One thing I've noticed about models, photographers, and other entities involved in photography is that people's definition and ideology of what constitutes trade varies wildly. Some people embrace it; others are almost violently against trade. Rather than go into what others feel regarding trade I want to take some time and talk about how *I* feel about trade.The number one question I get (besides how I do the pinup effect I do) is "Do you shoot trade (TFP)". This may surprise some of you but the answer is a resounding: "YES, YES I DO!*". I'm not going to lie to everyone and say that I don't; because I do. If you noticed though there's an asterisk (*) at the end of that "yes I do" statement. The full statement:
(*Yes I do, but only with the right people and only if certain criteria are met.)
I used to get literally red-faced angry whenever a model would ask me for trade (complete with seeing red and having a throbbing vein in my forehead. lol!). It wasn't until I matured both as a person and as an artist that I came to something of an epiphany on my part. Getting angry about it was about as useful as getting angry at a weatherman for predicting a rainstorm. As a photographer I now pretty much expect that models are going to ask me for trade. It's just the nature of the game really: Do trade with those that will legitimately benefit you, charge those that won't, pay those that you need to get to the next level if they won't trade.
It works both ways for both models and photographers. The end result is supposed to be that you both elevate each other's portfolios so that you can sell your services or products to those that have the budgets to pay you. In my opinion though it's almost nauseating just how badly TFP has been perverted in that some models and photographers think that they're entitled to it, and even multi-million dollar companies think TFP means "Totally Free Photos" too.
With the exception of doing trade for business (which I feel is just a bad deal no matter how the scene is painted), overall when it's mutually beneficial there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing TF .
The key words there are MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL.
When it legitimately benefits everyone involved it's a great way to improve your work or expand your portfolio. It does mean being more selective (and potentially shooting a lot less), but when done right it balances out in the end. The true problem comes about when there's zero value in doing the trade.
Although I will work for trade with a model, I am *EXTREMELY PICKY* about it though. I will not work with just anyone and beyond their appearance and experience, I have a few criteria that they need to meet. The two greatest being:
- I do not work with models under the age of 18.
The reason? I don't feel it's appropriate to show any underage individual in a sensual manner, no matter how "innocent" it may be or regardless if even their parents were OK with it. I won't shoot a single frame of it if a person leveled a .45 to my head. To me that's just wrong; I don't even need a law to tell me that. I also have absolutely no use for the photos as well; I would have to make so many compromises about what I'm shooting to accommodate the individual that in the end it wouldn't benefit me creatively or financially to shoot with them.
...and before anyone asks, YES I have been asked this before.
- The model has to be open to and comfortable posing *BOTH* in lingerie and with implied nudity in a pinup context.
I know I'm giving away probably a little too much info here, but there is actually a very legitimate reason for the latter criteria. Although some individuals will argue the contrary to this; pinup is about the art of the tease. It's supposed to be on the sexy side. Just take a look at the masters of pinup that I look up to: Alberto Vargas (http://www.thepinupfiles.com/vargas1.html), Gil Elvgren (http://www.thepinupfiles.com/elvgren1.html), and Olivia De Berardinis (http://www.thepinupfiles.com/olivia1.html) for quite a few examples on this. Although some of the pinup I shoot is nude, the vast majority isn't but there is some implied nudity ranging from a stray hand blocking the viewer's eye of the models' cleavage, the use of pasties (in a burlesque fashion), etc.
In the past I used to make a compromise in that regard and be more lenient about not requiring certain things for certain genres of my work. At the time I didn't realize it but later I came to understand that I really wasn't doing myself and the model any favors by doing so. What would happen is that the resulting work looked like garbage; the model clearly looked out of place and uncomfortable, the poses contrived, and although the model may have loved the shots, the shots were sub-par and not indicative of my standards so I couldn't use them.
Believe it or not, how a model answers that question is also very telling about how they will be to work with too. Experience has taught me that depending on the answer they give if it's going to be worthwhile to work together or if these individuals are going to be extremely difficult to work with and going to be a waste of time for both of us. Their answer also can tell me about their experience level and if they truly understand the ideology behind pinup. Only if the individual is persistent about wanting to work with me (but isn't what I'm looking for and/or wants me to only shoot what they want the way they want) that I quote them a price that would make it worth my time to shoot with them.
I love working with models that "get it" and meet that particular criteria point. Not only are they easier to work with but it clearly shows in the photos that they legitimately are having fun during the shoot and are comfortable.
To sum it up: in my view there's is absolutely nothing wrong with doing trade when it's mutually beneficial.... and by mutually beneficial I certainly do not mean working for free either. It's when it's not beneficial that the problems arise. The difficult part is learning to see which is which. It took me years to finally figure it out for myself; I guess I'm a slow learner. :)
Of course your mileage will vary on this topic depending on who you talk to...
(The model in the pinup photo above is from my very first shoot with my muse Heather. It was actually shot for trade at a meet and greet where she "ambushed" me into shooting pinup of her that day. :D We became really great friends in the time since, and we've been shooting together for about three years now.)
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