FAQ for models | CommandoArt.com | Thomas Holm

FAQ for models

When a male photographer makes pictures of female models there are a lot of questions cropping up, so let me help a bit with some of the more frequently asked ones to clear up misconception from the start:




Q: What will the images be used for?

A: Initially they will end on a website (likely right here). If the images become good I might offer to sell prints, or at some point make an exhibition or even a book, but I make pictures because I like to and that's about it. 

Q: What about payment and model release/agreement?

A: It depends on the kind of agreement we make:

I always work with a model contract. 

Always!

Fine art picture of nude girl lying on bed, Photo / Foto: Thomas Holm

This states I will always retain all usage rights for the images which is necessary for me to sell prints (selling is commercial) and making exhibitions and marketing materials around this. Therefore I use a standard 'all rights' contract which essentially means I have full rights over the images and can do with them what I want. If I can sell the images - good for me if not - too bad for me. Other than the initial agreement (TFP and/or modeling fee) you will not recieve any reimbursement later. If you want to pose specific limitations in how the images can be used we can usually work something out, but I need to know very early in the process if this is the case. There is a lot of time and preparation going on in coordination a session, time involved while shooting and a LOT of time selecting and retouching images afterwards. I need to know before committing to a session in order not to waste a lot of time. I'm sure you will appreciate this if you consider it carefully.

Q: If we make a TFP/TFCD agreement how many images will I receive?

A. It depends how many good images there are from the session. I like to finish images off to a very high standard. This means that I routinely spend between 1-4 hours retouching every single image. Normally from a 4-6 hour shoot I will deliver between 3-5 images from a TFP session to the model. Normally my models first comment when they see the images is a derivative of WOW. I strongly believe in quality over quantity, that is I prefer to make one very good image from a session available rather then 10 mediocre and not properly retouched images. And for TFP/TFCD jobs I don't mind making physical prints of some of the images either. While I will strive to edit images fairly soon and perhaps make a webgallery so the model can have a look at the images from the session, it will likely be a matter of several weeks before I'm able to supply finished retouched images depending on workload.

Q: What if I have limitations to the kind of pictures I want to make?

Anonymous nude on a staircase, Eyes wide shut style, Photo / Foto: Thomas Holm

A. Most models have certain things they are not comfortable participating in, or certain kind of pictures they are not interesting in publicising. I never try to make models do pictures they are not interested in doing, and I always respect personal limits. I do prefer to know these in advance as I often have a very good idea on what I want to achieve in a certain session. Knowing personal borders in advance often makes the difference between a good session where we both are comfortable with what we do and one where you as a model feel I try to make you do something you don't want to do. 

A model that constantly says NO when asked to pose in a certain way is not a dream scenario for a photographer, and a photographer that constantly try and push limits can be annoying for a model, both are mood killers. Limits are fine, but let's get them out in the open in advance so we can enjoy the session and make pictures we both like.







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