there will be experienced photographers who offer TFP-shoots, when they want to venture into a new area of photography, want to do a specific project or want to try something new. Nevertheless, the key point is that both the photographer and the model will benefit from the collaboration. TFP is not a one way street after all. Before you approach a photographer, make sure you know how they work and what kind of work they are offering. Do some research beforehand. There might be a possibility that the photographer already posted some information concerning collaborations on their Instagram profile or website if they have one. If you message a photographer with a question that could have been answered by doing some research, it might be difficult to convince them to work with you. When you can’t spare the few minutes to get informed about the person you would like to work with, especially when they have provided the information, then how do you expect them to invest their time into something you want from them?

2. Concepts I shoot or that I would be interested in

At the moment, I focus on portrait photography. That includes fashion portraits, styled photoshoot, themed photoshoots and fantasy-related photoshoot. I am not looking to shoot any ordinary 0815 portraits. I need a certain mood, theme or concept, which is why I am doing a lot of themed or fantasy-themed photoshoot lately.

You can get an impression of what I actually shoot by looking at my instagram or portfolio on this website. 

I rarely shoot cosplay for several reasons. If I shoot cosplay, I want to achieve something that is very close to the original, so I am  quite picky, because it is importan to be that the cosplay is accurate with a lot of details. There are also not a lot of characters I am interested in shooting, but I don’t always publicly search for them as I don’t want to reject anybody and possibly making them think that they or their cosplay might not be good enough. So I’m more inclined to contact people myself who I would like to work with. I will shoot cosplay if they are characters I like and the Cosplayer fit those accurately or if the character designs are either aesthetically appealing to me. So if the costume is very detailed and well-made, I would probably  accept a shooting, even if I don’t know the character.

Since TFP is something I do for my own enjoyment as well, I will decide on what kind of concept or outfit I want to shoot (I will elaborate on that more later on). Other than that, there is always the option of booking a paid photoshoot.

I am adding a more concrete list of Cosplays and concepts I would shoot (of course with proper costume and location only). Since I don’t watch that many anime or read that many Manga anymore, I might forget some series that I do actually like, so there is a possibility that I will add some more series to the list, if I remember something. Note that I’m not interested shooting outfits that have been thrown together without putting any effort into it or outfits that resemble cheap Halloween or carnival  costumes.

  • Ghibli (Howl’s Moving Castle (my favourite), Princess Mononoke, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away etc.)
  • Fantasy-related Anime/Manga
  • Games of Thrones (because of the aesthetics & everything that has similar aesthetics)
  • Trinity Blood 
  • Anything Tolkien (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit & anything that has similar aesthetics)
  • Alice in Wonderland aesthetics
  • Red Riding Hood aesthetics
  • Mermaids
  • Witch
  • Vampires
  • Angel (& any cosplay that has angel wings involved)
  • Elves/Fairies
  • Nymphs
  • anything that goes into the direction of fantasy (as long as there is a proper costume with details)
  • Ancient Chinese Hanfu (accurate clothing)
  • Japanese Kimono (accurate clothing)
  • Rococo aesthetics
  • Barock aesthetics
  • Medieval aesthetics (preferably armor)
These are roughly themes I would be interested in. I can’t list everything that might come into question. I have a „Shooting Wishlist“-Highlight on my Instagram that I update now and then. There you can see moodboards of concepts and Cosplays I would like to shoot. So you can provide something from that list, it will be more likely for me to agree to a photoshoot. If you have something you would like to shoot, but can’t find it on this list, but think it would be something I could like, feel free to message me (with photos attached) and I will assess if we could work out something. If I were to reject you, please don’t take it personally, as I just have specific tastes in aesthetics and costumes.

3. Who can apply for TFP-photoshoots?

In principle, anyone can apply for a TFP-photoshoot. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what gender you have or identify with or how much experience you have with modeling. However, I do have some requirements which I will be explaining in more detail in the following parts.

4. How to (not) Apply for a TFP-photoshoot

When you approach me for a TFP-photoshoot, I expect you to have a concrete idea you can present me. What kind of concept/mood/theme do you have in mind? At which location do you want to do the photo shoot? What kind of outfit can you offer me?

In the last year the number of people asking me to shoot with them has been increasing. I often get messages like „Let’s go out and shoot sometime“, „Let’s shoot“, „Can you do a photoshoot with me?“, „If you have an idea I’m suited for, hit me up“ or something along those lines from people I barely know or don’t know at all. Of course I am happy that they like my work to the point they want to work with me, but then I usually ask myself „What’s in it for me?“. I usually don’t really know what to respond to those kinds of messages and I really want to know whether they honestly expect me to offer them a photoshoot right then and there. Most of the time they just hit me with a one-line message without introducing themselves and without telling me what they actually want me to shoot. Sometimes, it feels like they just wait for me to design a concept to shoot with them. It just gives off the impression that they just want some pretty photos taken with expensive gear for their Instagram feed, free of charge, without putting any effort into the project themselves.
There are also people who send me messages saying that they have an idea they want to realize while mentioning some vague concepts without attaching any pictures for reference. You have to remember that it is probably my first time talking to you and it is also my first time hearing about your idea, so it would be very helpful for me to actually see some references or even outfit photos of what you have in mind. I also need you to have the actual outfit/costume ready. We all have ideas we want to realize, and I’m sorry if I sound selfish or arrogant, but I would like to know whether the conversation is worth continuing or whether it is a conversation I invested time and energy into without resulting in anything tangible.

I don’t earn any money doing a TFP-photoshoot and I already invest a lot of time in my craft and a lot of money into my equipment. I take the time to learn every chance I get to improve my work. I take the time that is necessary to direct and pose inexperienced models during a photoshoot in order to take the best images of them, a skill I also had to learn over time. I also don’t want to just take photos of you, but I want to create art. I am looking for something special when creating an image and that usually involves a thought-out concept or at least a coordinated outfit. If I ever come up with an idea and a concept that I would like to shoot, it is very unlikely that I will contact a person I don’t know at all and have never worked with before. It is quite common that a photographer already has a group of models they work with on a regular basis. That is the case for me as well. If I come up with an idea I would like to shoot, my models will be the first ones I will contact. With them I know exactly what to expect. I know for sure that we are compatible and work well together. I also can be sure that they will put in any efforts necessary to make the idea reality and will actually appreciate all the work behind it.

Another thing I have to add is that you should already have a few suggestions for the location you would like to shoot at. This also includes being aware of the location of your photographer. Is it even possible for them to work with you? Are you too far away? Are you willing to travel for the shoot? I usually get excited when planning photoshoots, so I tend to put a lot of research concerning locations and send them to the model. I won’t do that anymore unless they did some research themselves and come up with their own suggestions first. The reason is because I had people who contacted me and after I sent them potential locations, they realized that I am too far away after all and that it would be too much of a hassle for them to work with me and hinted that they might go with another photographer to that location I just sent them. It is okay, if you don’t want to drive around, but come to that realization before you contact someone and start planning a photoshoot with them. I am very transparent and I always point out that I am not mobile and therefore not able to travel around much. Ditching me after I spent my time researching locations for our shooting, because it is too much work for you, really leaves a bad taste behind and makes me not want to work with you ever.

Checklist - Applying for TFP-Photoshoots

What won't work

– No self-introduction

– „Can we shoot sometime?“ (Can you give me a reason why I should work with you? What can you offer me in exchange?  This especially applies to people where I cannot see (by looking at their account) whether they can offer me something creatively)

– „If you have an idea I’m suited for, hit me up“ (If I have worked with models before who are compatible and who appreciate my work, it is more likely that I will contact them if I ever come up with an idea, rather than working with someone I have never met or worked with)

– „Let’s go out to shoot sometime?“ (Do you mean to go out together and connect creatively or do you mean „let’s go out together so you can take photos of me“?, because the latter is reserved for close friends only)

– „I have this idea/concept I would like to shoot, would you work with me?“ (without any specific information) (What kind concept? Do you have photos/references? Location? Outfit? Makeup? etc.)

– „Do you do FTP-Shoots?“ (If you ask this question after I have uploaded this guide, you’ll be disqualified immediately. Just joking. Maybe I’m half serious.)

– Asking a question, that could have been answered by doing some research (aka. looking up this blogpost)

– having your Instagram account that you are messaging me with, on private and not attaching any photos of yourself. Of course it is your choice to keep your account private, but if I can’t look at your photos/work, it is less likely for me to consider a collaboration with you

What will work

– Self-introduction (Tell me something about you & the experiences you might have already)

– Style of portraits you focus on for your work

– Some photos of you (You can send selfies if you don’t have any professional photos yet. Even if it sounds shallow, since I work visually, I need to know what you look like and what kind of style you have.)

– A specific idea/concept that I don’t have in my portfolio yet & a description about what you can contribute in order to realize said concept (Outfit/Costume? Makeup? Location? Props? Accessories? – If possible with photos and/or reference photos)

– Unusal outfit (The chances for a TFP-photoshoot are much higher if you can offer me a very unsual outfit, something that you don’t see on the streets everyday and of course with some photos of said outfit attached)

– Makeup & Styling (Can you style yourself for the concept or do you know a MUA/stylist who might be working on TFP-basis as well?)

– Location (Ideally with photos attached)

– The days you are available

5. Model calls

Sometimes it does happen that I do model calls on my Instagram stories, where I actively look for models for a specific project I would like to do. I usually attach the exact date and location and the looks and outfits I am looking for for that specific shoot. I always post the requirements and do my best to describe what I am looking for exactly. I attach the requirements for a reason and that is in order to find the person or people most suited for the idea I have in mind and I usually ask for photos in order for me to know whether it is something I can work with or not.

However, I get messages like „I really would like to, but I have to work/I don’t have time“, „I really would like to participate, but I probably don’t suit your concept“. Thank you for sending me a message, but what do you expect me to answer? Do you think I will change the requirements for the photoshoot or change the location/date? There are also people sending me messages along the lines of „I don’t have the outfit you’re looking for, but I have this outfit XYZ, but I don’t know whether it will work with your concept“ (without attaching any photos of said outfit). In the past I did try to help the people who responded to my model calls, who weren’t sure of the outfit. I asked what clothes they have and what kind of accessories, to see whether I could put together a look for them. However most of the time, they don’t even have any accessories they can provide for the photoshoot, let alone an outfit that could have somehow worked with the concept. I have stopped putting that kind effort into those messages, because it is, I’m sorry if I sound too harsh, a waste of time when nothing will come out of it in the end.

As I said, I post requirements because there is a specific look I need for a specific idea. There is a reason why I didn’t include any other outfit ideas and that’s because those are simply not the ones I’m asking for. These kinds of messages are not really helpful. Of course, I am aware and I appreciate that these people also take some time out of their day to message me, but imagine getting several of these kinds of messages for every single model call I do, while having to filter through all my messages in order to find the people who I can actually work with. For you it might be that one message, but there are a number of other people sending me messages as well and it is time-consuming to look through and answer all of those messages. Sometimes I also get responses from people who don’t send me any photos of themselves and on top of that have their account on private, meaning that I am not able to get any impression of them at all. I would like to be able to at least look through your account, if you’re messaging me for a photoshoot, to see who you are, what kind of style you have and what kind of creative you are. It is more likely for me to consider working with you, if I can actually see who you are.
I like to do these model calls, because it has proven to be a way for me to connect with new models and other creatives, but with the things mentioned above, it does become exhausting at times.

Checklist - Model Call

What won't Work

– „I don’t have time“ (???? Okay? Why are you responding then?)

– „I want to, but I don’t have time“ (s.o.)

– „I would like to, but I have to work“ (s.o.)

– „I would like to participate, but I don’t have the outfit you’re looking for“ (s.o.)

– „I would like to participate, but I probably won’t fit into your concept“ (no photos attached and account on private)

– „I would like to participate, but I don’t have the outfit you’re asking for, however I have this XYZ outfit“ (without attaching any photos of the outfit)

What Will Work

– (When we haven’t worked together before) Selfintroduction (Who are you? Why do you think you will fit into the concept? Outfit? Experience? Makeup? Accessories?)

– Outfit photos attached to the message

– People who send me a number of photos of different outfits and accessoiries right after contacting me are my favourite kinds of people

6. Planning the photoshoot & the outfit

I plan photoshoots regularly with models I know. The goal of an TFP-photoshoot is getting results both the photographer and the model are satisfied with. That means that communication is really important. I like to talk with the model about the concept, the outfit and the makeup before the photoshoot. My regular models always keep me updated about their outfits and costumes. They always send me photos of looks they are trying out and ask for my feedback, whether the look they are trying would be something that could be considered for the photoshoot. That is something I really appreciate and also one of the reasons, why I keep working with them.

I had planned some photoshoots with people I already knew, where other models I didn’t know prior joined, which I don’t mind at all. The problem for me was the fact that I had no idea about who they were, what kind of outfit they would wear to the shoot and what kind of makeup they will do. It can get quite troublesome for me, when they expect me to work with them, when the look of their outfit turns out to be not to my liking at all. That makes it difficult for me to work on the photos afterwards, because I was already dissatisfied with the look from the begin with. If I already don’t like the outfit, it will be difficult for me to find the creative motivation and vision to proceed. For me, a coordinated outfit is very important, as well as the communication with everyone involved in the photoshoot, in order to ensure that both parties know what they can expect out of the collaboration. If you were in contact about the collaboration with another model, reach out to the photographer to discuss your outfit and makeup. Don’t hit me with an outfit on the day of the shoot that doesn’t fit the image I had for the concept at all, because in the end I will be the person who will spend most of my time with those photos. After all, I would like to realize a vision and benefit from the photoshoot as well and not only satisfy your need of having your photos taken.

7. What happens after a photoshoot? When will I receive my photos and how many will I get?

As I already mentioned, photography is not my full-time job. I actually have part-time jobs outside of photography. After a photoshoot you will be added to the „Photos to edit“-list that I manage in order to keep myself organized as well. I will update the list now and then in order for people to see what their status on that list is. I usually work chronologically with some exceptions. If I do seasonal photoshoots, for example for Halloween I will take the liberty of prioritizing certain shoots in order to be able to publish them in time for the season. Other than that I don’t set any deadlines for myself. I work at my own pace and will edit everyone’s photos sooner or later. The amount of photos you will receive depends on the kind of photoshoot we did and on the amount of photos I consider to be good enough to be finished. I have reduced the amount of edited photos over the last year.  Now I will edit 5 photos max. If the photoshoot was short and there are many similar photos and a small selection it can be less than 5 photos. If I potentially want to edit more in the future, when I am in the mood for certain shoots, then the model will get a message from me with a link to download any photos I might have edited additionally.
I have responsibilities and a private life. There are times when I can’t work on photoshoots for a prolonged time for whatever reason and it might take a little longer than usual for a model to receive their photos. It also depends on how many photoshooots are already lined up for editing. The more there are, the longer it takes for me to get to your photoshoot. Furthermore, I do skin retouch for every single photo I send out, which is not the norm. Skin retouch takes up a lot of time, which is why it takes me so long to edit one photoshoot. 

I don’t like to be pressured or rushed by other people. I am already putting a lot of pressure on myself and my work, so I don’t need anyone else to add to that. I am doing TFP-photoshoots for fun and I would hate it if that were to change. I wouldn’t like this to become another stress factor in my life, which means that any person who contributes to that will be blacklisted by me with the possibility of not receiving any photos at all.

8. The selection & the editing process

It you contact me for a photoshoot, I assume that you know what kind of work I provide and what my editing style looks like, which means you know what you are getting into. You can divide a TFP-photoshoot into two parts. The first part is the modeling and photoshoot itself and the second part is the selection of the photos and the editing, which is entirely the photographer’s part. I would be REALLY irritated if someone were to interfere with my creative process and my editing. I’m not keen on collaborating with people who think they can dictate my way of working or people who already make demands even before I agree to work with them.
There might be photographers who will let the model choose some photos they like, but that really depends on the photographer and on how they run their business. Don’t assume that one photographer will proceed the same way as the other. I for my part do offer the models to look through the photos in camera at the end of the shoot and choose the photos they like. I usually edit some of their choices, but I also like to choose some photos myself, since sometimes I don’t like certain things in photos they chose (from a photographer’s perspective), like the light, shadows, the mood, how the fabric is flying etc. It can be small things, but don’t be surprised if you don’t get the photos that you selected.  

9. Instagram, Followers, likes, engagement & exposure

It might be necessary to talk about this topic as well, as nowadays these seem to play a big role in the decision whether you want to work with someone or not. So how many followers, likes and how much engagement do you need to have in order to work with me?

The short answer is, I don’t care. I don’t really care how many followers you have, how many likes you get or how much engagement your account has. What I care about is who you are as a person, whether you make an effort, whether you have respect for the arts, whether you understand the work that goes into it. It is important to me that I and the people I work with are on the same wavelength. I am very selective when it comes to the people I interact with, let alone work with on a project. It doesn’t matter how many followers you have, whether it’s several hundreds or several thousands, if I feel like you are self-centered, don’t care for me as an artist at all and only want to use me for your very own profit and to your advantage, I will not work with you. If I see that you work hard, have discipline and you understand what goes into the craft, I am more likely to want to work with you.

Exposure

Even if I don’t care about the number of your followers, I do care about whether you will post the photos on your account or not. It would be a lie to say that I don’t want to become more known for my work. It goes without saying that I am aiming to turn photography into a business sooner or later and for every artist it is important for their work to be seen. That is why it is important for artists that their work is exposed to a group of different followers other than their own.

What does that mean?
There are people messaging me who aren’t active in the community, neither as a hobby model, photographer, costume designer or any other kind of creative and who sometimes even have their account on private. I have worked with a lot of different people in the last years. Including models who have been doing it for several years and people who stood in front of the camera for the first time. Models or other creative’s usually look to expand their own portfolio, which also means that they will display the photos of a TFP-photoshoot on their account or portfolio. If I spend my time to plan a photoshoot with someone, spend a day to do the photoshoot and several hours and days to edit the photos to my best ability, including skin retouching, I would expect them to at least post a few. In the end I do have to ask myself whether it is really worth my time to work with someone who isn’t really active in the community and who doesn’t even post any photos I did of them. I don’t do photoshoot as a favor. I could do that with my friends and have some quality time at the same time. 

For me it is a lot more profitable if I do one single photoshoot with someone who is active on social media as well as in the creative community and has a public account, than doing three photoshoots with someone who doesn’t even post the work I did for them or has a private account. After all, the time that I invested into the photoshoot and photos I could have used to plan a photoshoot with someone else or to edit someone else’s photos. In my opinion, it is also a form of appreciation to publish the work that I have put all my energy and free time into.
If a person is not active on social media or never posts any photos, that is of course their choice. However, it is then also my choice to refuse working with them, if I don’t see any benefits. It is not only a matter of expanding my portfolio or gaining experience, but also a matter of getting my name out there.

10. Appreciation

One of the reasons, why I have become stricter with the selection process and won’t work with just anybody anymore is because of disappointing experiences with people I have worked with before. To some it might be something small, but to me it is just something that instantly makes me not want to work with them anymore and also makes me close up when it comes to new people. It is just not a great feeling when you finally send someone their photos and their response is kept to a minimum of letters (e.g. „Wooow heart emoji“) and then they don’t even post them, after they contacted me for a photoshoot. I’m always very bummed out when that happens. I don’t ask for a whole novel, but I would be happy if they had a little more to offer. There were also people who contacted me when I did model calls who did not really fit the requirements I was looking for, because they couldn’t provide an outfit and also didn’t have any experiences in front of the camera. However, since I didn’t want to say no and really wanted to do a photoshoot I helped them put together an outfit and provided my headpieces as accessoiries. During the shoot, for which I already had a concept in mind, they demanded to have certain facial expressions that was not what I was looking for for the concepts, on top of me having to help them with posing, while they struggled doing so. Because it was getting on my nerves that they were demanding to have other expressions the whole time, I offered to take a photo they wanted with their phone, but asked them to mark it as a behind the scene photo if they were to post it. I don’t know whether they even heard what I said or if they forgot, but they uploaded the phone photo and tagged me in it without any indication that it wasn’t a proper photo from the shoot. The reason I specifically asked them to mark it as a behind the scene or phone photo, was because I didn’t want people who didn’t know me to get a false impression of my work. It really annoyed me that they couldn’t do the one thing I requested from them. In the end they also didn’t post one single photo from the photoshoot. 

That is why I told myself to only accept concepts I really want to shoot so that I can at least have photos that I wanted for myself and that I am happy with, when these kinds of things occur, instead of doing a favor for someone else who doesn’t even appreciate it. And I know the difference, because I have worked with people who do appreciate me and my work and I would rather work with them a thousand times than with someone who was only in it for free photos or for whatever reason. Because of that, now it takes a lot of effort to convince me for a TFP-photoshoot. It is why I am always wary when I get contacted by people I don’t know, since that stuff only always gets revealed during the photoshoot, or after I deliver the photos. I don’t want to judge people before I get to know them better, but it is just healthier for me if I do. I had to learn to say no and to tell people, when I don’t like something. That way I am saving myself from disappointment and frustration.

11. "Can you send me unedited photos?"/ "Can I get the RAW photos?"

It is very unusual for photographers to hand over the RAW files, because that is the file with most of the information that is intended for post-processing. Jessica Kobeissi has provided a more detailed explanation on why photographers don’t give out Raw files, so if you want further information on this topic, you can watch her video and read the comments below. I might be repeating myself, but if you approach me for a photoshoot, I assume that you know what kind of work I provide and how my process looks like. There have been people who asked me to take photos of them, who then proceeded to ask me for the unedited photos after the photoshoot. Some said I don’t have to edit them, because they want to post them on their Instagram, thinking that they are doing me a favor, because it is less work for me. However, the answer will be „NO“ for several reasons. 

It actually leaves a bitter taste behind, because with that I really get the feeling that I was just being used as a tripod or the release button of the camera and that I have not been approached for my art. After knowing what my portfolio looks like and approaching me for a shoot, I just don’t understand why you would ask for unedited images after the photoshoot. Then why did you even ask me to take photos of you in the first place? If you just want some photos for you Instagram feed, you can just ask a friend of yours to take some photos with your phone, then you will have your unedited photos right away. Most of the people who are in the model/photographer community know the etiquettes. That is not the case with people who aren’t part of the community, which is why I am often wary about working with those people. That is why it is important to educate yourself first in order to show that you understand and follow the etiquettes. 

My photography doesn’t end after pushing the release button. All the main work comes with the editing. That is when the raw image receives the distinguish look that is my style, my handwriting, the thing that differentiates me from the other photographers in the community. Every photographer has their own style. If we were to provide the Raw images there might be the risk of them being tampered with by someone else and we can’t prove that the photos are ours in case of a dispute. If something other than our editing is being shared online, people who don’t know us or our work will get a false impression of our work.  You don’t go to a bakery to ask for the dough instead of the bread, do you? It’s the same with the photo that comes out of the camera. It is the raw material we will be working with. 

So I kindly ask you to respect the person behind the camera as well as the work that goes into their craft. It is more than pushing the release button on the camera.

12. Instagram filters, VSCO filters etc.

It always irks me when people describe my editing process as putting filters on the photos. In my opinion calling the editing „filters“ discredits the whole work that has been put into a photo. It makes it sound as if what we’re doing is easy work and not something we spend several hours on. It takes one tap to put an Instagram filter on a photo, while it can take me several hours to finish one single photo.

Also, it is just disrespectful to put a filter on a photo that has been edited. There is literally no reason to change the look of an image a photographer has put hours and hours of work into. It will misrepresent the work of the photographer which can actually hurt their business. If you don’t like the look of the photo that has been provided, you can either ask the photographer to make some small changes or you can just not work with them if they have provided something that correlates with their portfolio. We don’t just „slap a filter“ on a photo. It is a lot more complex than that and it takes years of non-stop learning, trial and error.
Don’t just put a filter on it. Do it and the chances are high that the photographer won’t work with you a second time.

„The largest benefit to tagging as many people as possible is networking“ – honeybook.com

In my opinion, it is basic manners and the respectful thing to do to credit every single person involved in the process of creating an image. After all, in the end the model will be the center of attention in a photo, while the rest of the team behind all the process is often overlooked. I always make sure to credit everyone who played a role during a photoshoot in the description. This is an essential part of being a creative in this day and age of social media and online presence. It allows other people to find us and our work. Crediting shows your appreciation of the work and the people who created those photos with and for you. If you cannot show that much respect, then I’m sorry to say that you don’t deserve any of our time.

Conclusion

TFP-photoshoots can be a very good opportunity to do new, elaborated projects and to connect with new people. It is a way to learn and grow together, so it is important to know how to approach a photographer for a TFP-photoshoot correctly. If you know the proper way to do it, the chances of you being able to collaborate with your photographer of choice as well as getting a desired result, will be a lot higher.