We all get these requests, some of us many times per week:
“We don’t have a budget for photography, but we’d like to use your photos. We will offer you credit.”
Before I go on, check out writer Harlan Ellison’s video rant below (caution: strong language). It applies to writers, photographers, or any creative person being asked to deliver their goods for free:
Early in your photography career it can be tempting to accept these freebie requests in order to get “exposure.” After all, you want to get seen, build a reputation, get links to your site.
But each time you deliver free photos to a for-profit business, you are actually destroying the photography marketplace that you one day hope to succeed in. You are helping to spread this pernicious idea that photography, and other creative work, should be free.
Many of us have become so tired of responding to these inquiries that we simply reply with a link to one of these web pages:
Reasons Why Professional Photographers Cannot Work for Free
Sometimes I even get requests from individuals or organizations who want to view (or distribute!) my flash photography portrait course or my Photoshop training course for free. You can probably guess my answer.
Of course, demanding fair compensation for your work does NOT mean you should never do free photography for friends, organizations, or causes that you choose to support, as a charitable contribution. You should! But just make it 100% clear to the client, and to yourself, that that is exactly what you are doing in those cases.
And next time a magazine, organization, or business asks you to provide free photos or accept a cheap token payment—no matter how tempting the “exposure” seems — Just Say No.
Otherwise, when you finally develop your skills to the point where you can make a living at photography—there won’t be a photography business left to make a living in.
Thank you very much for the great article Phil.
About time someone said it! (And great choice of supporting videos. Wish everyone I’ve had try to stick it to me would watch those.)
What is it about artists and writers and photographers that they fall into thinking they have to give their stuff away, or that it’s somehow not as valuable as what people are willing to pay their money for all the rest of the time?
And the most important point is that in devaluing your own work, for “exposure,” or whatever else one might call it, you only end up driving your whole profession down to the level of the lowest common amateur.
Believe in your own worth. Put a real price tag on it. And stand by your valuation of your work.
In all likelihood, you aren’t asking enough.
Thanks so much, Phil.
Bravo for making this posting, Phil! Yes, this info needs to taught in all photo classes worldwide; better yet, it should come with every camera manual and be posted in every retail camera store (as well as the online ones)! It is the younger wannabe photographers who usually ruin it for the rest of the bunch and spoil the clients to think that everyone will give it away – they do this not necessarily by choice, but just out of ignorance and lack of education. This has killed our profession for sure, I’ve more or less gotten out of the business for this reason, sadly.
Good luck in trying to spread the word, Phil and thanks again for posting this!
That last video is CLASSIC!! Don’t dummy down your pricing!!!!
America has become an intellectual property economy. Some people say “service” economy, but that is not really true. Photographers, writers, lawyers, doctors, software designers, engineers, (even banking, though I know that may not be popular right now but that is not the issue, here.) We all sell our skill, training and mental process. This is not a service. It is not delivering packages. Even hair styling and make up artists are not service, that is a skill an intellectual property, and we all need to remember that, and perhaps it will help photographers preserve their market and perhaps stimulate a part of the economy.
Brilliantly put and the videos say it all. We professionals always end up feeling guilty when we refuse to do a job for free or on the cheap, but why should we?
I hope all people reading this will absorb and agree with its content. This is not enough though I think each person reading this article should encourage other photographers they know to read it and spread the word. Basically Phil is trying to say “Stop letting other organisations take the **** by offering false hope and getting quality photos in return. Personally I have even had couples setting up “Wedding Directory” web-sites that will be the best thing since sliced bread. You can even have a free slot on it for a whole year if you photograph my wedding as a small favour in return of course. And… hotels (big chains also) … asking for “a few nice piccies” to put on their web-site or in their brochure and they will of course put a few kind words somewhere about us! Whooppee!!!!
I certainly see the point here. I’m also a musician. We have the same problem. But, I still believe you get what you pay for. Ultimately people and businesses want and need quality photography and all types of art. I’ve seen many clubs fail after using cheap or free musicians. If a business uses poor photography for their advertising, will they do well? I know this a subject worth discussing and made known to all artists, but this is a concern that will not go away and will probably be more difficult in the future. I wish there were no DJs playing recorded music in clubs. That’s fewer jobs for live musicians. I’ve gotten highly upset over these issues in the past. It is important to talk about and educate artists. I believe the most creative and talented will float to the top and they should be paid well. The rest of us will have to struggle harder and the guy who has a great camera and little talent is probably not going to get any paid work. I got out of the music business quite a few years ago for some of the same reasons.
Awesome! Some people like me that follow Phil are getting to the point where we’re taking some pretty darn good photos. Now for the confidence like the first video which I have downloaded with the You-Tube downloader and will etch this message into my brain and not sell myself short. I don’t ask for much right now but I would like to see a legal photography contract and discussion on that. B~D
Funny you should post this, because I was thinking the same thing, there are so many people out there now with nice cameras, that really makes me wonder how the actual studios are doing. Even though with the economy the way it is, people are trying to have something nice for a much less price, so I can see both sides. In fact I just did my first family photo shoot last month.. It would be sad to see a place that has been in business for so long to shut its doors., maybe they need to offer better deals.
Great post. I get annoyed how the news media et al get thier viewers to respond to “Send us your photos or footage of breaking news incidents” or “Send in your pics of the weather where you are today” Those types of organisations have shed their staff photographers and replaced them with the public!
They must be building the biggest photo/video libraries ever built for free!
Phil I fully endorse the message that you are sending out. I also am aware that there is a time to do ones work for free
There needs to be a window for people to get exposure and experience so that we can become a “professional”. The only way to do that is to get out there and do it!.
I have worked for free for a local newspaper for some time now.Several years. Starting from a point and shoot!. Since then I have done an on line photography course, had to learn the computer and photo shop. Invested in a considerable amount of “kit”Been to countless workshops,all the while building up my knowlege.
The newspaper publish a lot of my images with my name attached and also give me support and encouragement.
it has given me a lot of opportunities to go “out” there and get the much needed experience.
I have benefited greatly to be able to do this. It is only now that I feel confident enough to start asking for payment.There are also a lot of people out there who are charging for second rate work, which also damages the professional standard. So whilst the message you send is valid and may I say ,well put!!.Give some of us who are out there trying REALLY hard to have a high standard of work also.some credit for the courage and hours of hard work’
I am about to put a web site up in a few weeks, so have a look when it comes out and then “throw” it at me. It’s ok , I can take it!
By the way I am 62 years old and it does take a huge effort to put ones “face” out there and go for it.
So to all you “others” that are doing the same as me, go for it!attain a high standard and then ask for payment, when you feel confident that you are asking money for value. .
Jill from New Zealand
my web site will be, what you see photography
Well leave it to me to jump the gun and not watch the articles first.
Ya! I don’t know how many times with jobs and putting out crafts that I am selling, where people expect something for nothing. PEOPLE, first are you out of your freaking tree? ,and heres the deal.. It takes our money for materials etc.. to make something to sell. They just aren’t thinking that it all comes down to, if they were putting out a product, they would find out that it costs to make it.. So why would you sell yourself short. Heck.. My theory is I want what I pay for.. In which I will pay a higher price to have quality. Some people are really really cheap.. Okay.. So they don’t really need the product then if they won’t pay the price.
I agree with it all…
Except the community I service doesn’t have the money to spend on a photographer like some communities in the suburbs… I have the work and still making money at least I look at it like this I don’t have to develop a roll of film and digital is cheap… My work is exceptional and can probably charge the big bucks but what is important for me is to be able to capture the moment in someone’s life when they are the most happiest… I guess that is why I started in photography… when I was a kid I started photography not for money but to be able to capture a moment in time in someone’s life that they could look back on and have them smiling…
I mean if a company wants free and they stand to gain and I get nothing for my trouble then that is just bad.
I think the big guy is just a bit feared by the little guy in my opinion.
Just my thoughts.
It has come down to the point where photographers need to have their own union such as the writer’s Guild or actor’s guild have. I once belonged to a very powerful union and I was even an officer and negotiator, problem is unions sometimes get to involved politically and invite unsavory characters into their ranks so no politics just straight unionism.
What a great article!! I am so glad you posted this. I have done free work in the past to get noticed, but I will never do it again.
Hi Phil; I bought and love your Flash course… been through the entire course, it’s great! But now after reading this blog, I was wondering if I could return it for maybe a 50% refund and I’ll tell all my friends how great it was? HAHAHA, just kidding, of course.
Over the years, I have several times volunteered to capture weddings and events as a gift, but only for close friends or relatives, and knowing they contracted a pro to capture the formal side of things. I was there augment, not replace; to capture intimate private moments. I gifted prints and handed over negatives or digital images, happily. I liked knowing that I didn’t put someone out of business on those gift occasions, but years later, my images are on display in their homes, while the work they paid a small ransom for was relegated to books on shelves.
I love this. I use to give parents pictures from my sons hockey. Here or there one no big deal. But all of a sudden they want them all shared from every tournament and what not. Hold on peeps I have all this gear and it costs a fortune. You want me to give you everything for nothing. Ummm NO Go to the photo guys that doit and they charger you 15 Bucks for an 8×10. Ask them for the JPEG for free! See what hey say.. Why bot flip me a few bucks for each high res JPEG and maybe I will give them to you then. Or better yet go buy a good camera and spend a lot of time learning about lighting and everything else and then see what you think when everyone wants your pictures.
Bob, that’s a great example of doing it the right way!
Absolutely right!!!!! If they accept your work, it’s worth paying for. It is hard enough to earn a living as it is without giving everything away. There are a lot of people who I hear say that they shouldn’t have to pay for that. I ask them if they are working for nothing. You know the answer they give me. Thank you for bringing this up. Excellent topic.
Aside from learning photography, i refuse to do ‘freebies’ even now. I have been painting for years and if i hear one more time,”donate a painting for _insert cause here_ and it will generate sales for you” i will punch them in the face. If it generated sales they would buy the damn painting in the first place. \never mind the 40 plus hours it takes to paint it and the supplies that cost me money to do it. And then they have the nerve to say, will you have it framed and maybe your friends at the framing shop will give you a deal? Can you imagine.
Recently i did some pictures for myself and spent some time after doing editing. Someone saw it and asked me to go print it on canvas, and to GIVE it to them to hang in their home so people will be directed to me when they ask who did it. I told them to go F%^% themselves.
Almost everyone has a “camera” today; and, albeit, not all with “cameras” are photographers. Do not believe ‘Unions” are the answer to save photography as an art, but up to individuals to serve their clients well and for the photographer to be paid for their services rendered as agreed. Stock photography is not what it used to be; and, I see photography in the embryonic stage of a new era and protocol. Super computers use to cost millions of $$$.s but today many have this kind of power sitting on their desk for a few thousand dollars. Change is inevitable in a “free” society. The opportunity to promote art is actually upon us, if we do not fear the “newbies” on the block of photography. I have seen where the best man shot the wedding for his buddy — although I am a professional wedding/portrait photographer primarily, it does not bother me. Not every one drives aFerrari Enzo, because they are not able to afford the auto. Be glad all photographers and cars are not the same for it would be a boring world if they were.
I would like to post the second video on my facebook page… ; = )) if I am able.
thanks.. Ed
Great points and awesome videos!
I know being new to photography as a career choice, I can relate to the desire to trade my time for model time, AKA TFCD etc. as a way to grow and develop better skills.
I think there is probably a price point for every level of expected service in the world of photography. I know my wedding price was way too low when I placed my first Craigs List add a couple years ago, and I still see many offering crazy low prices for the same. I read something once that said the amateur doesn’t make enough to stay in business (so don’t worry about them), and rarely follows good business practices like having insurance etc. But in the long run, their prices diminish the perceived value of that service to customers. I know I’ve been in that boat! And when just starting out I didn’t want my prices to set unrealistic expectations. I’m probably not the only one who’s experienced these growing pains!
OK my rambling is done! Thanks for sharing Phil!
Ed
I would like to post the 1st video on my facebook page also … ; = )) if I am able.
thanks.. Ed
Thanks for sharing Phil. You hit the nail on the head. I get hit with this a lot especially here in Mexico where everybody is used to bargaining. In the beginning I used to give in a lot since i am new here. But now if they want it , they got to pay me and cash on delivery or no pics….
I have a little footnote to my comment above…
A popular line seems to be when you are asked to do it for free, ‘Consider it content for building up your port-o-folio”.
Defianetly agree Steve. No different to my boss asking me to work some time for free as it may be good for my exposure carreer wise. Any photographer looking to go pro is only damaging his / her and others chances of making the transistion by giving away there work free.
Although this story is about my work, I am a amateur photographer and this story lends itself well to this topic
I’ll make this story short. Years ago I attain my degree in computers. So, I started a business out of my home designing databases. Family and friends were so excited about my business. Soon they and other people from companies want my skills and abilities to design databases. I was happy as anyone could be. My very first database design was for a friend, we spend couple of evening hammering out all the details for her company. And then the shot in the groin, she didn’t have any money. Well, the good little Christian boy that I was said to myself I’ll do this for free and just think it as a gift from one Christian to another. Well, before I knew it I was getting calls from people who wanted a database designed, with the expatiation this was going to be for free. Well, long story short my hope and desire for my business went down crapper, out of business. It was a depressing time in my life. At least I knew who to blame for all this hardship, it was the person in the mirror. I let them screw me around, I’d hear them say “you will be blessed for this”, well, I’m pretty sure they got blessed from my work, I just didn’t get blessed from their greed.
There are four different concepts that I learned from this experience:
1. You will never be respected and your reputation won’t be a good one!
2. Your work will never be valued. I found out later that one company lost the database that I designed for them and there response was “no big deal” I mean they never invested anything into this database, No money, no sweat, no nothing! If there is no investment, there is no value.
3. They have no concept of the time and energy that goes into your work
4. From now on I have a new polices for family and friends, it goes like this, friends and family pay double!
Hey Phil, interesting topic!
In some cases, you’d be stupid not to do it for free. If you can get yourself an advantage, and you don’t do it, “the marketplace” will not thank you for it. Yes, it is not nice to do photos for free when it affects other people’s business. But on the other hand, someone out there WILL do it, and it really doesn’t matter whether this is you, or some other guy or girl…
That being said, if someone REQUESTS that you do it for free, I wouldn’t do it. That is slutty behavior, and it devalues your work. After all, if someone is already pursuing you to do his/her photos, he or she will not respect you if you do it for free. Just by the act of asking you, they have indicated their interest in your work. If you then give it away for free, all it shows is a lack of confidence.
A whole different matter is when you are looking to get training and exposure by OFFERING to do free photos. For instance, posting an ad on Craigslist, or approaching businesses with your photo ideas. I have done the same (offered free photography on Craigslist, and actually paid models on Modelmayhem.com), and in both cases, the result was that I got referrals.
You might say it is unfair to pay models if you can afford to do so, because it devalues photography as a service. But I don’t think this is true. I think people who are willing to pay for a photographer will find a photographer that they can pay for. It’s just like with clothing: Yes, some people will go for the cheap stuff if they can get their hands on it — but the really interesting prospects will still go for the brand names, and they will actually be attracted by HIGHER price points than by lower ones.
Really, there’s nothing to fear, as long as you actually value your own work.
Epiic
As professional photographers, it is critical for us to maintain fee integrity. If they want your work bad enough, they will pay for it. Photography is a craft that is becoming saturated by newcomers who dont have a clue as how to protect the industry.
I was sucked into that trap, do free work get exposure and gewt more jobs, guess what it didn;t happen. Thank’s for letting them know. No pay no photos, find someone else too rip off please!!
I thoroughly agree – I am re-starting a photography business decades after I trained as a photographer, having been in another profession most of my life, and the temptation to be cheap seemed attarctive yet doesn’t pay off. Because I am well known in the teaching profession, I once got a request to ‘take a few wedding pix in return for a plate of food off the buffet table!’ – and people think you’re just pointing a pocket phone camera and shooting away like blowing your nose! So I stick to a pro price, even though it is hadr to get business growing.
What annoys me most is that quite successful outfits make huge bucks by simply shooting people on a white background with a load of flash – and because the pictures are ‘sharp’, and brightand look moderately like the people, people pay for this stuff – yet the amount of either skill or training that went into the shots is up for quaetion. I don’t claim to be an amazing photogtrapher yet, but I put huge amount of effort into trying to give people the best I can do. People seem to think that to be a photograopher, you just buy a flashy camera and shoot away. The undiscerning public seem to accept anything!
We doi need to protect the profresison and preserve quality too.
I see this arguement all the time, maybe not from photographers, but from all diiferent type of sites in the graphics business. if you have a good product, and you have a fair price, multiple services available, there not a cheap amateur anywhere that will be able to drive you out of business.
I see graphic sites all the time with a rant page. guess what? those that have a rant page, go under or cant figure out why no one want their stuff. On the other hand, little Suzy Q has quality work, she has sales and discounts, she has freebies, she has tutorials to the public for free. Why wouldnt i go to her?
On the other hand, I own PSPX2, ive never had formal training. i have over 250,000 images on my computer, over 500 filters for my program, i have a pen tablet to draw with, and i can turn a regular photo into a professional protrait for free. Who do you think my friends come to when they have no money, and Aunti can make a special photo or postcard to send to grammy for Chirstmas/holidays/birthdays/family functions. i offer cards, photos, Masked frames, scrapping pages. i do it for free, it is my hobby, and i can give any trained photographer a run for their money. Whats my profession? EBAY trader, someone is always looking for a deal!! LOL!!
Please forgive the spelling. I do however do wish you well in your endaevors, but if you dont have faith in what you do, no one else will either.
I agree with Bob….I like to take the candid side of weddings and events for close friends and family. I leave the event in the good hands of the professional. I am the amateur and would never want to undercut the professional. I have been overwhelm with folks who have their hands out for products with no hint of payment. I know the times are tough but tougher on the folks who take the time to produce a quality product….the photograph. I say NO free work. Thanks Phil for sharing.
Great, well done, its about time that people are made aware of this, especially people starting out in the photography profession. Photography has always been a passion for me, I have spent a lot of money on my gear and not to mention the time. As an amateur photographer, you do a lot of freebies to get experience and get recognised you hand over your photographs for free, and do not realise what you are actually doing to yourself and the photography industry. I’m sure a lot of amateur and professional photographers can relate to this, at some time. I feel if someone wants your photograph that bad, they will pay for it, just like everything else in life. Thank you for bringing this to my attention and hopefully a lot of other photographers out there, I’m with you all the way.
This should be posted in Craigslist everyday!!! Maybe I will do just that!
Any professional being undercut by amateurs ought to be reviewing what he actually delivers as a final product. If amateurs can produce the same quality and consistency, the professional needs to improve his game dramatically.
I read that the publishers are being dumbdown, taking the less quality for free over paying for high quality. If you really believe that, I mean really believe it, then you should stop and consider what sort of clients you are marketing to as your base. You probably do not want your work shown in those publications.
Now, go back and re-read the article, and memorize the lines: “Of course, demanding fair compensation for your work does NOT mean you should never do free photography for friends, organizations, or causes that you choose to support, as a charitable contribution. You should!”
And to all of the amateurs – go for it! If what you can produce makes someone thrilled, don’t be fooled into thinking you must charge for your work to keep someone in business down the street. If your passion is being fulfilled – you are being paid, not in dollars, but in satisfaction of a job well done.
This is true for good photographers but it don’t stop the way many more poor/wanna be photographers from charging little to nothing because their work sucks so they can’t get good pay anyway. There are way more of those killing the business.
Great post, i’ll tweet the link and everyone should do the same….
Thank you for the post! I should include during the presentation of my services something similar here in China where I’m living currently, where local companies and large multinational companies are trying to get things for free all the time. I lost several businesses because the “amateurs” are giving their work for free to gain exposure and “experience”.
Thank you Phil, I always appreciate someone who is not afraid to say it like it is. If you are going to advance in photography or any other business of any kind it is going to cost money. In order to spend money you must make money (duh). If you are going to last income is neccessary. That being said we all have to “go to school sometimes” and pay the price, often in the form of learning from our mistakes.
However, working for free is a gift and should be viewed as such by BOTH parties. Make sure that when you give a gift it is to someone that deserves it and will appreciate it. Being taken advantage of for profit does not qualify.
Endeaver to persevere.
This is normal behavior to be selfish when there is no collective rewarding behavior. It happens in politics, in business and many other areas. Dictators emerge on the same concept, and politicians get away with their agenda while individuals try to take care of themselves. I don’t think appealing directly will change this behavior. However I think you, professional established photographers, can take a strategy to penalize young photographers if you find out they ever sold their work unreasonably to anyone by not hiring them. Such strategy may make the younger photographers think twice, at least. They have to weigh their free service for recognition, with jeopardizing their future when they enter the established photographers community. This is just a suggestion and my point is that to battle this trend practical strategies should be adopted.
Thanks Phil, I now know what I need to do with all the time, money and effort I spent developing my skills. Give my skills away for free. Oh by the way Phil any chance I can get a refund on your great courses? Yeah right!
Corporations have been doing this for years to highly skilled people. Won’t you come and work for us, put up with all our BS for free, while we pay our oxygen thieving bastards of a CEO & the board millions of dollars to run the company at a loss.
check out Sarah Henry’s post on Bay Area Bites
Will Write For Food, Payment Preferable
http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2011/02/26/will-write-for-food-payment-preferable/
Photography gifts to friends and family are fine, but not to profitable businesses.
They make money by charging for THEIR service.
Well said everybody. I think the cold light of day hits the freebie community when they open a studio or rent any kind of premises. And then you have to consider how much the tax man wants, the utility companies and so on – and then the $500 bill for the shoot doesn’t look so lucrative. I often meet business men who want headshots for avatars but who won’t pay my fees – they end up shooting themselves in the head with a hand-held camera phone, the results of which they then post on their net correspondence. I mean – who would want to represent their services with shots like these, and what does it say about the company?
But then there is also the moral imperative to consider. Why should editors think it is OK to solicit work from writers and photographers for free? I’m very much with Harlan here and I always ask the same question as he does (Do you work for free, Mr editor?) Doesn’t make me a lot of friends, but I’m in business to make money, not extend my social contacts. Let’s hope a few of the goldbrickers out there will take notice.