Model fees: what your rate depends on
Why there is no fixed fee, what usage rights have to do with it and what TFP means.
Agencies and fees2 min read
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The content is general and is no substitute for individual advice. We are still having it reviewed.
There is no fixed fee for models. What a job pays depends on many things, and the most reliable figures come from agencies and clients themselves. That is why this article quotes no amounts. It explains what the rate depends on, so you ask the right questions when an offer comes in.
What affects the rate
- The type of job, such as advertising, catalogue, editorial or runway
- How long, where and in which media the pictures will be used
- How long the booking lasts
- Your experience and whether you are booked through an agency
Usage rights
For advertising jobs, a client often pays not only for your time on set but also for the right to use the pictures. The longer, wider and more visible the use, the more this part counts. So before you accept, ask what the pictures will be used for, where and for how long, and get it confirmed in writing.
TFP: pictures instead of money
TFP stands for “time for prints”: model and photographer work unpaid and trade time for pictures. It sounds simple and costs nothing. Without a plan, a goal and someone who knows you, though, you mostly end up with individual pictures that don't fit together.
Questions about tax and registering as self-employed are best taken to a tax adviser.