TFP, it means Time For Prints. Before the digital photography revolution it really was the photographer trading his time with a model in exchange for prints. These days the trading is for files on a CD or DVD.
This practice was started as an agreement between beginning photographers and models. The models wants to build their portfolio and so does the photographer and since neither could afford to hire an experienced photographer or model a deal was agreed on where the model would trade her time for the photographers skills.
Many times a MUA or make up artist would get involved and donate their skills in exchange for files too.
In the last few years there has been an explosion of this concept. There are now many websites that cater to photographers, models, MUA's. These sites have also attracted agents and talent agencies and have developed in large communities with tens of thousand of participants.
I am often asked "How do I get a job modeling" by those just starting out. Well, I explain there really is no such profession as "modeling" its really advertising. You are an element, a part of the scene that is created in order to sell a product.
Being a model does not mean you have to be drop dead gorgeous. Look in any magazine and you will see that most of the people are more or less ordinary looking. They get the job because they have a look that the art director was looking for.
So can you expect to get work from doing TFP and joining an online forum? Maybe, in many ways modeling
is like acting and there are a lot of out of work actors. What many people do is TFP for fun. It really is a blast and if you like having photos of yourself you will get some amazing shots that you would otherwise never get. These are not the kind of shots you will get at sears.
The real people who benefit from TFP session are the beginning photographers, they are getting access to beautiful people that they could never afford to pay for. There are a lot of people calling themselves photographers these days that are producing very poor work,and there are a lot of real good photographers to. Yes I know art is in the eye of the beholder and all of that but once you get involved and see what others are doing I think you will agree.
A word of caution! There are a lot of weirdos out there. NEVER go to a shoot by yourself. Check the person out by looking at their profile and messaging other that have shot with the person.
Don't get scammed. If you are approached by an agency that tells you that you have a lot of potential and then asks you to pay for classes or photo sessions with their exclusive photographer then you are most likely being taken. If you have what an agency can sell they will market you and take a percent of what the job pays.
By the way, there are many amazing photographers and world class models on these sites. You can see a wide range of talent.
Here are two good site that will give you a good idea of the world of TFP modeling.
http://www.modelmayhem.com/
http://www.onemodelplace.com/
You can join both of these sites for free and get a small portfolio page.
I do have profile on both of these sites but I am not connected with them in any other way.
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