ok, while that might not always be true, who doesn't like things for "free"?
Just think about a couple of things...what good is it if you're an excellent photographer...but nobody ever sees your work? The best thing to do at first is just get your pictures out there for eyes to see, the rest will come later. Photography isn't an industry where you can just jump in and sell! sell! sell! Take it slow and make sure you give it your best effort. Hard work pays off.
A few good tips for getting your pictures out there are definitely using the "free session" idea, but you don't necessarily have to search too far for these "free" sessions". Chances are that you have some friends and family. These make for great "free session" models. This offers a few benefits, first of all, chances are that you like your friends/family and they like you back. This will make these trial periods a lot less stressful.
The last thing you want while you're starting out is a few rough sessions that ruin the photography journey for you. As you grow as a photographer, things will come easier, but at the beginning, you'll probably hit a few bumps in the road. Your friends/family will be a lot more lenient with letting you adjust camera settings, set up lights/backdrops/sets, or just thinking about what to do next.
Your friends and family will also be very important for you as you develop a "base" of clientele to work with. They will jump on the first opportunity to tell people, "I have a friend/sister/son/etc. who is a great photographer, look at these pictures." Having some people that appreciate your work will be essential in "getting out there".
Here is some information that should help you get started, and also a couple sample "model releases" for those that were asking.
http://blog.photoshelter.com/school/...leases-in.html
Get on out there and shoot your friends and family. Good luck!
