So I've decided that as soon as I'm done w/the few models I've lined up for TFCD work I'm gonna stop offering that type of service. I've been undercutting photogs who make a living off this type of work. I'm a staff photog in a local newspaper. Shooting women was a side thing for me that I've been doing as an xploration of my artistic/creative side in ways I don't get to as a p-journalist. I also didn't want to use pro-models 'cus I felt I'd lose the "candidness" I look for. I now think I can still get that even when I pay a model. I'm just gonna try to find the right subjects to work with. I've had some really good experiences with TFCD subjects and some really crappy ones. I've learned from them all. Now on to the next phase.

Right-On!!!!

Congrats!


M

If your choices are between paying models for shooting them for practice and doing TFP/CD with random people you meet, either here or elsewhere, you're not going to "save" someone who shoots for a living's job by going one way or the other.

The only person you're going to hurt is the hack that likes to think they're a "model photographer" because they've been shooting OMP and MM girls for a little while and now they want to charge for it because it fuels some self esteem problem they have.

There's plenty of people here who have no chance of ever becoming models (and/or photographers) for a living but who like shooting anyway.  There's absolutely no reason why you can't continue to hook up with those people to do something you enjoy.

If you really want to feel better about yourself in that regard though, learn who to refer those you work with to when they ask questions about entering one of the mainstream industries.

Andy

I have long thought that shooting tfp doesn't hurt anyone,infact it increases the potenial customers for pros in the long run.You can sleep soundly at night if you want to,your not hurting anybody's income by doing tfp .Infact you are probably helping them more than you think.First it is not unethical to shoot tfp,it's been around for a century or more(one of the first photographer's gave a model a tintype he took of her).People do tfp because they don't have the money to pay,or they don't think it is worth paying for it,so they are not going to hire a pro anyway.
   If your work is better than a pro that wants money,then that is his fault not yours,the market place is just thinning out the herd.
    And you shooting tfp with "non-models",builds alot of interest in people to
give it a try someday and to learn what is and isn't a good photo,so someday they will hire a pro.
   There are alot of business's based on this interest in modeling,the phony agents and agencies,the modeling schools,modeling conventions,etc.They all make money from little girls dreams,you provide something real without ripping them off,and you are building their confidence and someday that person will need the service of a pro.

Awesome! Seems like a natural step to take.

Never say Never, don't always say always, usually say usually.