Model test shoot
A model test shoot is a session in which a model learns to work with the camera and gets pictures for the portfolio. It is a rehearsal for photographer and model before the real jobs: the model gets used to the camera, shows character, different emotions and how well they pose, while the photographer looks for the model's strongest sides. Tests often make up most of a first portfolio.
New models and their parents often do not know what a test costs, who pays for it or whether it is needed at all. The answers are less alarming than many expect. A test takes about 1–1.5 hours and gives 10–15 selected pictures, many tests are free, and an agency does not need one to consider a beginner.
Guides and tools on this topic
Rubrics that cover it
How a test shoot works
A test is not a paid job and not a set of digitals. Digitals are plain pictures without make-up or posing that show how a model really looks. A test is a shoot with a photographer, made for portfolio pictures, where the model tries different expressions and the photographer searches for the best lines.
The price depends on the photographer, the studio and the team, and runs from nothing to a few hundred euros. An agency may advance a test; the amount then goes on the model's account and is deducted from earnings.
What to do and what to avoid
Do not book an expensive shoot before you have approached an agency. A common mistake is to spend hundreds on professional pictures first. If an agency sees potential, it tells you which pictures are missing and recommends photographers who know how to shoot models.
At the start many shoots are done in exchange for pictures, so ask about TFP before paying. Once the tests are done, keep the book current: replace pictures whenever your look changes or you get better ones, and retake your digitals every few months.
All stories on this topic (2)
Mentioned together
Frequently asked
01How much does a model test shoot cost?
From nothing, when it is shot as TFP, to a few hundred euros, depending on the photographer, the studio and the team.
02What is a TFP shoot?
TFP means time for print: photographer and model work for free because both get images for their portfolios.
03How many pictures do you get from a test shoot?
Usually 10–15 selected pictures, sometimes more.
04Can the agency pay for the test?
Yes. An agency may advance a test; the amount goes on the model's account and is deducted from earnings.
05How is a test shoot different from digitals?
Digitals are plain pictures without make-up or posing that show how you really look. A test is a shoot with a photographer made for portfolio pictures.