Portfolio Building

[Sargee225]

How do you build a better portfolio to show your photography capabilities?

How do you get models? I photograph my kids, but it's only a matter of time before people viewing your portfolio get sick of looking at the same subject. Do you advertise on gumtree and join the hundreds of camera owners just trying to make a bit of extra cash? Meanwhile, stealing the potential business of real photographers? I don't feel like I should be at the stage where I should be charging for my services. I also feel like a 25 year old male advertising on gumtree to take free photos of someone or there children, could end up with me being thrown in jail.

[JJM]

I have used modelmayhem and facebook (groups) to collaborate with models on TFP shoots with a lot of success.

One thing to keep in mind is if you are beginner, you may only get beginner models happy to shoot with you on a TFP basis.
This will mean you will need to be able to guide them to some degree with posing etc.
The models who know how to pose etc usually want to be paid if your existing folio isn't exceptional.