Making the Deal – Negotiating the Shoot

When you negotiate a photo shoot, you need to have a clear understanding with your photographer, or agency on what you are going to get out of the work and what you are expected to do.

I want to focus on the TF shoot today.  First of all TF means “trade for” TFCD is trade for a CD disk. TFP is older and means trade for prints. I personally do TF with an online gallery and no CD because I like the delivery method and my models can share the link with who they want to.

You and your photographer should have a clear idea on what the trade is.  How many images do you get, how are they going to be delivered to you, how soon will you get them and what quality of digital images are you getting. Will the images be retouched, etc. Most good photographers will not give you every image from the shoot. They want only the very best work to be seen. Who picks the images to be edited? The photographer, the model, both? In my case, I usually choose which ones, but that is not always the case.

What does the model need to do to prepare? In the TF arrangement, who is providing make-up? This is negotiable. It could be the model or the photographer or the model might do her own.  Who is providing the wardrobe? Does the model need to come camera ready? What is the genre? Fashion, casual, swimsuit, glamour, art, etc?

Release. What does the release look like and say?  Ask the photographer to send you a copy of the release ahead of time so that you can read it, understand it, and ask questions about it if you are unsure. If a photographer will not send you a copy of the release before the shoot, you should wonder why.  You should also get a release to print or use the photos as per your agreement with the photographer. I either put the release on the printed side of the CD, or now I am including a release in the online gallery.

Have fun with your session, but make sure you both understand what you are each giving and getting for the shoot.