TFP / TFCD Photoshoot in Singapore

What is TFP or TFCD photoshoot?

TFCD means Time for Compact Disk (CD) and TFP means Time for Print. Some people may use "trade" or "test" instead of "time" or even reverse it like PFT (Print for Time). Both TFCD and TFP have a similar meaning, such that the photographer, model, stylist, makeup artist, hairstylist and fashion designer would work together (trade their time) on a project for free to help build up their portfolios or simply for self-interest. Basically, it is a collaboration shoot. At the minimum, the photographer and model would take up all the roles.

In the past, the photographer might give the model printouts (hardcopy photographs) for a TFP photoshoot, while a compact disk (CD) for a TFCD photoshoot. However, with the improvement in technology nowadays, many photographers would prefer sending the final work through the internet, such as email or Facebook. Therefore, nobody should expect to receive a printout or CD even though they are doing a "TFCD" or "TFP" photoshoot. Some TFCD photographers may be dying to meet up with the models again and thus insist on providing a CD.

The model needs not have to be a professional or aspiring model nor require any modelling experience, the same goes for the other parties. No one should demand any remuneration, not even for food or transportation; if one party demands a "transportation fee", it is no longer considered a TFCD shoot. The number of photographs given by the photographer is to be discussed among the team. Some photographers may give all unedited photographs to the models but good (in skill) and decent photographers would usually give a couple of well edited photographs.

You may be interested to read: TFP / TFCD Tips for Models & Photographers

Purposes of this TFCD page

I've spent lots of time and effort in writing and updating (very frequently) this page for big reasons.

Educate people I started with zero knowledge but I'm lucky that a very experienced commercial makeup artist has been guiding me on everything, including the rights of photographers and proper ground rules; therefore, I have a good head start.

However, through my years of encounters with various makeup artists, "made-up" artists, models and "models" who have approached me, I can see that there's a very unhealthy trend for TFCD shoots. It's likely due to their previous experiences in casual shoots that have given them the wrong knowledge and expectations. Many people are not cooperating well in the planning phase and they also have many unreasonable demands.

I believe most people do not mean any harm but they do insult photographers unintentionally.
Reduce number of weird "models" approaching me I receive requests for TFCD shoots frequently. My time is flexible but extremely tight, to the extent that I have to turn down clients sometimes, apart from replying to them late.

Whenever a "model" approaches me for a TFCD shoot, I have to spend a lot of time looking through her social media and discussing with her while determining her character, style and expectation. Therefore, everyone who approaches me will take up a lot of my time regardless of whether we do go ahead with the shoot or not. Besides, I can get soft-hearted easily and thus I have to "get rid of" unsuitable models before they contact me.

When I mention "weird", I literally mean it, especially in terms of attitude. Browse around my website or ask me directly for the stories, and you will understand why I have to defer people from approaching me.

As I pile up more information, including requirements, here, I have successfully reduced the number of enquiries even though my portfolio and marketing are improving tremendously. The length of this page may have also driven away many potential models who can help me to create very good work - I cannot help it.
Reduce redundant typing work and be consistent Whenever any model approaches me, I will give the URL of this page to her directly and this has thus saved me from typing the rules and procedure over and over again. Moreover, this page will prevent me from missing out on any important point.
Avoid wasting anyone's time Since I have stated the rules clearly, the model can go away if she does not agree with them. It's absolutely a waste of time for models to contact me and realise we have different views halfway through the discussion.
Avoid any miscommunication/misunderstanding Clear rules will help prevention of such problems. I try to stay friends with people who approach me, especially those I get to work with. It's better for us to remain as strangers than to fall out during the process - before, during or after the shoot.

TFCD/TFP Photoshoot with Skai Chan

I'm a freelance photographer who makes money through taking photographs for clients. My portfolio is sufficient to showcase the quality of my work. Due to extreme time constraints, I'm only doing limited and selective TFCD photoshoots that can benefit me.

My goals for doing TFCD Photoshoot

My two main goals are for marketing and creating artwork .

Marketing My main purpose for doing a TFCD photoshoot is for marketing. I will post the new work to my website and social media or even use them to take part in a competition. I'm expecting the team to tag me when they upload the photographs on their social media profiles as well, which will showcase my talent to their followers.

For the photographs to go viral easier, I'm looking at more interesting or artsy themes, which may be sexy.

One type of artwork I'm looking at is boudoir shoot. Many clients who have real spending power are young or middle-aged adults who want to keep the photographs as a memory before they turn old. Therefore, I'm looking forward to creating more boudoir albums to showcase them to potential clients.
Creating art work My greatest interest in portrait photography is on art photoshoots, which are more unique and challenging to do. The usual kind of Garden Shoot will not benefit any professional photographer, except those who are simply looking for a date with the model. The usual clients would request other types of photoshoots, such as fashion, corporate and wedding, and thus there's no logic for me to do TFCD photoshoots for those normal themes. Since most clients would rather pay me more for me to keep the photographs private for art shoots, I'm more in need of models who allow me to showcase my talent in artwork to the public.

I can't describe my ideas in full detail in my modelling casting calls because I do not want others to pick up and do before me.
Ease of work Whether it's a paid or collaboration (TFCD) shoot, I would do my best to create a masterclass work to be showcased on my portfolio.

While everyone can appear pretty in photographs with the help of a very good hair and makeup artist, and good planning of the shoot by the photographer, it depends on the looks to determine the effort to be spent. For the TFCD shoot, I'm looking for good-looking models so that I can produce beautiful photographs easily, especially without the help of any hair and makeup artist.

After all, many aspiring models are approaching me for collaboration work and thus I have to be very selective about the looks of the model.
Educational purpose I have written many tips and articles related to photography. For some articles, I need specific illustrations. For example, I need to display the before and after Photoshop photographs to demonstrate what is a professional photo editing and I also want to show people what is "fashion gone wrong". There are many topics I wish to touch on but I need the photographs, which will require brave souls to take up.
Try/practise new shooting style or equipment There are countless different types of photography styles and equipment (lenses and light modifiers). They require hands-on to try out to understand and get used to them.
Test "new" hair and make-up artists I practise caution and will at least have a test shoot with the makeup and hairstylist before introducing them to clients. This will help to discover the make-up artists' skills and attitudes.
Help potential models and make-up artists You can call me a busybody but it's my habit to try to help others within my capability. Of course, I will only help people who deserve it in terms of their attitude. What I can do is produce quality work to improve their portfolio while giving them some exposure.
Make friends of same interest No man is an island and we need friends who share the same interest. I have enjoyed working with most of the people who have spent effort in creating artwork with me. People who have worked with me will understand my true passion for art. We may not be free to keep in touch but the photographs do remind us of the beautiful moments.
Learn new things (photography and others) No one knows everything. I have been picking up knowledge of all kinds even from amateurs. Therefore, for every TFCD project, I'm looking forward to learning more things, including things that are not related to photography.

Talents I would work with

The person must have a reasonable level of IQ and EQ and is open-minded.

Female models Read requirements at: volunteer models wanted for photoshoot
Hair & Makeup artists (HMUAs) Read requirements at: makeup artists and hairstylists in Singapore
Female assistants Read requirements at: photographer assistants needed
Fashion designers / Wardrobe sponsors

Benefits of working with Skai

Artistic photographs My mentor, Tricia Lee, is an experienced professional commercial makeup artist who has taught me to look out for flaws in photographs. Both of us have a high standard for artistic/tasteful photographs, and thus no sexy theme will become porn-like. In contrast, many "photographers" have produced low-quality sexy photographs that have printed negative thoughts on the shoot.
Quality of photographs I will be doing advanced editing to the photographs like what I will do for commercial standards, which may take hours for each photograph. You will be able to get some decent-quality photographs if you can cooperate fully with me. You can judge the quality from my portfolio and compare them with other photographers' work. At least, clients are willing to pay me to have their photographs taken by me.
Safety I do not force any model to do anything dangerous.
No hanky-panky You want to feel safe no matter how much or little you are going to wear during the shoot. I have heard stories from models about what many "photographers" try to do during the shoot. I'm a guy but I know how to respect my models. I do not even touch my models to pose them during the shoot - you can verify this with the models who have worked with me before. What I'm eyeing is to produce good artwork.
Mental preparation I will send you the photographs, as a form of respect, before I upload them anywhere unless you don't reply to my text fast (within a day) or even go MIA somehow.
Reputation If you happen to shoot with any blacklisted photographer, people who see the photographs may be wondering what may have happened during the shoot and your reputation is at stake. On the other hand, artsy photographs would improve your reputation.

I'll also try to do a write-up on the album, which may help you.
No blaming game There're many factors contributing to the success of a shoot and often, unforeseeable problems may surface, including bad weather. Even if our photoshoot doesn't turn out well due to your lack of experience, you won't be blamed if you've cooperated with me. That means, for example, you should have done things such as sending photographs of you in the outfits during the planning phase and turning up on time for the actual shoot.

Do note that I will be including the mistakes/problems encountered in my articles, without stating names, for educational purposes. I don't mean to insult or blame anyone.
Future opportunities I will rope in people who have worked with me before (and can click) for any commercial project in future. Of course, if I were to get paid for any project, I will not let my teammates go home empty-handed.

You request a shoot with me only if you:

Are fascinated by my art work
Trust my (2) professionalism and character
Trust my ability in delivering excellent and unique work

If you think other photographers can produce similar or better work, kindly do not waste my time because you are likely not going to put in enough effort even for the (long and tedious) discussion. Besides, those photographers can probably do many things just to please you.

Details required from models

You may use the Google Form or contact me directly. (copy and paste them, and include your answers by the side or below each item)

To understand your physical looks, character, intelligence level, preferences, availability and whether you can fit into any shoot that I'm looking for, please provide me with the following details/items immediately:

1. Do you agree to the terms and conditions?
2. Will your boyfriend/husband and family be concerned about you doing the shoot?
3. Your purpose of doing the shoot (e.g. just for fun or for a modelling portfolio).
4. Your age.
5. Your height and weight.
6. Your full body vital statistics. (eg. 33B-25-35)
7. Your home location.
8. Your makeup and hair-styling skills.
9. Your experience in modelling.
10. Themes that you are interested in (if applicable).
11. The portrait album(s) of mine you like most.
12. Your restrictions (e.g. no nude, implied nude, lingerie, swimwear, low-cut, short bottom... etc).
13. Your recent (1) full body and (2) closed-up photographs with (if you know) and without makeup.
14. Links to your social media profiles that are viewable.
15. Your dates of availability.
16. Your contact number for WhatsApp.
17. What do you like and hate about your looks?
18. How would working with you benefit me in my photography? (eg. you're pretty, versatile, easy-going, popular... etc. There's no right or wrong answer.)
19. Do you intend to have just a shoot with me or more than one shoot?
20. Have you and are you going to contact other photographers?

Common sense:

If I can't get a clear picture of your looks (figure and naked face), I can't decide on anything.
If you don't dare to show me your naked face, you're probably looking too horrible for any photographer to shoot.
If I don't get to see (not imagine through your description) your outfits, I can't decide on the theme/style.
If you approach me without providing the details/items above, I may mistake you for a weirdo and ignore you. You can carry on with your compliments for me but it will not help in determining your eligibility.

Terms and Conditions

Help you to receive the best artwork possible.
Protect my rights as a photographer.
Not damage the professional photography industry.
Avoid any future misunderstanding/dispute.
Allow me to continue doing TFCD shoots in future.

By doing a TFCD photoshoot with me, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

Legal rights:
1. ContractBoth verbal and digital agreements to the terms and conditions stated on this page are legal contracts between us, without the need for physical documents. All our digital conversations will also be kept.
2. Model release formYou may be required to sign a model release form, which is for you to acknowledge all rights of the photographs belong to me even though it is a common knowledge that photographers own the rights.
3. ConsentIf you are under the age of 21, you need to get the consent of your parent or guardian before agreeing to shoot with me.
4. CancellationThe shoot will be cancelled, at any time, if I think we have a different working style or attitude, you have a lack of trust in me, you don't cooperate well, you turn down my proposal of concepts, you feel uncomfortable with me in any way, you reply slowly, you don't prioritise the shoot, or you postpone the shoot.
5. BlacklistIf you stop replying to me suddenly instead of updating me directly that you are not keen on the shoot anymore, you will be blacklisted and your name will be broadcasted.
6. No commercial workDoing free commercial work will only hurt the photography industry and I do not do it. If you require a photograph to do a sponsored post on your social media or blog, it is also considered commercial work.
7. Legal feesAll legal fees will be paid by you if you abuse or harm my photography services in any way. For example, part of your purpose of doing the shoot with me is for commercial purposes, you break our confidentiality or you edit any of the photographs before uploading.
Confidentiality:
1. No mention of TFCDWhen you post any photograph online or chat with anyone, do not directly or indirectly mention TFCD/collaboration, for example, thanking me for the "opportunity". Do direct all enquiries about my photography services to me.
2. Keep all conversations between you and meI may be sharing with you stories about my previous shoots and the people whom I have worked with. You do not share any story or comment from me with anyone, not even if he/she is involved in our shoot, since stories/jokes may accidentally be twisted.
Return me the favours:
1. Write me a testimonialAfter receiving the photographs, write me a testimonial based on the photoshoot to help other people know better about me, your experience and the quality of photographs you receive.
2. Recommend my photography servicesDo a social media or blog post to recommend my photography services and ask your friends and followers to follow me on my social media accounts.
3. Credit everyoneCredit to everyone involved, including the HMUA and me (my Facebook page, Instagram page and this photography website) when you post the photographs anywhere.
4. Tagging/Crediting youI may tag you on the photographs when I upload the photographs to my social media profiles, such as Facebook page and Instagram. Note that marketing is my top priority in doing the TFCD shoot.
Communication:
1. WhatsAppWe will use WhatsApp for discussion, especially for group chat if the shoot involves a third party (eg. HMUA, assistant). We need a common chat messenger that allows us to share images and files easily, and all conversations will be retained for future reference.
2. Video ChatI may request a video chat for easier discussion and to reduce awkwardness during the actual shoot since we haven't even met before. If you are too shy for a virtual meet-up, you are probably too shy for the shoot.
3. Your inputs of ideasMy working style is exploring and sharing of ideas. You are very welcome to give suggestions but not demand nor use a passive-aggressive manner to pressure me to make any decision.
4. You will be judgedI may discuss your looks and attitude, including both positive and negative aspects, with my team (HMUA, assistant etc). This is to determine if we should work with you or if you suit any theme/concept. We are not obliged to share any detail with you because some truths may hurt.
Products and Services:
1. DurationYou will be given up to four hours of photography services, excluding makeup and hairstyling. If a professional HMUA is involved, the styling may require another two hours. These durations are estimated and will vary depending on the concept of the shoot.
2. Number of photographsYou will be given up to six photographs and they will be enhanced with advanced editing. This is roughly around one to two photographs for each outfit if we are doing a shoot for three outfits. I may provide more photographs if there is a huge variety of photographs and not too much editing work is needed. In cases that your makeup, hair or expression is not up to my standard and beyond my limited Photoshop skill to touch up, I will try to give you a few "behind-the-scene" photographs for your keepsake instead.
3. No raw file and no unedited photographOnly the edited photographs in JPG format with watermark (copyright) embedded will be given to you, via online download.
4. No demand for any photographYou cannot make any request to make me send you any photograph even if you think it is nice. We may take a few hundred photographs and there may be a dozen of good ones, but I will only choose the best few that are nice and also suit the theme/concept most. Some photographs may look good on the small LCD screen behind the camera but they may be blurred or have some flaws when you view them on a bigger screen.
5. Editing to my standardDuring the discussion phase, you can propose which parts of your body to be or not be edited, however, I make the final decision.
6. Third-person viewing of photographsPhotographs may be vetted by my post-production team (eg. a makeup artist or assistant) even if she is not involved in the actual shoot.
7. Wait for final photographsMy clients may have to wait for months (reference: my service agreement for clients) and I will prioritise them. Do note that I do not rush out unsatisfactory work and I also want to finish post-production soon to move on with new projects.
Copyrights and Privacy:
1. CopyrightsI own all rights to all photographs (RAW and edited) taken and will put them up online, such as on this website, as my portfolio, or submit them for competition. You have no right to reject or make me remove any photo at any time.
2. Use of the photograph by youYou can use the photograph on your portfolio and social media. You do not have the right to sell the photograph or transfer the rights to anyone.
3. No editing of photographYou do not edit any of the photographs in any way, not even if you are a designer. You do not add any filter by using any APPs, such as Instagram or Mei Tu Xiu Xiu.
4. No cropping of photographYou do not crop any of the photographs in any way. If you are posting any photograph on Instagram, click on the feature to upload a picture of the original ratio. If the photograph is in portrait orientation and Instagram has a limitation in displaying the full length of it, do use an APP such as "Square inPic" to add borders or make it square before uploading it.
5. Showcase of "before and after" photographsI may use the photographs, both edited and unedited, to showcase both my photography and photo-editing skill.
6. Write-up about the shootI will try to do a write-up about the shoot, which will be posted to my website and social media. If you have an issue with me indicating your full name or even real name, or other details, let me know at the start of the discussion phase. Thereafter, You have no right to request me to amend or remove any part of the write-up.
7. Case studiesI will be using the problems faced throughout our interaction and the actual shoot to educate people, without mentioning names. Be chilled since everyone, including me, will make unintentional errors.
8. Search enginesSearch engines, such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ecosia and DuckDuckGo, and other websites may capture and store the contents (photograph and write-up), and I bear no responsibility for any such use.
Planning and Discussion:
1. ThemeIf you have done a similar theme or concept before and you reject my proposal, you can go back to the same person instead.
2. Planning the conceptShow me your (both casual and photoshoot) photographs, preferably via Facebook and Instagram, to find out your style, personality and outfits.
3. Knowing your tasteTell me your favourite album(s) of mine and show me some other people's photographs that you like for me to understand your taste. However, do not expect me to produce the same style of work.
4. Your concern and restrictionLet me know of any concern and restriction. For example, if you are highly allergic to grass, sand or dust, or you cannot swim.
5. Avoid PhotoshopProfessional photographers put things correct at the shoot to reduce Photoshop work. If you have a scar or pimple that makeup cannot cover completely, it is fine. However, if you, for example, use a bra with transparent/translucent straps or wear shorts under your skirt that will somehow be visible easily, do not waste your time.
6. Date and timePreferably on a weekday. The time of the shoot should not fall between 10am and 3pm, unless we are doing an indoor (eg. studio) shoot. For the morning shoot, we may have to begin right after sunrise and for the afternoon shoot, we may have to begin around two hours before sunset. Therefore, if a professional HMUA is involved, the makeover for the morning shoot will begin in the early morning.
7. Building trustRead about me, this page and look at my portrait photography portfolio to know both my working and shooting style. You are likely able to judge my character through my portfolio and writing as well.
8. Hair and makeupIf a makeup artist and hairstylist is available, you have to work with her no matter how good you think your makeup skill is. You may have to go for the actual shoot in your naked face to avoid wasting time removing your makeup, which will be advised by the HMUA. Also, ensure your hair is dry at the stated meeting time with the HMUA. If no HMUA is involved, you have to put on at least basic makeup by yourself.
9. Personal groomingTake care of your hygiene and grooming - nails, complexion, eyebrows etc. Go for your usual facial, haircut, manicure and/or SPA sessions if you need them. Note that you may need to allow your skin to rest for a few days before the shoot. Sleep early the night before the shoot to be in tip-top condition and your skin will be able to absorb makeup better.
Outfit(s):
1. Show your outfit(s)Most likely, you have to provide your outfit. You have to show me and the makeup artist (if available) what you have to decide on the most suitable one(s). You put on the outfit(s) and snap a full body (including your face) photograph each for me. Don't ask me to visualise how the outfits will look on you. It is also to avoid (repeated) cases of miscommunication or last-minute realisation of missing outfits.
2. Selection of outfit(s)If I'm interested in any outfit found on your social media, you do not turn me down even if you have used it for any shoot before. For example, if you have done a bikini photoshoot with another photographer, you do not reject me if I'm interested in using the bikini for our shoot.
3. No bra with transparent strapsStrictly no bra with transparent/translucent straps.
4. Push-up braDepending on the outfit, if you have a push-up bra, use it.
5. Colour of underwearMake sure the colour of the bra and panties is similar to your skin or outfit.
6. No revealing any underwear if unintendedIf it is not intended, no part of your bra or underwear should be exposed during the shoot, not even by accident due to movement during the shoot. For any bareback or sleeveless outfit, such as spaghetti, tank top or tube, you do not wear any bra that comes with straps. You may use a strapless bra, stick-on bra (adhesive/nude bra) or nipple sticker, as long as they will not be shown easily as you move about during the shoot. For V neck outfit, you may consider using a plunge bra. Safety pants may be useful for certain clothes/themes like cheerleaders wear but they have to be very short, or otherwise, keep it to panties.
7. No bra nor panty line if unintendedPanty line is the edge of a woman's panties especially when it can be seen through her clothing as a long, thin line. For bodycon/figure-hugging clothes, use a seamless bra and panty, g-string, nipple stickers or nude bra if necessary. Of course, do not wear shorts underneath.
8. Braless and no pantyIf the theme requires, the outfit would look better or you do not have a strapless bra, nude bra or nipple tape, you may go braless.
9. Avoid bra marks for the shootFor example, if you are going to use a tube top/dress for the shoot, you must not wear a bra with straps that may leave marks on your shoulders for hours.
Actual shoot:
1. Presence of third personI will inform you before the shoot if my assistant and/or makeup artist, if available, will be tagging along. I will try to keep the team all female to avoid any uneasiness for you (and me), but there is no guarantee of this since most of my friends who drive are male and they can help to carry my equipment for outdoor shoots. If we are doing any indoor shooting and none of my female assistants is available, I may request you to bring along a female friend of yours.
2. Your escortStrictly no male companion. If you need to bring a female escort along for the shoot, let me know at the start of the discussion phase. You can bring along a female friend but she has to be useful enough to assist you at least in tidying up your hair and securing my equipment, such as a light stand and modifier from the wind. Do not behave like she is a real escort because that can be an insult to my character and professionalism.
3. Be accommodating and positiveYou are expected to walk as we find good spots at the site for outdoor shoots. You are expected to sit, squat, kneel or lie down - do not complain about getting dirty or drenched unless you have voiced out at the start of the discussion.
4. Looking at youIt is my job to look at you from a close distance from head to toe, from time to time, to spot any error. Errors can be tiny strands of hair on your forehead or even misalignment of your bra or the revealing of your panties by accident. These errors may cost me additional hours of Photoshop time for each photograph and in many cases, the photograph cannot be saved.
5. Body contactWe stay professional. My female HMUA or assistant will assist you in posing and may have limited body contact with you. If there's no third party around and given any necessary situation, I will be the one adjusting your hair and outfit. If you verbally permit me to adjust your poses, I may use the back of my hand to do it; but most of the time, I may give up the pose if I'm very certain that we have already gotten some excellent photographs.
6. Sneak previewYou can look at the photographs on my camera if both time and my camera's battery permit. I may even request you to see to improve your posture/expression or build your confidence during the shoot. Some photographs may look nice on the small LCD screen but when we zoom in on large monitors, your expression may be bad or maybe it's a test shot (eg. for camera setting, composition or lighting).

Reasons you should not work with Skai

I'm not sure what other photographers will do to please you for a TFCD photoshoot, but I have my principles and I'm not going to "spoil the market" (set a bad trend, kill the rights of photographers... etc) even though it is in a mess now. I'm a person who is endlessly trying to make every friend happy and satisfied, but please be mindful that I'm not trying to bed you.

Proper planning We take time and effort to discuss and plan. I do not just count on luck to produce good work; I do my best in planning. Even if the final product turns out to be less pleasing than expected due to unforeseeable problems, I will be glad that I have done my best given the situation. That means my model has to cooperate with me during the planning phase, including discussion of the exact outfit(s) to be used. It just takes a few minutes to snap photographs and send me to make sure we are on the same and right track and that I can visualise the shoot better. From my experience, models who give excuses not to show me the actual outfits beforehand are over-confident and lack real experience and are likely not easy to work with.
Honesty You may not always hear the good things. I will not blindly say you are pretty when you are not, and I may point out flaws for you to improve/hide. If you have low self-esteem or are doubtful of people (their intentions), you will probably feel offended. Furthermore, your admirers must have been worshipping you on social media without pointing out your flaws which may make you unable to accept the reality that no one is perfect.
No car You do not get a free chauffeur to fetch and send you home. You are expected to walk with me to find good spots for outdoor shooting. If you are lazy, do not force yourself and end up feeling frustrated. Just do not forget that photography equipment is usually over 10kg and sometimes double or triple the weight, and you do not have the right to complain if the photographer is not.
Have only a small makeshift studio Most of the themes I tend to be interested in are more suitable for outdoor shooting. To put it simply, you are likely not going to have the comfort of having air-con or a clean chair during the shoot. If necessary, I can set up a small makeshift studio in my house, which will take 3-4 hours to set up and dismantle, including moving furniture and cleaning up.
No assistant For TFCD shoots, I may work on my own because my assistants are likely, not available. Even if a makeup artist is present, I would avoid asking for assistance, unless I need to secure the lighting equipment from the wind. I do not like to abuse people. Therefore, I may need more time to set up my equipment, including securing them somehow. If you need someone to carry your stuff, do get your female friend along.
Low or no budget I'm not born with a silver spoon. I would rather spend the money for a TFCD shoot on buying equipment. If the item is very "small" and can make a big difference, I'm fine with it. I will persuade my team member(s) not to waste money as well. So, renting of studio or hotel is a no-no for my TFCD shoot, unless we have a sponsor.
Small number of photographs Read: How many photographs should a photographer give?

If you weigh quantity over quality, you are going to be disappointed while I'm going to be even more disappointed in you. Even if you are lucky enough to get a good makeup artist to work together, your face will still be required to be touched up. It takes time to filter and edit photographs. I have experienced spending five hours just touching up one photo to the extent that my wrist started aching. If I were to work on more photographs, I will not be able to keep up with my patience and there will be many photographs that are under-satisfactory despite you may not be able to tell the flaw(s). Lastly, if you are the type of person who wants a lot of photographs in the same outfit and location, trust me, you do not know how to appreciate photographs.
No raw photographs If you are someone who knows a bit about PhotoShop or Lightroom, you still do not have the right to insult the photographer by implying that you can do the same or a better post-processing job. The actual taking of photographs together with post-processing work represents the photographer's work. No good photographer will allow you to do editing work and credit him; you are only going to tarnish his reputation. Of course, some "commercial" photographers do this to please the "models" because they aim to enjoy the process of shooting naked models instead of creating additional artwork for their portfolios. Every shoot I do will be for my portfolio, although I'm trying to enjoy myself during the shoot, cleanly and decently.
You do not get to choose the photographs I may allow you to view the photographs on my camera and highlight which photographs you like a lot. However, the final decision lies with me. Firstly, photographers hold the rights and secondly, different people may have different opinions. You work with me because you trust my taste.
You are not allowed to edit or crop any photograph Photo taking and post-processing (editing) come in a package, just like a baker who bakes and adds toppings to the surface of his cake. The final photographs that are sent to you are edited to my liking and you believe in my taste and skill as a photographer, or otherwise, pass a camera to your grandma to help you take photographs instead. That means if you like a certain filter of an application or prefer the photograph in square dimension, you are still not allowed to edit.
Speed I cannot return you the photographs fast. I have my life and work, and I have my clients to answer to. Some photographers can promise to give you the final photographs, with or without editing, within a day, a week or a month - I cannot give any empty promises. At least I know my final photographs have a certain quality. If I have stated on my service agreement for clients that they would receive their photographs within two months, don't expect a better "treatment" than those who are helping me with my rice bowl.
More exposure This is very good for new models, but in case you are socially awkward or just want to keep a super duper low profile, you should not work with me. The main reason for me to shoot with you is probably for marketing and thus I will post the photographs online and even submit them for competitions. Therefore, there is no way I'm going to shoot for you as a collaboration and not upload the photographs - remember that I do not owe you anything.
I do not take down any photograph In future, if you somehow regret having your photographs taken due to whatever reason (eg. your mama or boyfriend is not happy), I will not entertain your request. I do not let anyone make use of me when they are happy and then kill all my effort (including doing a write-up, resizing the photographs to web versions, coding the new page and linking various pages to each other) when they somehow change their minds. Note that I do not even entertain any client who does not want me to publish any of the work - I have even turned down shoots from big companies.

Symptoms that you are not interested

"If you are not serious, people can feel it through your actions; no sweet words can cover up your lack of interest."

Besides marketing purposes, I'm always on the lookout for suitable TFCD models to accomplish various shooting themes and concepts that not many paying clients would be suitable for. Unfortunately and fortunately I have met an uncountable number of time-wasters. This is the main reason I try not to plan too much until I confirm the model is serious and I'm sick of the model approaching me and asking me for ideas for the shoot. Ideas are valuable, especially customised ones.

I have been dealing with many fickle-minded girls who have always sounded chatty and delightful during our initial discussions. I suppose they have also messaged a few photographers in the same period. They cannot tell the difference between professional and amateur work, or at least they do not foresee the photographs I'm going to produce with them would make a difference to them.

Here are some tips to find out if you are interested and serious about doing a photoshoot or NOT:

You take ages to reply to my messages
You reply with any unconstructive message (e.g. "lol") and stop
You cannot confirm the date and time for our shoot
You dare not promise me that you will shoot after confirming our shooting date
You take ages to prepare photographs of your outfits to send me
You postpone our shoot because of your newly scheduled tuition or driving lesson etc
You do not sleep early for the early morning shoot

Read: How to tell if someone truly appreciates a photographer's work

FAQ

Q. Can you do TFCD shoot with me?

A. Just read the entire page and provide me with the details for me to judge and decide. You need to have a little bit of IQ and understand that no photographer will work with you without knowing your exact looks. He will also not be able to think of a theme for you without knowing what kind of wardrobe you own.

Q. Can I don't reply to you with some of the sensitive details?

A. No, I don't earn anything from doing TFCD shoots and I have limited time in taking up projects. Thus, I expect to qualify every model properly and have proper planning in order not to waste my time. Most of the details that you think are sensitive are likely to be on professional models' com cards and online modelling profiles. Let's just stay professional.

Q. Why do you need the details?

A. To judge you and plan the shoot, including the types of clothes that will fit you and the theme. Different clothes suit different body figures.

Q. Why do you even need to know where I stay?

A. To be honest, given your level of intelligence and trust, there's a high chance we will have conflict even before the shoot. It's obvious I will try to plan a shoot not too far away from your house if possible - I won't want to make you travel to Pasir Ris if you are staying in Boonlay. I also want to consider the time of the shoot, given how convenient is the mode of transport from your house to the shooting location. You don't even have to tell me your house number and I'm not interested in doing a house visit to meet your parents.

Q. Do your friends need to provide the details as well?

A. If I have already met them, most likely no. However, I will still need to know the outfits and some of the details.

Q. I'm just a teenager, am I eligible for TFCD shoot with you?

A. Yes, as long as the shoot benefits my photography. Models usually start from a young age. However, young models usually give more problems - limited clothes, extremely conservative, lack of communication skills etc.

Q. Do you only shoot young girls?

A. My expertise is working with girls and for TFCD shoots, I only work with female models. I don't go for young models, instead, I rather go for more mature ladies who are likely to give fewer problems. However, most girls who are inspired to become models are younger girls and that's why there are much more young girls who have approached me. My female adult friends are not interested in photography while clients prefer to keep the photographs private.

Q. I'm married, am I eligible?

A. I do professional shoots and I'm not trying to date you. Therefore, your relationship status isn't a big concern - if you have a boyfriend or husband, you better make sure they are agreeable to you doing a shoot with me.

Q. I'm very short, am I eligible?

A. Height does not matter too much in still photographs as long as your body proportion is good - body VS legs. Of course, you may be at disadvantage compared to taller girls with good body proportions.

Q. Will a makeup artist be provided?

A. I will always try to get a makeup artist since one of the reasons for doing a TFCD shoot is to test new HMUAs and help my existing HMUA friends to build up their portfolios. However, it's subject to various factors. For example, if the model doesn't seem firm, I won't want to risk wasting anyone else's time discussing it. If the shoot is impromptu or it has to start very early in the morning, I may not look for a makeup artist. Of course, the model must be able to do very basic and decent makeup, given also that the shoot requires a simple look.

Q. What kinds of shoots are you looking at?

A. I'm doing TFCD shoots (limited) mostly for marketing purposes and thus I'm looking at themes that are more artistic or creative that can increase viewership. I do have many interesting ideas in mind but they require a suitable model, wardrobe, props and location and I don't expect to pay for a non-commercial shoot.

Q. For the shoot, what kind of clothes do you want me to wear?

A. You show me what you have instead of me racking my brain and then you tell me you don't have it. By doing it, I'm also able to judge your taste.

Q. Do I need to wear the clothes to snap photographs for you?

A. If there are too many of them and you are lazy, you can take photographs without wearing them. After we scale down the number, you have to put them on because it is difficult to judge the exact design, cutting, length and the "feel" without you wearing them. However, I may miss out on some nice clothes since I won't know the actual design and cutting. This is why fashion shops have mannequins.

Q. Why do you do sensual shoots?

A. Find out at my boudoir photography page.

Q. Do you only do sensual shoots for TFCD?

A. Sensual shoot is just one of the types of shoots I do and I'm open to various types of shoots. Most of the time, it depends on the individual model. If the model doesn't have the look or aura of a supermodel and there's no interesting theme I have in mind for her, the easiest choice is a sensual or art shoot that can help in terms of marketing value. Unfortunately, most of the girls who have approached me for TFCD shoots can't fit into anything.

Q. Do you do nude shoots for TFCD?

A. It depends on the model's looks and intelligence, and trust in me. It's a form of art that I wish to show others that it can be done tastefully as well. I will likely use Photoshop to hide the private parts (nipples and vagina), such as drawing a line over them, to be able to present them to a wider range of audience.

Q. Why do I reject models' requests for shoots?

Most of the time, I do not reject requests - they (models and aspiring models) are the ones who have rejected themselves. Arrogance, half-heartedness, low self-esteem, and lack of trust are the main killers. Photography is my passion and it means having fun for me; thus I need not put up with people who are not paying me any cent. I seek not to waste any time and effort and thus I will want to make sure every shoot is properly planned to a certain extent.

I have vast experience dealing with people and have encountered countless not appreciating ones. Generally, people appreciate free things less. Since doing a TFCD shoot with me means a "model" is getting free professional services, there's a higher chance of her giving problems, such as postponing or being late for the shoot. Whereas a client would have to place a deposit and with that, things will go much smoother.

I'm fortunate that there are a handful of girls approaching me for shoots every month. Unfortunately, most of them have wasted my time somehow. For example, some girls have a very packed schedule at the point of time when they approach me and they eventually go MIA after our discussion despite showing their enthusiasm initially. Perhaps, they are just half-hearted. Many time-wasters have trained me very well in judging people due to the frequent request.

There are also a handful of HMUAs who have approached me as well but our schedules can never match. Most HMUAs who are available for TFCD work have a full-time job that has occupied their weekday slots.

After all the disappointments I have encountered, I have to put on a more serious tone before the shoot to discourage half-hearted people from wasting my time further. Therefore, do not be shocked when I start cracking jokes during the shoot - you should feel very glad instead.

MIA The girl approaches me and when she says her phone's battery is going flat or she is going to bed, she does not get back to me again.
Too busy The girl approaches me but she is not available until the next month. The girl replies to me a few lines after a few days. The girl does not have the time to take photographs of her outfits to show me.
Alien The girl does not have any clear and recent photographs of herself to let me judge her looks. The girl claims to be an ex-model but she does not have any portfolio or modelling photograph to show me.
Unflattering appearance The girl has major flaws physically or is simply below average looking, and will never produce good photographs without an extreme makeover and the angle of the shoot will be very limited.
Lack of self-grooming knowledge/skill The girl looks average but has poor self-grooming skills when it is difficult to get a makeup artist for TFCD shoots.
Over-confident / arrogant The girl thinks her makeup skill and fashion sense are excellent and needs no help when she is wrong. The girl does not heed any advice/feedback because she is flawless. The girl thinks she can produce any kind of good expression but she is very stiff inside her portfolio and casual photographs.
Poor fashion sense The girl has only very boring clothes that limit the shoot to normal fashion shoots that clients will be paying me to do, even though nice/stylish clothes do not need to be expensive.
Lack of trust The girl has trust issues and doubts my professionalism just because there are many black sheep out there. The girl thinks I want to stalk her when I try to find out her residential address to plan for a suitable shooting location. The girl subconsciously knows most photographers shoot with her just because of her boobs and not her looks, and she thinks every photographer only wants her to do porn.
Low EQ The girl thinks the shoot is going to be sexual when she is being requested to use a set of clothes found in her Facebook photographs, taken beside her mum, that are covering her almost fully. The girl is simply not very good at communication. The girl suggests certain themes and rejects them.
Unfairness The girl rejects certain types of shoots that can help me more in marketing, such as swimwear when she has already done with other photographers or friends, and I can produce more tasteful and professional work.
Selfish The girl is only interested in doing themes that she wants that will not benefit my portfolio. The girl is making use of me so that she can showcase her sponsored items or even her apparatus for sale.
Over-conservative The girl can do very limited themes while her looks and fashion sense do not help me much in my portfolio.
Poor taste in judging photographs The girl does not know how to differentiate between good and bad photographs, and she will approach any person with a camera to shoot - she will never make a special effort for any good photographer because she can get any random "photographer" easily. The girl thinks she has done a photoshoot for a certain theme or at a certain location just because her previous "photographer" was using a DSLR, and thus rejects the idea directly.
Inflexible The girl has issues with timings, location, and outfits...
Low self-esteem / over-sensitive The girl thinks I'm rejecting her when I have not. The girl thinks I'm saying she is fat and rejecting her when I tell her she still has many days or weeks to tone up her body before the confirmed shooting date.
Postponement of shoot The girl has something on that is more important than the earlier arranged day and time for the shoot.
Spoiled by other photographers The girl has worked with "photographers" without proper planning and thus she ignorantly assumes a good photoshoot needs only agreement for the date, time, venue and "style of clothes" (without showing any picture).

Unfortunately, not everyone will show her true colours immediately. If I suddenly realise I cannot handle anyone's attitude or working style, I will call off the shoot even at the very last hour. I'm too exhausted to handle these people and also have the quality of my work being discounted due to their uncooperativeness.

For example, the most common bad attitude from models is that they do not show me the outfits that they are going to wear for the shoot. I have had enough of wardrobe malfunctions, mismatches with the theme or location and last-minute apologies that the outfits are missing or no longer fitting. It also causes me to be unable to visualise/plan the shoot just because the models think too highly of themselves, being unprofessional and indirectly disrespecting me as the photographer who is supposed to oversee everything.

Read: Good Models, Bad Models

Some stories

It's a common fact that sex sells. Therefore, doing casual fashion photoshoots won't help an experienced photographer much in his portfolio as compared to concepts that are sexier. In general, it's also good for a photographer to display his talent for art.

Since I'm not a pushy person, it's not easy to get some people to push beyond their boundaries, unlike some photographers who are good at words. Life just isn't fair.

From shy to show When I was very new to portrait photography, I started practising with a net friend who trusted me a lot. She had even announced on her Facebook status that I was the photographer she trusted most. She approached me for a photoshoot many times although my work was still amateurish. It was all normal fashion photoshoots that even my "teacher", a very experienced commercial makeup artist, got very bored of seeing. I requested her to do a bikini photoshoot but she told me that her boyfriend didn't allow her.

She started her full-time job and then stopped contacting me for shoots. Sometime later, I started seeing her new photoshoot work emerging and it seemed like she was getting poorer and couldn't afford clothes.
He's just luckier When I was relatively new to flash photography, another girl approached me. Later on, she told me frankly that she was friends with me mainly because of my photography skill and that I wouldn't take advantage of her during the photoshoots.

Since she trusted me and my skill a lot, I did casually suggest doing a bikini photoshoot (I needed the genre) with her but she turned me down because she didn't want to cross that boundary although she's very open-minded. I respected her decision. Sometime later, I saw her post a new photograph of her wearing lingerie, soaking inside the swimming pool. The photographer wasn't even experienced.
A stranger has greater privilege I had a shoot with another net friend who was kind enough, in a dangerous way, to work with just any photographer. She was extremely cooperative and was willing to push beyond her boundary until I got scared. Although I wanted to go for very sexy concepts, I was worried that more "photographers" would approach her and make her strip. Hence, I became very protective of her as a friend. We were on good terms and we did another three themes that she would be very cover, which I wouldn't waste my time for TFCD shoots.

Sometime later, she suddenly worked with a popular photographer who had a bad reputation in terms of character and his work. The makeup artist who helped her with the shoot shared the edited photographs with me. We analysed and agreed that in most of the photographs, her nipples were actually revealed and the photographer simply photoshopped her skin over the nipples.

Since she had already done a few implied nude photoshoots, including this latest one in that she was probably unknowingly showing her nipples throughout the shoot, I realised I had been a fool to try to "protect" her all along. Then, I proposed some conceptual implied nude shoot concepts to work with her and she turned me down.

Conclusion

After experiencing various incidents, I've come to some conclusions about doing TFCD photoshoots.

Shoot only the concept that you need - don't waste time to please your friend.
Don't have to be over-protective over anyone. The model will eventually do sexier concepts with other photographers.

You may be interested in:
- Crazy things that professional portrait photographers do
- Post production - photo editing (enhancing, retouching)
- Quality and quantity of photographs - contributing factors
- Flash vs natural light photography
- Portrait photography for beginners in Singapore