Photographer vs Model: Who Pays?

Who pays for a test shoot? Let’s settle this once and for all.

Test shoots should be simple, but somehow they’ve become a battleground of entitlement. Everyone wants free stuff. Models think they’re doing photographers a favor. Photographers think models owe them their time. Meanwhile, the question no one wants to ask out loud is this: who actually needs this shoot more? The video will explain every scenario in detail and provide charts.

The Experience Factor

Experience does not automatically mean value. Just because you’ve been doing something for years or you have the latest camera or modeling comp cards doesn’t mean your work is currently valuable. It all comes down to who benefits more from this collaboration. That’s who should be paying, but it’s not always that simple. In this video, I broke down the payment system into a series of charts. 

Model Experience

Beginners, who need direction and have very few usable photos. Mid-level talent, who know their angles and understand basic posing. And experienced professionals, who elevate every frame they’re in or shoot. It’s not about ego. It’s about what you bring to the table today, not ten years ago. That’s a tough line, but it needs to be said.

In many test shoot scenarios, the photographer holds more responsibility. That’s because if the idea originated from the photographer—the vision, the mood board, the concept—then that shoot becomes part of the photographer’s long-term brand. They’ll likely gain more from it in the end.

A model asking to collaborate is usually trying to level up their portfolio. In that case, they should expect to pay. But if an experienced photographer is asking an experienced model to collaborate on a concept, then sure, trade for print (TFP) can work. But the playing field has to be equal. Additionally, the TFP phrase ought to change because I seriously doubt anyone is getting prints nowadays.

Photography Lies

We’ve all heard the lie of “exposure” as a form of payment. Unless you’re getting tagged by someone with global influence (and even that’s a stretch), a tag on social media isn’t currency. It’s a vanity gesture. If someone pitches you the “I’ll tag you” excuse instead of paying you, ask them to name the last creative they launched into stardom by tagging them. I promise you, they’ll choke on their answer.

A Perfect Photography World

In a perfect world, everyone would pay. But brands don’t pay photographers or models to practice. They hire based on polished portfolios. That means if you’re a new photographer, you’ll likely have to pay to work with strong models and vice versa. You can’t build a standout book by always shooting people at your same level. Eventually, you’ll have to invest to level up.

At the end of the day, it’s not about fairness. It’s about value and vision. It’s about who’s driving the shoot and who stands to benefit. That’s what determines if it should be paid, TFP, or pitched entirely.