Do you find as a photographer people sometimes take advantage?

Twizzel

Twizzel

Suspended / Banned
Messages
712
Name
Rach
Edit My Images
No
Hmm.

You may remember back in August I photographed my friends' wedding for nothing, as their photographer cancelled on them at short notice. They said it was the difference between having photographs and not, so I said ok, and dad and I photographed the wedding. I asked them if they could afford a £50 hire lens, apparently they could not.

The day I took the photos round to them, they had bought a huge huge plasma tv, must be 60" and it was in their front room. Now I may just be jumping to conclusions here but we didn't even get a thankyou card for doing the wedding, and they now have a lovely new expensive tv?

My dad did another wedding the week after, same situation, people couldn't afford a photographer. He turns up to a wedding which was held in a stately country home with no expense spared (reception in a pub, about the only cost cutting bit of the wedding apparently).

I got roped into photographing my best mate's 21st birthday party tonight, I couldn't say no and so I'm not going to enjoy it half as much knowing I've got to get certain shots etc...

So does anybody else feel like friends always almost expect them to photograph big events? I really didn't enjoy the wedding I did because I was caught up in the photography and running around like a blue arsed fly, and it's going to happen again tonight :( Saying no leaves an awkward situation, especially if I'm going to the event anyway... :shrug:

Am I the only one who gets roped in like this??? :(
 
If someone approaches me and asks me to photograph their wedding on a budget, I always ask them where the venue will be held at. If it's the Horse & Cart down the road then fair enough... if it's in an 18th Century manor house then they get a polite no. :)
 
it was very rude of them not to say thanks

but..... i hate to point out the obvious but quite often after a wedding people have a lot of new things in their house. They are called wedding presents :)
 
Some years ago I was asked to cover an annual outdoor event as a 'one off', as it was a charity event I did it for nothing. I provided the film and provided an album of the event from which people selected photographs, and I printed them at cost plus 10%.

As the years went by the event grew bigger, the guests were well known tv celebrities and I continued to cover the event on the above terms.

Finally I decided that in view of the size and status of the event I would have to charge, the best I was offered was a few packs of film (it's for charity I was reminded).

I've never done anything for nothing since.

Nigel.
 
I find if I am going to any family events, I have a very large family consisiting of 20 aunts and uncles and 42 cousins so plenty of events, that they always ask me to bring my "nice camera" and take some shots. Even shots that would be easier just taking with a point and shoot camera, they ask me to take them because they think they will look better :shrug:

One time I missed out on the free wine because my aunt wanted some "nice" photos of her three dogs. :bang:

One a nicer note, I am photographing my younger cousins wedding as they werent going to hire a photographer anyway due to the arrival of their new baby. I dont mind doing that for them. :)
 
Gary said:
it was very rude of them not to say thanks

but..... i hate to point out the obvious but quite often after a wedding people have a lot of new things in their house. They are called wedding presents :)
Click to expand...


Yes very true, but when their wedding present list specifically said they wanted money for their honeymoon.... :suspect:
 
purpleclouds said:
If someone approaches me and asks me to photograph their wedding on a budget, I always ask them where the venue will be held at. If it's the Horse & Cart down the road then fair enough... if it's in an 18th Century manor house then they get a polite no. :)
Click to expand...

Hammer, nail, on the head ;)

Darren
 
How does that saying go?

Today's favour becomes tomorrows duty
 
Managing expectation is a complex subject.

You covered their wedding for them for free so your time and trouble was worth nothing, your valuation not theirs so in effect you gave them nothing so what are they going to say thank you for?

I am really not having a go at you so please do not see it like that.

stew
 
Yes, myself and my other half photographed a wedding 3 weeks ago now. Payment was supposed to be made before wedding, but wasn't - but because we're not nasty we still did it. Haven't had a penny of the £700 remaining balance.

Still, no money, no pictures I'm afraid. Strange how people think we can do without that £700 huh?
 
I think what they may or may not have bought is really irrelevant.
You can only get into this sort of situation if you let yourself - I'm not having a go - you're being really nice and trying to help out where you think it's needed. But there IS a cost to you in doing this, so don't offer to work for less than expenses. Let someone else get taken for a ride.

L
 
People often try it. I find the phrases 'No' and 'I didnt bring my camera' work best

Hugh
 
squizza said:
Yes, myself and my other half photographed a wedding 3 weeks ago now. Payment was supposed to be made before wedding, but wasn't - but because we're not nasty we still did it. Haven't had a penny of the £700 remaining balance.

Still, no money, no pictures I'm afraid. Strange how people think we can do without that £700 huh?
Click to expand...

Its not being nasty expecting payment in the weeks / month leading up to the wedding, its standard practise. It could be seen as being nasty not taking it as you gave them more money to spend on beer :D:D:D ( only joking)

stew
 
artona said:
Managing expectation is a complex subject.

You covered their wedding for them for free so your time and trouble was worth nothing, your valuation not theirs so in effect you gave them nothing so what are they going to say thank you for?

I am really not having a go at you so please do not see it like that.

stew
Click to expand...

Sorry, I think that's *******s. You're saying that whenever someone does something for someone else as a favour there's no need to say thank you because it was done for nothing ?
 
Lasagne said:
Sorry, I think that's *******s. You're saying that whenever someone does something for someone else as a favour there's no need to say thank you because it was done for nothing ?
Click to expand...


Where in my post did I say that?
 
My old man's a sparky. People call him all the time friends/family to do work for free or next to nothing.

I work as a mechanic. People call me all the time freidns/family to do work for free or next to nothing for them.

If you have a trade or a useful skill which you can share, then you will probably asked to share it. If you don't want to...don't. But if you do want to share your skills and expertise, because thats what friends and family are for...to help each other out.
Thats why i don't payt for sparkies/plumbers/chippies/plasterers or anything else very often...because we all help each other out.
 
Twizzel said:
Hmm.

You may remember back in August I photographed my friends' wedding for nothing, as their photographer cancelled on them at short notice. They said it was the difference between having photographs and not, so I said ok, and dad and I photographed the wedding. I asked them if they could afford a £50 hire lens, apparently they could not.
Click to expand...

I assume they were paying to first photographer- and would have got their money back. Can't understand why they couldn't have given you some of this. I find saying no to friends/family very difficult as well- so its not just you :)
 
artona said:
Managing expectation is a complex subject.

You covered their wedding for them for free so your time and trouble was worth nothing, your valuation not theirs so in effect you gave them nothing so what are they going to say thank you for?

I am really not having a go at you so please do not see it like that.

stew
Click to expand...

I don't quite understand what you're saying there? :thinking:

I did give them something- they had 200 decent photos of their wedding day from getting ready in the morning to cutting the cake in the evening, the ceremony was covered, plus reportage style and formal shots of guests. So surely that's something? They wouldn't have had those photos unless I said I'd cover the wedding?

Edited to add- the first photographer was a pro but was doing their photos as a present for very little, I didn't quite get it out of them if he was doing it for free or not. They were very thankful on the day and when I presented the photos to them, but a little card sent on after they had received the pics would have been nice, especially as my dad came along too on his precious day off work.
 
Listen Twizzel.........I know what you gave them was fantastic. I know that what you gave them was £1000 +. You know that, I know that but they did not. If you are doing something for free then expect nothing in return.

If they are good mannered and care about their friends they will say thank you and give you a present in return. But they have proved they are not so you now have to work out where you will pigeon hole them, do you still want them as friends who just take or do you want do give your time to someone else. This is what managing expectation is all about.



stew
 
It's called taking the ****. Unfortunately, life experience teaches you to be cynical.
Surprising how many friends you acquire when they sense an opportunity.
Some people have no shame whatsoever - and no conscience.
 
A lot of people just don't understand or appreciate the skill and hard work involved in photographing a wedding properly. Some will just think it's just a case of pointing and shooting a camera. I'm sure other skilled trades people get roped in to doing jobs for friends and family for nothing too, but to receive no thanks is very annoying especially when they don't appreciate the time, skill, hard work and money you may have had to spend too.
 
I was approached this year to photograph for free, a memorial service with a fly past of a Lancaster bomber and thought well it is a bit of publicity which never hurts so agreed until I was TOLD oh by the way we will WANT about 20 DVD's of the event to send to various people and organisations.

Oh well in that case you can have them at cost plus a little for my time to produce them was my reply, say £130 bearing in mind this event was also taking place 60 miles from my home.

Oh no we can't afford that, we thought it was all for free, came the reply bearing in mind they had hired and paid for a marquee, catering, insurance etc.

Needles to say I told them sorry, I have another well paid job come in for the same day, you will have to find some other mug!

From now on charity starts and ends at home!
 
as others have said, this happens time and time again in pretty much every trade ever... the best advice would be to maybe think about what they can offer you in return? then, they don't see it as a 'cost', and will be happy to trade their skills and time for yours.

as for the 21st party.... just drink and pap.... continuous high speed fps mode on, flash with stofen, wave the camera about :P will get some usable stuff that'll be way better than anything that a p+s will chuck out :)
 
I always get asked for things just because i never have done anything for money with my cameraso they kinda expect it from me now. im to nice to charge.
 
My brother in law asked me and I said 'no way' far to much responsibility, I told them I wAsn't good enough, turns out the snaps i did take were better than the 'so called' pro, with a d300 and 18-55 kit lens.
 
squizza said:
Yes, myself and my other half photographed a wedding 3 weeks ago now. Payment was supposed to be made before wedding, but wasn't - but because we're not nasty we still did it. Haven't had a penny of the £700 remaining balance.

Still, no money, no pictures I'm afraid. Strange how people think we can do without that £700 huh?
Click to expand...

Give them 12 months and if they don't cough up send them a polite reminder that their images will be deleted as you need the file space:exit:
 
I've made the mistake of trying to be a guest and a photographer at the same time. If you try to do that then you will fail at one and possibly both. In my experience, shooting a wedding is very demanding of time, skill, concentration, planning and so on and there is no let up between shooting to kick back and relax with a drink and take time out for a friendly chat. Once you've shot the wedding there is then the time required to PP the results, as well as the time preparing in advance, plus the kit bag of valuable, heavy gear to be lugged around and guarded all day long. It just doesn't work out well for the "photographer". The "guest" element doesn't even feature, if you want to do a good job of the photography. It's four days of unpaid work, and that's on top of buying a present.

Having learned the hard way that I'm the one to suffer when doing these "favours", I now simply tell people that if I'm invited as a guest then I shall be a guest, and I will not be taking my camera. If it's for family or friends then I would expect to be there as a guest. Thus any request to take my camera will be greeted with a polite "No". It keeps things far simpler that way.

p.s. at the last wedding I shot as a "favour", there were two other togs there who shoot for a living (not weddings). I was told that my photos were the best of the bunch, and from what I saw of the other efforts I would have to agree. I've been told by the MOB that one of my images could be on the cover of Vogue, and she has the image printed and hung on the wall at home. All I got from the B&G was a "Thank you." email, and a comment that got fed back to me was "Of course his images are good - he was using a £4,000 camera." The fracking cheek of it! And we bought them a gift too. :bang:
 
cannockwolf said:
My brother in law asked me and I said 'no way' far to much responsibility, I told them I wAsn't good enough, turns out the snaps i did take were better than the 'so called' pro, with a d300 and 18-55 kit lens.
Click to expand...

Was it you or the 'so called pro' who had a D300 and 18-55 kit lens?
 
Nice to know that these 'favours' are not limited to the computer industry.

I'm constantly being asked to fix people's computers. I've even had people just turn up at my house with kit minutes after I've arrived home from work.

I've also had phones thrust in my face "here my mate is having a problem with his PC".

If it's family then I just get on with it, but recently I've started to say no to everyone else. I work long hours and have very little time to spend with my kids as it is.

Probably the most annoying example of this was a few weeks ago when I got a voicemail from an old friends mum. "Our PC isn't working can you come around and fix it for me after work, this is my address". I haven't seen the guy in years, and his mum for even longer...

Felt very much like I was being told rather than asked, needless to say the voicemail was deleted..
 
My wife has a very bad habit of offering my services to all her friends and friends friends :(
 
Forgive me if this has been answered, but their photographer cancelled on them at the last minute....and they couldn't afford to pay you?

What happened to the money they were going to give the original photographer?
 
Trappe said:
Give them 12 months and if they don't cough up send them a polite reminder that their images will be deleted as you need the file space:exit:
Click to expand...

12 months :nuts: , 12 weeks then the small claims court ;)

Nigel.
 
Keith W said:
My wife has a very bad habit of offering my services to all her friends and friends friends :(
Click to expand...

Its not just me then ;) I bloody hate it when she does this because its always for no money and "it'll only take you 5 minutes"

Now she gets told to shove it (politely of course :)) when I get asked to "knock up a quick website", fix someones computer or take a few nice shots of the neighbours kids etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top