When is it ok to work for free as a model?

Well, when you are building your portfolio book, testing is a popular word. Photographers do test and models can get good shots for their portfolio this way, but you must always be comfortable with the situation and hopefully the photographer won't be a jerk. When I was building my portfolio I did test with photographers and it lead me to some great tearsheets in magazines for my portfolio. But sometimes all you get is just like one decent photo. I think it is best to always stress your goals, your plans, your purpose to model, when you are speaking to a photographer, and you must not feel that the photographer has ALL the control and you are just a rag doll.

It is ok to work for free and freelance as a model, but that doesn't mean the project or photo should be of low class.

When it comes to castings, if the credit will improve your portfolio book or reel or provide you with a growing experience as a model it might be worth considering. If there is a makeup artist and stylist usually the shoot should be at least looking good. It is ok to work for free when you are starting out and expected, but please be careful and always ask questions, try to get things in writing, read the fine print, and know what you are walking into before you meet and work with the crew, photographer, person, ect.