Conditions ...  

I do not work "Black"  Photography is a passion but it is primarily my job, my means of making a living. I am a declared professional "Photographer" (n° SIRET 512 925 850 00012). If no official invoices can be provided for services rendered, no cash transfers will take place. TFP is only possible if agreed upon in advance.

I use a Modeling Contract for every session to protect the interests of both the model and the photographer.

I do not supply all the raw images on CD. I do supply a selection of images that we will choose together and which will have been "digitally processed" using  Adobe Creative Suite. (Photoshop).

I do not do degrading images, to uphold my own reputation as well as that of my model.

It is normal that a model is accompanied on the initial meeting to discuss the project. Keeping in mind that on a professional shoot there will be a stylist, make-up artist(s),  the model and the photographer present. I believe this to be a remarkable crowd already.

When a "photographer" calls for a model, he is an "employer". It is normal that he pays wages to his "employee" for the work provided. I shall revert to this later as this is unfortunately a loophole in French legislation and not a legal option.

When a model calls for a photographer to be photographed, the model becomes the "employer" and hence down to the model to pay wages to the photographer for work provided (not the other way round!).

The Legalities ...

In French legal statutes a Freelance Model or "modèle freelance" does not exist. To be a legal model, one needs to be signed up with a modeling agency (a real one like Elite) and not a casting bureau who has nothing to provide for. Of course, to sign up with a real agency, one must fit the perfect requirements, be at least1m75, 90/60/90 and weigh 50kg and have the beauty and charisma to go with it...

As a professional, all money that passes my accounts needs to be justified by official invoices which are  fiscally declared. How do I pay a model without legal statutes or without official invoices?

To conclude this, in France a photographer has no legal right to employ a model. All money transferred between model and photographer is considered "working in black" by the tax services and subjects both parties to more risks than benefits.

Rates ...

Just as a reminder, the  SMIC is currently set at 8.71 euros brut, which makes around 6.80 euros net per hour. A professional model posing for the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris is paid 20 euros net per hour. These are truly magnificent models with the right measurements, a perfect body, faultless skin, a well maintained hair style and a world of experience which they have build up posing for painters, sculptors, photographers, in short, these are true professionals.

So when a "freelance model" asks me for 100, 200 or up to 500 euros net per hour, I wonder kind of supplementary services will be proposed to justify these rates. If this is what I am thinking about I need to come clear straight away. I am only interested in photography. (For everything else I am in very good hands with my Missus.)

Quoting the photographer is not a form of payment. It is a legal obligation (see article L 121-1 of the Intellectual Property Code).