GGP Studios Compensation Guidelines and Options

New models often ponder how much they should charge for a shoot. The right answer, if you have very little experience, is that you shouldn't charge at all, but work on a TF* basis with photographers whose work you like, and who will give you experience, help, and advice. Once you get some experience, and have built a portfolio of various styles, you can start to consider charging. If you're not tall enough(5'10"), and skinny enough(<120 lbs), to be a fashion model however, you may find it very hard to get paid for anything but nudes and promotional modeling.

Here are some of my thoughts on some of the things you might want to consider:

If you’re really a beginner, and don’t have a large repertoire of poses, or might need some extra time and patience to get used to being nude etc, don’t try to charge fees, that's what TF* shoots are for. If you charge more than you're really worth, you’ll just disappoint the photographer, and nobody will have fun. I am very patient and understanding with beginning models, especially regarding nudity, but if you charge me money, I don’t consider you a beginner.

Many models do it for fun. The higher the fee you ask, the more a photographer will expect from you, and things might seem more rushed and less fun. If it's not costing the photographer as much, the shoot can be much more relaxed. Also, the lower the fee, the more control most photographers will give you over what is shot, and what shots get released. Get a clear agreement from the photographer in advance regarding what types of shots he wants and expects, and set your fee accordingly, and then be willing to do the things you agreed to do. Another factor to consider is what the photographer will be using the finished pictures for. If they're only for his portfolio, he probably can't pay you much at all, if anything. If they're for a commercial project that he's being hired for, then you have a reasonable expectation to get paid as well.

My preference is to make every shoot as much fun as possible for both of us, which boils down to; Try to be reasonable, and charge only what you need to, to feel satisfied with doing the shoot. TF* is always much more fun for both of us!

This is all about expectations on both sides. Clear communication is vital in making sure each of us understands what is expected of us.

Compensation options for models:

• Hourly rate
• Half day rate
• Full day rate
• $travel allowance + TF/CD
• straight TF/CD
• A partnership arrangement, where a portion of the profits from the sale of her photos goes to the model.

Currently, I only pay very experienced, very special models and only for special projects that I anticipate being able to make money from. If I pay you, you are not necessarily entitled to receive a CD from the shoot. If you're working on your portfolio, we should be doing TF*! I may well give you a CD out of the goodness of my heart, or if I think you'll provide a promotional opportunity for me, but you're not entitled to one.

The argument: "I have very little experience, but I don't do nudes for TF*", doesn't hold water with me. If you're willing to do nudes, you do them regardless of the particular compensation option we're using. TF* is not "doing it for free". It is a trade of the photographer's time, studio rental, equipment costs, for the model's time and wardrobe/makeup/styling expenses. If you're only willing to do nudes when you're being paid cash money, you probably shouldn't be doing them at all. You won't hear a photographer say that they won't use all their creativity, or work out fancy lighting, because it's a TF* shoot. It's the same thing.

If you like my work, and would like me to do a photo layout for you, be it a model portfolio, portraits, or what have you, without needing to do something else in exchange, you can of course, hire me to do that. I charge a $50 booking fee (in advance) and $60 per hour for each additional hour (2 hour minimum). That includes studio time. For that you get three high resolution, fully edited shots on a CD per hour of work. Additional edited images are $15 each.

I saw another photographer express compensation in the following very concise and simple way:

• If you're paying me, we do what you want.
• If I'm paying you, we do what I want.
• If we're doing TF* we each do what the other wants and vice verse.

I know this is a lot to consider, but I wanted to lay out all your options and make it crystal clear how I think about compensation.

Gary(at)GGPstudios.com