Model Release: Is this Model for Real?

Morning all,

So I have a shoot scheduled today, one of my very rare TFP shoots...I woke up this morning to this text message from my model. I am absolutely shocked and unsure of how to respond at this point so I'm turning to you professionals

Keep in mind I've really been looking forward to this creative shoot with her. But there are parts of this that I am NOT ok with. Her "ex" will be retouching my images?

"Hey babes!!!!
Looking forward to shooting tomorrow.. sorry its so late! I just wanted to touch base regarding my usual model release and understanding with photographers before we shoot. I don't mean to offend, but due to the fact that I'm a single mom and trying to start my company I have to be careful to protect my brand and image. 1. I reserve the right to review and possibly reject any image from the shoot before posting or sharing publicly. 2. I reserve the right to have any photo retouched by James (Dexter's dad and my brand consultant) before posting. He does this free of charge but needs to receive credit for the retouching on any public display of the image. 3. I reserve the right to use any photos produced and released by you from the shoot for my portfolio and website for promotional purposes only (with credit to you of course!) I hope all of this is agreeable! "

I've held off on a reply until I have hear some thoughts on this.

Signed,

FRUSTRATED.

If she wants control she pays you for the right. otherwise you own them, i'd let this one go, nothing worse than some schlub retouching YOUR images.

that said i'm sure shes gotten crap work from TFP and can understand her concern, but she doesn't get what shes asking for without paying you for your service.

Very much a noob here but it seems odd that you got this via a text

I would tell her that isn't acceptable. I would never let anyone else edit my photos. Ever. You have a brand to protect and as soon as someone else edits your photos but leaves your name on them, that's detrimental to your brand. I'd tell her something like that. Also say that if she is interested then it is your model release she will need to sign and work with. Models do not dictate terms for a free shoot unless they are someone famous or a very well known model. Models pay photographers for shoots again unless very specific circumstances. I doubt I'd even know who she is so in that regard she has no leverage. If you were shooting Angelina Jolie or something...okay you may have to live with a different process.

I get the feeling that her "ex" aka branding manager threw this together and told her to send it. This text arrived at midnight while I was fast asleep.

I've seen this guys work, he has done a great job branding but to take my photos and retouch them and want credit for that after all of my hard work, does NOT sit well with me whatsoever.

If this has been set up for a while and she is sending this late at night, the night before she knows its BS and is hoping you have already made enough plans to just deal with it and shoot anyways. I would walk away .... its going to be more of a PITA then its worth. I never have a hard time finding TFP models, so unless you have a decent chunk of change down for location or anything else, I would let her know that you dont agree. Point 1 and point 3 I understand, but as the photographer no one else edits your work.

I would have a problem with agreeing to put someone else's name on my images, particularly without knowing anything about their work.

But just as big a deal is that this model elected not to tell you that crucial detail when the session was booked. She's waiting until the last minute, which, while it happens all the time, is not very professional. You have no time to check out the guy's work or to get to know him. If you were being paid your daily rate, then you would have no room to complain, but that's not what this is.

If she actually has a "brand," then that brand needs to learn that things shouldn't be done this way. Perhaps it will be a valuable experience for her to have the session cancelled because of it, as long as it's explained to her.

Yes, dude - this is not acceptable. You do the job and then not only another guy temper with it, but also gets an extra credit. No way, Jose!

Thanks Cophotoguy.

Yeah she's certainly not famous

KalebA wrote in post #15687122
Very much a noob here but it seems odd that you got this via a text

Model doesn't want to actually phone the photographer and say all that - because the tog may, quite rightly, be upset. Much easier to just send a txt at the last minute.

Time to look for a new model.

walk this is just the beginning of your problems with this model.

I think you should remove her name from the thread - no reason to bring that into the mix.

Sometimes the right move is just to walk away. This sounds like one of them.

"No, sorry, I just don't work that way for TF shoots. Thanks anyways."

or

"Okay, that is fine."

Depends on how much you wanted to shoot with this person.