Professional Photographers - Free pics for friends?

<p><em><strong>Professional photographers</strong></em>, do you provide your social friends free photos (files) from group events such as dancing and parties?</p>

<p>I am building a wedding & portrait photography business.</p>

<p>But my <strong>friends still expect to continue to receive for free</strong>, the pictures that I take at our social events like I have been doing for years with my old P&S that I no longer have. These may be dances at music festivals or club or parties that I go to socialize and have fun. Nobody asks me to take pictures at these events. I do it on my own accord. I bring my dslr everywhere I go.</p>

<p>Should I continue to provide the free image files, or start charging them like a wedding / portrait client? Perhaps putting them on a pro-sharing site ie. zenfolio or fee sharing site ie. shutterfly, for review and access. And allow them to purchase a hard copy picture or a file. If they like the picture enough. It also gives them a chance to see the pictures of others friends, bands, scenery, etc. It is not specifically a photo shoot of an individual.</p>

<p>Thoughts:<br />1<br />It is better to continue my friendships and not cause ill will and hope that people may provide referrals for my wedding & portrait business.<br>

2<br />I am devaluing my work by providing free picture. People are less likely to see me as a professional.<br>

3<br />People may be disappointed when they are unable to get what they have been previously getting for free.<br>

4<br />Possible opportunity to market my talents to those who see the pictures. Or not.</p>

<p>What should I do?</p>

It's:

 

"It is better to continue my friendships and not cause ill will and hope that people may provide referrals for my wedding & portrait business."

 

If you're not being paid to take the photos, and they're not for your fine-art photography collection to be sold in galleries or on your web site, then by all means give them out free. Go ahead and put a unobtrusive watermark on them or stamp the back if you like, so people will know they're from you.

 

Whatever other rationale you might think you have (#2 - #4, above), your family and friends will never understand and will think you've become a jerk. They will justify this opinion by saying things behind your back like, "He thinks he's special now, but his photos are just as terrible as they ever were."

<p>JJ:</p>

<p>When you show up with a camera to your own social event, I can't imagine trying to charge people for photos.</p>

<p>Now, if somebody commissioned you to take photographs at an event, that's another story. But show up of your own free will and take photos without being asked? I'd say that's tacky, at best.</p>

<p>Eric</p>

<p>I like cooking and often invite my friends round for a meal. I have just started working in a hotel as a chef. Should I start charging my friends for these meals now that I consider myself to be professional?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>There is no such thing like a free lunch.</p>

My daughter was always dragging me around to various events with the express purpose of getting photos she could share with her friends, colleagues, acquaintances, etc. Rather than cause family turmoil, I bought her a camera and no longer take mine on any events I attend with her. Problem solved.

<p>I give anyone who asks and many who do not, free photos. I don't make them prints, but I do email them a photo. Its a gift that is easy for me to do and gives them pleasure, and a nice way to earn good karma. </p>

<p>Why must you give free prints? i am basically no longer a pro, but attend functions. i simply cannot afford to give away prints..Why should i? Would a lawyer or doctor give a free consultation because they came to same party. OK another example, should your mechanic who is also your friend do a free service because you shared a meal..i simply say that now you can order prints. If that's distasteful, simply place the images(low res) on sites such as "flickr", shutterbug and many others. They can now download and order their own prints.<br>

Today i attended a stunning party. i will make a CD of all the good images.Only culling the total failures. Shot together with my Lady about 274 images. Two or three CD's will be fine! Thats enough work for me.<br>

If you go t a party and expect your friends to place orders, that is wrong! You are wrong.<br>

If you are hired and find some friends at same party, your first duty, is too shoot who is paying you. Giving away prints to others is wrong. Your friends can obtain their images only via those sites mentioned.</p>

 

<p>This is the reason you should not charge for these prints:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Nobody asks me to take pictures at these events. I do it on my own accord.</p>

 

</blockquote>

 

<blockquote>

<p>2<br />I am devaluing my work by providing free picture. People are less likely to see me as a professional.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Dont equate generosity and friendship with being unprofessional. The people you mention dont see you as a professional anyway at the moment - they're your friends and you're the nice guy who socializes and gives them prints.</p>

<p>You can carry on doing this and put your logo on the pictures and use this as free advertizing - these folks want to put these pics up all over the place? Let them, but use that as a marketing opportunity, telling your friends that if anyon asks about the work that it costs $xxxx for a session.</p>

<p>Keep your friends, grow your business.</p>

 

<p>I get a contract signed before any photos are taken if I expect to get paid. I usually share with friends, especially for FB pics, etc.... I am fortunate enough that my friends don't make too many demands on me, and usually offer to pay for anything like a real job. </p>

In those situations, I don't provide free prints, but I'll email a copy of a photo if someone wants it. This has actually led to a bit of paying work from people who commission me to take photos of them or of events they're running/promoting.

<p>to me that is tacky. sort of like inviting a friend to lunch and then asking him to pay afterwards. or the Hidden Camera gag where the food sampler asks people if they want a sample... then tells them it's 25 cents and gets angry saying " I never said it was a FREE sample"</p>

<p>the best bet is to treat it as a truly social event and leave the camera at home, as difficult as that may be.</p>

<p>When I go to a social event with friends and bring my camera, I generally put up low-res photos on Flickr and/or Facebook, usually with a small watermark at the bottom. I don't ask people to pay for these, but I don't provide free hi-res images or prints either.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>the best bet is to treat it as a truly social event and leave the camera at home, as difficult as that may be.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Agreed; I rarely bring my pro kit to social events anymore. My cell phone does fine for casual snaps.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Nobody asks me to take pictures at these events. I do it on my own accord.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Maybe you should leave the camera home and enjoy the socializing. If they want photos of the event, they'll ask. At that point perhaps you can negotiate some fee.</p>

<p>On the other hand, I think choice 1 makes the most sense. People expect free stuff from friends. If they really ARE your friends (not just freeloaders who barely know you), then you should strive to meet and exceed their expectations and use word-of-mouth as a (FREE!) marketing tool.</p>

<p> </p>

<blockquote>

<p>Would a lawyer or doctor give a free consultation because they came to same party.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>No, but it's not uncommon for lawyers to do free or discounted work for family, close friends, and very close business associates. Doctors, not so much, except informal consultations.</p>

<p>Immediate family including my grandparent - free<br>

Closest friends and close family- darn close to free. They pretty much only pay what it costs to make the prints.<br>

Extended family or friends - I give them my regular price up front and if they still want me to photograph them, then I give them the F&F discount on paper - typically 25% or whatever I see fit. I want them to choose me because they want ME to photograph them, not just because they think they'll get a good deal. </p>

<p>I've never outright offered to take pictures of family for weddings - even my sister-in-law. That gives them the option of including me wherever they want in the wedding. It was brought up by another family member at one point and I replied "you can do whatever you want for YOUR wedding. If you would like me to photograph it, I would be honored; if you would like me to be an usher, I would be honored; even if you want me to just sit and watch, I would be honored." I haven't been asked yet, but I believe I'll be a groomsman in this wedding. Kinda hard to shoot and be in the pictures at the same time....</p>

<p>Ok now answers to your questions that I apparently did not read the first time through...<br>

<strong>1 It is better to continue my friendships and not cause ill will and hope that people may provide referrals for my wedding & portrait business.</strong><br>

<strong> </strong><em>If you are not asked to take photos, keep them free. </em><br>

<strong>2 I am devaluing my work by providing free picture. People are less likely to see me as a professional.</strong><br>

<strong> </strong><em>Not unless you are giving away prints and sessions willy nilly. For customers, at least give them something for something and not something for nothing.</em><br>

<em></em><br /><strong>3 People may be disappointed when they are unable to get what they have been previously getting for free.</strong><br>

<strong></strong><em>Such is life, things change, blah blah blah. Your good friends will not be disappointed - you mooching friends will.</em><br>

<em><br /></em><strong>4 Possible opportunity to market my talents to those who see the pictures. Or not.</strong><br>

<em>I completely agree with John MacPherson's post above on the marketing and generosity/professionalism.</em></p>

 

<p>I'm not a pro photog, but I take great care with my photos, and work to make them as good as I can. A while back, a friend asked me to supply her with a print of a shot I'd taken, without ever mentioning any payment, not even the cost of having a print made. The request was made more than once, and recompense was never mentioned, though she did tell me that she was spending a few hundred dollars for a print of a photo by a local photography professor. I was, to say the least, more than a little honked off!<br>

On the other hand, I recently took a photo of a vintage car being restored at a local body shop, and the car's owner wanted to know if I could get him a copy. I offered to send him a jpg file, but he said he didn't have a computer. So I went and had a nice 8 by 12 inch print made and gave it to him for free. The car had belonged to his father, and he was surprised and happy to have the print.<br>

So I guess it really depends on specific circumstances, whether or not you provide prints for no money.</p>