TFP shoots, short for "Time for Print," are a common practice in the photography and modeling industries where photographers and models agree to collaborate without financial compensation. Instead, models receive professional photos for their portfolio, and the photographer can expand their own portfolio and execute creative ideas. In principle, the commercial use of the resulting images or videos from a TFP shoot is excluded.
TFP shoots offer several benefits:
- Portfolio building: Both models and photographers can expand their portfolios with professional shots.
- Creative exchange: TFP shoots provide an opportunity to explore creative ideas and test new techniques.
- Networking: Such shoots allow for building contacts and can lead to future paid assignments.
As with all productions, a TFP shoot should be well organized and planned. The process should be discussed in advance, including the type and style of images to be produced. The agreements for the TFP shoot should be documented through an appropriate model release. This provides legal security for both the model and the photographer regarding the future use of the images.