I'm semi-new to MM. So far I've been lucky enough to work with some great photographers on a TFP basis, which has led to some paid gigs. And, about a month ago I took a bit leap of faith and moved to LA to pursue modeling and acting.

With all the TFP work I've been doing, I've encountered what probably other models have -- a photographer who did a TFP session, sent me the unedited images, promised he'd send the finals when he finished retouching, and then completely disappeared! What's the next step... are there good retouchers who will do TFP to build their portfolios?

Next... since I'm pursuing acting, I need to get some headshots, which of course are a completely different animal. Is there a such a thing as a good headshot photographer who does TFP? It seems to me that headshots are one of those things where it may be best simply to work with an established professional, but I thought I'd get the opinion of the community.

Of course, if you're reading this and you're a head shot photographer in the LA are or a retoucher who'd just love to do some TFP, send me a message. :-)

I am a bit surprised nobody has addressed this yet.

The first thing you need to understand is the copyrights belong to the photographer.  Retouching without the photographer's permission could expose you to legal ramifications.  Many photographers are touchy about other people retouching their photos because a horrible retouching job is a reflection on the photographer.  If you ask the photographer for permission to retouch, he may give you permission; he may offer to do it; he may offer to do it and charge you.  If it was a trade job (or you paid for them), the shots should have been portfolio ready when you got them.

Otherwise, you can trade for whatever you can arrange to trade for.  Work with the best photographers that you can.  When you are checking into your options, make sure you contact other models and query about the photographers reliability.  If you do a trade, you need to know that you WILL receive the photos, properly retouched, and they will be photos that meet your needs and are useable.

Please spend some time reading current and past threads so you better understand some of the opinions of other people.

Two things you should think about when looking for TFP for headshots:

1) You get what you pay for.

2) You have ONE SHOT at making a good impression with your headshot. Is that something you really want to be stingy on?

Money can be tight, I understand that. But you are trying to break into an industry where the competition is fierce but the payoff is huge. Your headshot is your resume' when applying for jobs. A bad photo is like submitting an application with spelling and grammar errors. Breaking into showbiz is hard enough without you sabotaging yourself.

Welcome to the Mayhem, best of luck. Sorry about your problem. Best thing to to try contacting the photographer to see if he will send you the edited shots or give you permission to edit them yourself. If you are not experienced in editing, try contacting some of the retouchers on MM to see what they would charge for doing the job.
Also, check references from other models that the photographer has worked with to see if he comes through in a timely fashion with the edited shots.

Hello & Welcome to MM.