Do you find as a photographer people sometimes take advantage?

BalSanghera said:
Havent gone through the whole thread but to answer your question "Do you find as a photographer people some take advantage?" Then the answer is yes but only if you let them.
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Spot on, as are many other similar posts here.

I'd also add that on quite a few occasions I have had people be incredibly generous because I am a photographer. I was on holiday one year and took some shots of kite surfers. A few of them were kind enough to deliberately do their runs and stunts deliberately in front of me without being asked. Next year we went to the same place so I had a photobook made up to leave as a gift. The guys were delighted I had bothered (lots of photogs just take shots and leave) and insisted me and my family of four stay and share their BBQ, and they made a real fuss of my kids, who were delighted. Another time, a mom from my kids' school asked me to shoot her daughter's party. She insisited on paying me so I quoted what I thought was a reasonable rate. On the day she paid me twice what I asked for as the kids had enjoyed it so much.

Some you win, some you lose. If you aren't willing to take the risk just say no.
 
I've done 2 weddings. The first one I did was for a friend who claimed to be on a really tight budget so she asked me to photograph it as a favour which I was pleased to do for free as I wanted the experience. At the time they asked though they said they had no money for a photographer so it me or nothing.

After the wedding I found out they'd spent about £8k in total which was £3k over their original budget so clearly they found the money for other things that they thought were more important than a photographer. I also found out that the cake was made by the mother of a friend of the bride who has agreed to do it at cost. The bride assumed this would be about £50 but it turned out to be £260. It has been over 2 months since the wedding and the cake still hasn't been paid for despite several requests from the cake maker.

It's not just photographers that get taken for a ride but certainly in the case of weddings we are easy targets because in general we enjoy what we do so too many of us say yes to doing a freebie because we're not used to charging for it.
 
jontucker said:
I have to disagree with you there Tim, based on my own experience.
...
Also, in ten years time no one will remember who gave them the toaster that they threw out 5 years ago....

Obviously if I was making a living from it I would think differently (like I do with IT, as someone else mentioned.. I answer the phone to my family "Have you turned it off and on again?") but having your hobby make people happy is a good thing.

Anyway, back to my point... you CAN be a guest and the photographer and still enjoy yourself. I've done it, twice! And would I do it again? Hell yeah. :D
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so it seems there are two camps here...those doing photography as a living (do i do it for free) and those doing it on the side? (do i do it as a favour) ..the general theme appers to be weddings as was the initial post.

As someone pointed out weddings appear to be a mine field due to the great cost of the whole affair, costs can balloon as people get carried away...and people do try to cut corners if they know some'one is up to the job (well have a decent camera anyway)

but what struck me about Jon's comments were that he enjoyed himself, he got inside the event, became part of it and didn't let himself be left out. Even the idea of the toaster that you'll have thrown away, but not something that will let you relive the day...brilliant...so is the question really that people take advantage OR that friends do...and if the latter, and you do consider it cheek, then you are the only one to blame...because after all they are friends....the former...simply hand them a templated invoice for something that is balanced in your favour? :shrug:
 
I do things for free for my family as they are my family (photography, fixing computers etc). My Grandad has even paid me a couple of times!
My mum and dad talk to others about what I can do and offer my 'services' without asking me first.
As others have said, I hate it when people say your photos are good because of your 'big, expensive' camera - I'm sorry, do I not play a part in the whole affair? Of course, I forgot, I only open the bag and the camera jumps out and attaches the right lens, screws itself to the tripod and arranges the guests. The only thing I do is wait for the camera to call me over, before pressing the button :bang:
People just assume because you have good equipment, no skill is involved!

I have been asked to do websites for free, which I did once but then thought, why the hell should I - cost of software, time etc so I started charging.

A friendship is supposed to go both ways but sometimes it feels like you only become their friend if they 'need' you for something.
 
Camera gear is expensive.
Good camera gear is more expensive.
Knowing how to use it is priceless.
 
-Rob- said:
I've done 2 weddings. The first one I did was for a friend who claimed to be on a really tight budget so she asked me to photograph it as a favour which I was pleased to do for free as I wanted the experience. At the time they asked though they said they had no money for a photographer so it me or nothing.

After the wedding I found out they'd spent about £8k in total which was £3k over their original budget so clearly they found the money for other things that they thought were more important than a photographer. I also found out that the cake was made by the mother of a friend of the bride who has agreed to do it at cost. The bride assumed this would be about £50 but it turned out to be £260. It has been over 2 months since the wedding and the cake still hasn't been paid for despite several requests from the cake maker.

It's not just photographers that get taken for a ride but certainly in the case of weddings we are easy targets because in general we enjoy what we do so too many of us say yes to doing a freebie because we're not used to charging for it.
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Having something for nothing is always preferable to paying for it. As far as I'm concerned, if you are willing and able to do it for nothing for your friends/family then it doesn't really make any difference whether they spend £1000 or £10000 on the rest of the wedding...

What does make a difference though is them almost tricking you in to doing their photographs for nothing by telling you they're skint when aren't. Not much of mate really.

What I also find very interesting is what little value (I don't mean monetary value) some people put on having good photos of their wedding. Surely after that 1 day, the one thing you'll have to remind you what a great day everyone had is the photo's? That's another reason that I enjoyed doing it for my friends so much. I was able to give them something which over time would be far more valuable (again, not monetary) than the rest of the wedding put together. I suppose I am in the fortunate position of having friends (these particular ones at least) that are extremely grateful for the 'wedding gift' I gave them but I wasn't expecting anything in return apart from them being happy with them. If I was expecting something then I wouldn't have done it. One couple has moved away from here now so I don't see them so often but they still bring up how chuffed they were with them every time I see them! :lol:

I think if I was asked to do it a lot then eventually I'd become more sceptical and possibly start saying no but that's ball is in my court isn't it.

tdodd said:
Camera gear is expensive.
Good camera gear is more expensive.
Knowing how to use it is priceless.
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Now that I do agree with! Having friends you can rely on is pretty valuable too!

This reminds me of a quote:

"Think where man's glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends."

What a soppy old tart I am!
 
Thankfully, I suck so no one bothers asking me for any favours in relation to photography. :p
 
This has been an interesting thread. I'm glad someone bought up IT, because I'm a techy, and I get asked to fix stuff as much as I do photo stuff.

I tend to do a lot of stuff for free, and I've usually ended up getting something in return, one way or another. Maybe I just manage to pick the people I know will appreciate my efforts? Busted hard drive? Bottle of JD. Photos of your new gig venue? Few pints of ale and the odd guestlist spot. New portfolio pics? Dinner. Never expected, always appreciated. I'm generally quite busy, so I usually have no qualms about saying 'sorry, I'm busy' to people I think would take the mickey.

As for weddings, I shot one at the weekend in Birmingham City Hall (or an equally grand venue, top of New Street for those who know the city). It was for friends, they'd gotten engaged three years ago, when I wouldn't even have dreamt about charging for my 'talents'. They asked if I'd cover their wedding back then, and I agreed like a shot. They knew I wasn't a pro, and I was assuming they were doing the whole thing on the cheap. Anyway, three years down the line and I've earned a bit of cash through the lens. I get to this magnificent venue, fully decked out... couldn't have imagined what it cost them, but as far as I was concerned, we'd made an agreement and it would be churlish of me not to stick to it. Anyway, had a lovely day (and I was 'in charge of' two other togs), got some good photos, didn't resent working my ass off for free, and was pleased as punch that the groom thanked me in his speech. That was enough, as far as I was concerned, but he also slipped me an envelope before I left. Not a king's ransom, but certainly enough to make the day worth my while, and all the sweeter for it being unexpected.

Moral? Probably not, I'm just rambling. Pick your friends well, and be prepared to say no ;)
 
yourapocalypse said:
Pick your friends well, and be prepared to say no ;)
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That's my problem with a certain family member - I'm pants at saying no and she doesn't take no for an answer! I'm fairly bad this week after the wedding and I've already been asked 3 times when I could do it ("when I'm a bit better" doesn't suffice! :bang: ) I've ranted before about last few times I did shots TBH, she puts them on facebook and passes them off as her own, which bugs me. I love doing the shots, I really do, I just hate the whole drama from the persons concerned...
 
If I get asked to do a wedding for a freind again, I'd do it and leap at the chance - but it would be my present to them. I;d of course get them the books printed etc as well as hand the jpegs over, but I think its a great present to a happy couple, especially if they trust your artistic license and skills. I would think that having a freind as a photographer would make them more relaxed in your prescense.

But I wouldn't do a random wedding for free! What pressure it must be :)
 
Having been into video a few years back, I offered to do a basic video of a relatives wedding.

Two days before, they rang to say they had been let down by a friend who was going to take photographs so could I do that as well.

Spent the whole day with a camcorder in one hand and a 5D in the other, interesting day.
 
I've been asked several times to weddings and christenings etc , but alway say no.
 
I have shot 3 weddings for free in the past with my 20D as I fancied getting the experience and helping out some friends along the way.

Since I bought my D700 and invested in pro glass and spent shed loads on lighting, accessories etc... I no longer do anything for free as I feel that I need to start re-couping cost along the line.

I was sat a wedding recently where some woman I have never met before found out I had togged some weddings before for friends for free. She asked me why I am not helping out the B&G by doing their pictures for them. I said its because I charge and gave the reasons why, to which she replied "yeah, you look like the kind of person who wouldnt help anyone else out"

I was speechless to say the least!

I later found out that because I now have expensive gear, I am a bit of a ponce really and over value myself because I dare to charge for my photos!!!

Needless to say, I dont bother keeping in touch with said people anymore...

If you start with "free", everyone will expect you to stay free. Set the expectations right from the start.
 
I got asked by an old friend who has a small buisness selling Pate's via the internet to take some photo's of her produce and also pics of her making them .I have'nt seen this person for 10 years but keep in touch via a common social website (we where only reaquainted a year ago).She asked me to do them for free ,and i replied that i would come up and spend a couple of hours there taking the pics with ££££'s of kit just for some samples of pate .She lives 25 miles from me which would mean a 50 mile round trip ,2 gallons of petrol ,3 hours of my time and quite expensive photographic kit .This was 2 weeks ago and yesterday i spoke to her regarding this and she had a bit of an attitude towards me and said that she had took the pics herself to keep any cost down !:thinking: All i asked was for a tiny bit of produce probably costing her £5 :shrug:
 
I'm not a photographer and it has been said before it happens in IT that I know about, you pop round to see a mate or family freind and it crops up that their PC is playing up and can I have a look at it. I have started to ignore them and switch the subject. I went to a new years eve party once and new years day I was round at someones house reinstalling windows. The following year another person at the party I went to their house again on new years day sorting their cable router out. When Im out enjoying myself and I get asked what I do I'm a funeral director, for some strange reason no one wants your services the following day and rarely want to talk about your work.

A few other hobbies have been the same I enjoy detailing the 3 family cars and a few freinds have asked can I do theirs, learning from the IT things I say sure what do you want and then quote them a price depending on what they want doing. I use about £30 worth of stuff cleaning a single car never mind the 2 days it takes getting it perfectly polished. most of the time its £50 to pay the costs of the stuff I use and buy somthing new other times when its a little manky then it goes up as I use different stuff to clean it. You then get the odd "job" ohh my dog was sick 3 weeks ago can you do anything about the smell? they cost £250 in other words take it somewhere else. Unfortunatly I have a problem saying no but quoteing a silly price is my method of saying not a chance and most of the time it works. And £250 isnt that silly a price when it comes to detailing a car as some on here will know but when its mates wanting mates rates its a hell of a lot of money.

And the photography side, I have been asked to shoot a wedding, which is how I ended up on here looking for advice etc. Another freind has organised a christening and invited me and asked my sister to ask me to bring my camera to take some photos. Luckily it is at the same church as the wedding next year so it will have a use but I don't like people assumeing I will do things. Ohh yeah my sister is a cake decorator so is making the cake for both the christening and the wedding. If I get good at photography we will set up a wedding planing business.:bang:
 
I get this all the time in IT/Computing/Electrical technical things/cars. For family I find it hard to say no.
 
It's saying no which is the hard part!
 
I've never had it with Photography, but I've had it with detailing cars. I don't do it for anyone else's car but my familes, but I get the odd "friend" ask me to clean their car like I clean mine for a fiver. Well all the equipment to do a complete wash is around £20 - £30 a car, and then it's about 8 hours work. A fiver really does sound tempting...



I'm going to take my camera to my brother's wedding where I'm best man, but not doing photography, I'll take a few photo's but I'm best man so that's coming first. Oh, and that's because I'm getting a free Holiday to Florida for the wedding :D
 
unfortunatly I have just been a victim of this, at the start of October I photographed my other halves cousins wedding. she had asked me to do it last year as weddings is what i do. my partner and I had spoke about what to charge her as she is close family and came to the agreement that I would do it as out wedding gift to her. she kept saying the whole time, no pressure...rememeber your still a guest!

anyway.....after booking 4 days annual leave from my full time job to travel to newcastle for it, spent £140 per night for 3 nights in the hotel, photographed the wedding, did not enjoy one bit of the weekend as i was stressing about pictures, (shes a bridzilla, everything had to be better than perfect)

sent all 200ish edited shots to her on a flash stick to do as she pleased with, and i get a text message the other night saying.......shots are lovely, have you more to send??

WELL. needless to say im furious. ungrateful b****. she said she was disapointed as she thought there would be more family shots & bridal party shots. (i shot all family shots, parents grandparents, bridal party etc.)

i think she was just being greedy to be honest, i messaged her back saying, as only 1 photographer there on the day, having only 1 hr to work with i really had to concertrate on most important shots, not photograph all of her guests.

im actually fuming at her ungratefullness, and sheer cheekyness. needless to say never seen any thanks for doing this.

no more family jobs,.....ever.....paid or unpaid!!!

rant over. thanks for listening if you have got this far!!!
 
This is actually what got me interested in photography. My brother asked if I could take some photos at his wedding (no previous experience of anything), it was a very relaxed affair and all that was wanted was one nice shot of the happy couple, other than that they wanted random shots of the event, to avoid posed photos and only go for candid shots of guests. They also wanted me to enjoy myself. He loaned me his camera for a couple of months prior to the wedding and I had a whale of a time. Come the day I was bricking it that I wouldn't get a single shot they liked. End of the day they got shots that they liked, and I had a hell of a terrifying experience that I wouldn't like to do again like that EVER AGAIN, but at the same time I'm glad I did get to do it, although I think it has made me a bit fearful of taking photos for someone else. I even managed to have a good time.

People have since asked me if I could "help them out" and the answer has been a flat out no, the photos I take are to help me unwind and get me some quiet time.

Outside of photography (and the OPs question) worst offenders for me are my immediate family, but I know if ever I needed them they'd be there, so generally I don't mind although there can be those times that are a little infuriating. One time I got a phonecall at about 7pm from my mum telling me she had a flat tyre and didn't know how to replace it, so I drove roughly 22 miles and when I got there found my brother was there as well, both were dressed for going to the theatre and he didn't want to get his hands or suit dirty. By this time typically it was raining quite heavily, so while they stayed nice and dry in my car I changed the tyre and got soaked in my jeans and a t-shirt. My mum genuinely didn't know how to change the tyre properly so I don't mind that - I'm her son & I'll help her with anything - but I could easily have giving my brother a good thumping.
 
I went for a mates wedding in September. They know Im a TOG and they said that if I want to I can go with them for a PRO TOG shoot out for their wedding pictures with a pro tog. This Pro Tog is their friend and he was fine with shooting everything for free :)
He sat at the table during the wedding, he had food,drinks everything...and he was not asked to jump around during the wedding to take pictures only when he wanted to :) So he had fun and in the meanwhile he took few nice shots :) there was not a bit of pressure on him...I took few photos as well and happily gave them to B&G.
They have invited him as a guest and he offered his SKILLS for free as a present and I said to them it was really generous from him :) and I can say that some of the photos are amazing :D
If I would be asked to cover friends wedding for free I would say no...I dont mind taking few nice shots as a guest and then share them...those days everyone has a camera and if you dont have money for a pro tog just ask your guests for photos afterwards and I bet you, there will be few of them worth keeping for memories :)
L.
 
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