Bingo! I usually tell my students to learn Photoshop first, then lightroom. It's kind of like the difference between learning to drive an automatic vs. manual transmission on a vehicle. Ps has way more control and can do so much more for you if you learn it, but it's not an easy task. Lightroom is great for getting organized quickly, but you don't have nearly as much image editing power.
I also tell them to privately offer the free sessions while building their portfolio. This way, they get to pick their models and they won't be putting themselves in a position that makes it hard for them to start charging for sessions when they are ready. If you put it in the public's head that you are cheap or free, that is all they will ever expect. (This is something I wish I had known when starting out. Had to learn this one the hard way.)
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Ahhhhh, excellent points @jazzyfish! I like you analogy of manual and automatic transmissions.
And yeah, I suppose you can privately ask friends and family first before even touching advertising for "free session". You could even ask for friends of friends so you can get some candid feedback. But you definitely have to build up the value for when you truly go professional. Thanks!