Let me set the scene: I’m a 24 year-old photographer based in London. I specialize in portraits with actors, models, and musicians and I started freelancing almost three years ago. I didn’t know what to expect when I first started working in the creative industry, but I soon learned the extent of how many jobs are expected for absolutely no payment in return. But is it really all that bad? Speaking honestly, I don’t think so. Here’s why I think we should stop complaining and, within reason, keep saying "yes" to more free projects.
Recently, I was trying to source a creative team for an upcoming photoshoot — just the usual: a makeup artist, hairstylist, and wardrobe stylist. The shoot was with an up and coming musician signed to a major record label and the feature is to be inside the next print issue of a renowned British magazine. I thought it was cool; this is exactly the type of project I want to be working on and exactly the kind of photographer I want to be. But when asking around to see which of my regular contacts were available and interested, I couldn’t help but notice a reluctance from quite a few of my peers once they found out there would be no payment. One said they were focusing exclusively on paid work right now. Another asked if it was for the magazine’s front cover and soon lost interest upon finding out that it wasn’t. This, to me, was really strange — to completely write off the opportunity to have your work printed in a respectable publication. I can’t help but feel it was almost a little arrogant for these people to be seeing nothing further than the prospect of money. It got me thinking about the state of the creative world.
The Hustle
The industry is changing; that’s for sure. Blogs and magazines are being more cautious than ever about which projects they distribute their money towards, because the truth of the matter is people are buying less physical print copies, and less sales ultimately means less advertising revenue. It’s now the norm for there to be no allocated budget for any given shoot, but still, there remains the expectation that the project will be shot in a fantastic venue curated by a large team, all of whom will inevitably be contributing their services free of charge.
From speaking to friends back home, I’ve discovered there is a big misconception when it comes to the relationship between the photographic world and money. Everyone on the outside looking in tends to presume that the bigger the client – particularly if a "celebrity" is involved – the larger the paycheck. Wrong! In fact, it seems to be the complete opposite, with the general protocol seemingly being that the bigger the client name, the greater the privilege, and thus, the sacrifice of any kind of actual payment; I mean besides social media tagging, which is virtually a currency these days.
You have to be willing to work hard. This isn’t a field in which you can dabble in and just blag your way through. Expect late nights and last-minute calls. In an industry saturated with creativity and with high-quality cameras becoming more accessible to the masses, you have to distinguish yourself as someone who is committed to the cause, and not someone who is merely in it for an extra hobby. Put in the hours, work the long nights, say "yes" to the free shoots. This is where those that are serious about photography are separated from those who just like the idea of it. It’s the hustle that separates those of us who live for photography and the arts. Perhaps I’m just sick and twisted, but I like feeling as though I’ve earned my place in the industry, and I’m proud of being able to say that I’ve worked myself into a position where I can be choosey of what free work I take on, and likewise, that I can book jobs that do pay and pay well.
I shot a magazine cover with British Musician James Bay for free. Seeing it on shelves across the country has meant more than any paycheck.
Think About the Positives
So often when discussing upcoming projects with other creatives, the first question will be: “Are they paid?” My question is: as long as my rent is getting paid, does it matter? There are benefits to working for free; so, don’t be so quick to complain about the financial side of things. Take this time to hone your skills and also to develop new ones. Working with little-to-no budget creates an entirely different atmosphere on set. With the pressure of a paying client removed, you’ll find you’re more in touch with the ideas you have for the shoot and you’re not just worried about living up to the fee you’ve quoted. Free shoots usually mean a lot more creative freedom too, as paying clients almost always have an idea about what they want and are only willing to part with their money if they know the vision they have will be brought to fruition. And with no budget, you’ll be at your most resourceful, thinking about things further in depth and pushing through ideas in ways you’d never ordinarily have thought of if you could just threw some cash at it. Free shoots should be viewed as a chance to practice new techniques, to get to know your camera inside out, and to meet hundreds of new contacts along the way, so that you’re fully qualified for the paid jobs when they do start to come in. You never know who you’ll bump into on a set and at worst, you get the pleasure of working alongside people of all ages and backgrounds.
One thing I promised myself from the outset is that, within reason, money will not dictate my life. And it definitely won’t dictate my career. Of course, inevitably, there are some jobs I do for no reason other than the money. Corporate headshots are far from my favorite, but they pay the bills. Heck, if I wanted to be rich, I certainly wouldn’t be freelance. There are days I dream of what a luxury it must be to have a salaried job with a fixed income, so you can assess what you have coming in versus what you have coming out. But the reality is I wouldn’t trade being freelance for anything. It gives me the freedom to take my career in whichever direction I choose and allows me to be selective of the projects I choose to devote time to. And that, to me, is invaluable. Just because a shoot is without payment, that’s not to say it isn’t without serious perks. To be published is a privilege, not a god-given right. When you look back on your career in later life, you’re not going to be thinking about the time you got paid, or that shoot you in which you managed to wrangle a higher rate out of one of your clients. You’ll be thinking about the magazine cover spread you produced, shot, and directed, or the time you had someone email you to say how much they enjoyed the spread you shot in their favorite publication. That is worth so much more than money to me.
I wasn't paid for being featured in a recent issue of British Vogue, but this is something I'll forever be proud of.
Keep an Open Mind
Now, it’d be naive of me to sit here and promote working for free like we can survive without the jobs that pay. I’m not saying to scrap your fees and make a habit of running photo favors for people you’ve never met and may never see again. And yes, sometimes it does frustrate me when people just assume I’ll be undertaking their every photographic need for absolutely no fee whatsoever. That very attitude is the reason I had to work a part-time job that I hated when I first started freelancing. I’m not afraid to admit I’ve had some financial support from my parents along the way, which I know is not an option everyone is privileged enough to indulge in. Some people also have family to look after or a mortgage. I’m aware. But what I’m suggesting is to merely keep an open mind. Whenever possible, don’t let money dictate what you say "yes" to. Remember that although you’re forging a career out of your work, the reason you chose to get into this industry was because of your love of taking photos. So, stop complaining and get on with it. Make the most of every part of the photo-taking proces, and take control of all aspects of the shoot so that it’s your project and is worth your time. There are so many great experiences out there to be had. If it’s something you really want to work on, make sure you don’t miss out because you decided it was more important to get rich.
I like the photos you have included with this article and if you can afford to work for free and it's giving you some much-needed work for your portfolio, then good for you. Sadly, the taking bread out of other's mouths ship has sailed for many types of photography, so there's no sense arguing about that.
My advice, though, is to make sure any work you do free is not truly free. You had better get a lot more than exposure out of it. Contacts, relationships, tax write-offs, etc. -- things that will lead to paying work or offset costs all come to mind. If you're just doing it for exposure (whatever that even means these days when you can self-publish on the web), as a favor, or out of a perceived obligation than you are likely making a big mistake. Family stuff excepted, of course.
ok, here is what I take from this article. just a summary in my own words.
1.) photographers and creative professionals think they are worth too much and should lower their expectations so you can make art.
2.) money isn't everything.
3.) exposure on social networks is worth about as much as money.
4.) big magazines and publications are so big they can't be bothered to pay because everyone has a camera and so they don't need to.
ok. #2 is correct. I disagree with #1, #3 and #4.
now the vast majority of this article you spend saying why I should offer myself for free more, and then in the last segment titled "keep an open mind" you double back and almost act like you didn't mean that. I'm sorry my friend, but either you are saying I should work for free more or you are not. which is it. you give no frame work or guidance as too which types of jobs you think should be free. maybe that's a good thing as I am a creative and can make that decision myself, but leaving it out almost makes you so ambiguous as to make your point lose any power you thought it had.
I ultimately feel there is a time and place for free work. but I believe that time and place should become smaller with time. and not the other way around. and when a company refuses to pay me, it's a slap in the face and nothing more. even if it is a passive slap in the face while they are wearing a smile.
Hey Chris,
1 - definitely not what I was intending to convey whatsoever!
3 - never underestimate social media, I get plenty of paid work through it, and know friends (moreso models) who get paid to takes photos of themselves with products. We're talking upwards of £400 per post.
4) I'm definitely not advocating the attitude of magazines who expect all work for free. I'm not saying it's right. But I am saying that I'm not going to miss out on projects that genuinely excite me simply because I want to get paid. Within reason of course - I do still have rent to pay.
1) then you nee to learn to be a better writer and communicate what you mean.
Let's see how you feel in 3 years time when you're struggling to get paid work because everyone you've ever dealt with knows that someone will believe the "it's great for your exposure" line...
Meanwhile, giving your work away for free is devaluing mine, and making it hard for me, and other professionals, to find paid work.
Thanks for that.
I feel like many have misunderstood what was meant. Clearly, I am not advocating that we should all work for free all of the time. To assume that is the case would just be ignorant. First and foremost, I used the terms 'Why I think', because it's an opinion piece, and not everybody has to agree with it. Secondly, I also said '[work for free] more often' - not work for free constantly.
Where I live and work in London, the specific type of work I want to be doing comes with little to no pay. I want to work for music magazines and every single one I've encountered has little to no budget - and that is widely known within the industry and by my peers. So I'm left with the choice of: do I work with someone I'm a HUGE fan of, that inspires me, that makes me want to shoot, that brings ideas out of me - and do it for free. OR, do I sit back, demand pay, get rejected and watch somebody else shoot it instead? The answer is obvious.
I am by no means justifying the attitude of many who think we should work for free. And I hope one day it does change. But in the meantime, I'm not going to sit back here and miss out on amazing opportunities. And by opportunities I don't mean 'I hope this exposure leads to something else!'. I'm talking about getting to tick things off my bucket list by working with musicians and artists I adore.
My piece was merely asking people to keep an open mind. As was proved in the comments, some people claim they never, ever shoot for free. If I had to rank my 10 favourite past shoots, my favourite life experiences, and the achievements I'm most proud of in life, they all came from shoots I have done for little to no pay.
The bottom line is, I pay my rent and bills every month entirely from my earnings from photography. So I am living proof that us creatives CAN afford to do free work, within reason! I'm aware not everybody is 24, and that some people have a family to look after, or for one reason or another may have a different financial situation to me - I acknowledged that in the piece. I feel that if it was the case that I worked full time in a bank and did free photoshoots at the weekend, I would understand your fury somewhat. But like I say, I find a way to make it work!
"Where I live and work in London, the specific type of work I want to be doing comes with little to no pay. I want to work for music magazines"
I think you'll find that the Jason Sheldon you are replying to is a well known music photographer. Rather than trying to tell him that you can't make money from it, perhaps you would do better to beg him for advice on how to 'make it'.
Let me correct you quickly:
" I want to work for music magazines and every single one I've encountered has little to no budget - and that is widely known within the industry and by my peers"
Sadly, that statement also highlights a certain amount of naivety and is also patently false. Every single one you've encountered has TOLD you they have little or no budget. They have a budget, they just don't want to spend it.. THAT is widely known throughout the industry. They're hoping to catch people who will give them valuable content, for free. Tell them you don't give your pictures away for free. You are perpetuating that business model by not only believing them, but encouraging others to give in to them as well.
Your bucket list is great.. It's fantastic that you're getting to shoot musicians and artists you adore.. but where does it say you have to let profit making publishers use your work for free? Those images have commercial value (for editorial use of course, but 'commercial' in the business sense, to you). What you mustn't forget is that those opportunities have commercial value to other professional photographers.. who are finding it harder to get paid commissions, because there are people like you who think seeing their name in print is worth more than any pay cheque.
There is a difference between shooting for free, and giving work away for free. From the examples you give, it seems you confuse the two.
Vanity won't pay your bills.. when your money runs out and you need to find a client that pays - remember this, when they come back and say "Oh, we've got someone else who will do it for free...". Attitudes need to change, Jack, and articles like this are going to make it harder to do.
Excellent! I wholeheartedly concur young man! Are you available this coming Saturday? I need an assistant for a wedding at the Registry Office. Lovely couple and very lively after a few drinks. Quite famous in the local paper, so right up your street. There's no pay but you're guaranteed some quiche and the opportunity to finger one of the bridesmaids. Let me know ASAP.
Where's the retweet button on this classic reply from Derek Pye?
I don't use the word "brilliant" very often. But for you sir, I shall take it out and dust if off.
Moving to one side the fact you're trying to ridicule me, I can't deny I laughed reading that.
Thanks for posting this. Sorry for all the hate you're getting. If you can't keep up with the kids doing things for free then you don't deserve to be paid.
Working for free for big companies (who by the way makes money on your work) is foolish. You are just cutting off a hand that would otherwise have feed you. May I remind that we are not talking about a poor artist or a charity organisation, here it's big companies that used to pay people for this work and now take advantage of the naivety of young photographers that still lives on their parents money.
Assuming all of us are just "young photographers that still lives on their parents money" is just degrading. When it comes down to it, the companies that don't care who they are hiring and aren't going to be paying are going to keep doing just that, and the ones that care will be doing the same. If a shoot comes along that I think will be enjoyable for me, I don't care whether it's paid or not. It's about the craft and enjoying what you do, not the money. And I think that is what Jack is saying.
- Sincerely, a photographer who makes a living doing what he loves and doesn't rely on anyone else.
Thank you Caleb, for being in the small minority that understand what I meant by this article. It's a breath of fresh air amongst a bunch of comments from folk who have clearly read the words 'work for free' and made up their mind on my piece without actually listening to what I was suggesting.
Dear Caleb, I don't say that all of you are living on your parents money, I just remind that Jack explained us that he could only make it thank's to his parent financial help. Something to think about when you encourage giving away your work.
If you want to work for free because you like a project, good for you. Pretending that we should all do it more, and that it's good for our career or whatever, is something else. I cannot agree with that statement.
Now about the companies that don't want to pay for picture, well, you make a big mistake to think they will never pay anymore. Those companies, with whom I work by the way, do spend money on picture every time they need to. They only spend less money then before because of foolish photographers who accept to give away their work. They probably do it in order to put a feet in the door but they don't realize that doing so cut the hand that might have feed them. As more and more young photographer are willing to work for free or almost nothing, rates are going down and in the end we all lose.
that's just it though Caleb. he's not being paid! I don't hate the author, and I believe he is a great photographer. if he wants to shoot for free then let him. no skin off my nose. meanwhile I'll be taking my check thanks.
" If you can't keep up with the kids doing things for free then you don't deserve to be paid.".
What a truly stupid comment!
I'd rather not 'keep up with the kids' thank you if they are inexperienced and very arrogant newbies helping to ruin the industry I hold so dear.
Fortunately the 'kids' straight out of Uni who I've mentored,(and PAID), over the years all showed a much more sensible attitude. They are now photographers in their own right, doing work they get paid for and not writing ridiculous articles that help destroy the credibility of professional photography.
Jack, I know i am not going to change your mind but you should at least realize people aren't arrogant just because they expect to get paid for working. Also I have never heard of a corporation expecting someone to work for them without payment. Not once in 25 years as a photographer has anyone asked me to do that. Those publications are taking major advantage of you. I can understand the temptation to do work for free to get your foot in the door, but the negative is... it creates an expectation in them to not have to pay you.
Jack Alexander Photography,
I absolutely disagree with this article! The fact that you did a freebie for UK vogue and other top magazine is ridiculous. All you’re doing is making it harder for yourself and other creative professionals on getting compensation for your services and time. Even by publishing this article devalued you… all it takes is someone to google your name and boom this article pops up… what? He does free work? Awesome!, says a potential paid… nope… free client.
Please watch this video as it discuss free work… "Pay the Writer" or in our case, the photographer!
https://youtu.be/mj5IV23g-fE
If that doesn’t work…
https://fstoppers.com/photo/96170
Cheers!
Awesome video!!
In my opinion Jack is displaying what many would perhaps call the arrogance of youth. I work in the film/television industry and have done for over 15 years. Like photography this world has changed dramatically and there is a growing expectation to work for free on projects particularly in film (especially those - due to poor scripts or the experience of the Producers - would have unlikely received funding through the traditional channels).
I always advise my assistants to resist doing things for free or too cheaply. Not because I am afraid of them getting "my" work but rather because if you become known as cheap, no matter how "good" a product you provide it will never be truly valued by those who hand out the lucrative work. As a result you will never get those high value projects you desire so will end up working on free to mid-range projects at best because you are the "cheap" guy.
Get know for being good and work hard and you earn the high value projects. These take time and are not attainable after 3 years in the industry. These take time and are not attainable after 5 years in the industry. These take time and are almost attainable after 10 years in the industry because experience counts and there are no shortcuts - not even being cheap.
My predictions for your future career...
1.) You are still in the industry but are scratching around still doing free work for exposure because you are known as the cheap guy and are still being teased with those big contracts. You are working much more than you'd like (as you are having to accept more low-paid work to pay your escalating bills because life isn't cheap) and you start to compare yourself with your mates as they have grown up and got mortgages and have started to have families (you'd like to do that but the banks don't think you earn enough).
2.) You have realised what many are saying here is true and you've stopped doing free work. You've started to value your work and time because you have somehow managed to get a mortgage, get married and have a kid on the way. You work on projects you would have previously dismissed because it pays the bills. But through this hard work you gained a break and are starting to have interviews for the jobs you call high value projects.
3.) You are no longer in the industry and are working in a call centre (or other mundane job but not in the industry). You moved out of London because you couldn't afford the rent (which keeps going up every year). You still do photography as a hobby but your kit is kinda old now (so even the free jobs are starting to dry up) which really annoys you. You still have copies of the magazine work you did mounted on the wall of your rented apartment and you look at it from time to time thinking about how it could have been different.
Look me up in ten years, I'd be fascinated to hear which of the three you became.
How do I add a plus 10 thumbs up?!
I wonder if the rest of the fstoppers editorial staff feels this way. Would like to hear from some of them.
Of course some don't. This is an opinion piece - it's not supposed to unite everyone in agreement. I'm speaking on behalf of myself, not Fstoppers.
Appreciate the clarification. Thanks!!
No worries! Thanks Tom :)
Interesting jack... whilst we're on the topic of your personal finances, do you get paid to write for fStoppers?
I am most concerned that somebody masquerading as me has posted bad advice. I think Jack is right to follow HIS dream of being a quite tedious and average magazine photo snapper. The reality is that you can't realistically charge for dull photos like the ones posted with this article - you'd be bang in trouble if the mag was actually paying for them and you'd never work again. Full Disclosure of Conflict of Interest: I am a member of the same Masonic Lodge as Jack's Father and made love to his Mother several times in the early 90s.
Troll
Don't speak to the World's Greatest Wedding Photographer like that! http://www.derekpyephotography.com
Found one other opinion from an fstoppers Staff Writer: https://fstoppers.com/aerial/no-more-free-work-plea-photography-industry...
Couldn't disagree with this article more! The reason why clients don't want to spend money on photographs anymore is because of photographers like this guy, the young ones who feel bad about charging clients. Devaluing their own profession or is it just a hobby? So, you're not a serious photographer unless you do some free shoots now and then?
Categorising 'the young ones' all together tells me everything I need to know about you, sir.
Please, where did I state you're not a serious photographer if you don't take on free work?! The point of this article was to say we should not miss out on doing what we love because we're too proud to say yes without payment. And I mean that within reason.
Aw bless - this baby is still amazed that his pictures 'come out'! Well sonny, some people need to make a living, whilst you're playing at it. Come back to this article in a decade and be VERY embarrassed...
I survive off my photographic earnings and have done for 3 years. Completely missed the point of this post, but thanks anyway.
The magazines that he worked for for free will be the ones he will look back on with embarassment in the future, he will remember the times he was taken advantage of, he will remember his naivety. Those will be the publications he will want to keep quiet about.
Of course one should do work for free, for passion and for your portfolio, but only for your own personal projects - not for magazines, for yourself, and never let a magazine 'commission' them or influence how you do them. If you mix up the magazine work with your personal work the latter will never be any good, and the former will be unprofitable.
There are plenty of magazines that pay well enough for exciting editorial work, those are the ones you should be proud to work for, not the ones that think so little of you that they are prepared to take you for a ride.
The magazines I do free work for give me entire creative control. I get to source the team, come up with the ideas, pick the venue etc etc. No different from personal work - except a much larger audience view them.
If you have integrity in your personal work, which means doing it for yourself and not for a magazine, then it can get massively more publicity and audience than any one magazine can provide. And maybe even bring you a decent income along the way.
Why are you doing work you don't want to do?
If cooporate head shots are "far from your favourite" why are you doing them? Would it not be better doing what you enjoy doing and get paid doing that? At the end of your career you'll regret all the time you spent doing work you didn't enjoy because you had to do it to pay the bills. While all the time you could have been earning money from the work you do enjoy doing. It's a no brainer really isn't it?
You see Jack, you really are a client's dream - and not because of any self-taught skils. You are the reason people are slashing photography budgets - someone younger and more naïve comes along willing to work for less, it's a race to undercut and devalue photographers, it's trap you've fallen into and now you're just a fox hound.
You see the thing about fox hounds is there are one or two that know why they are there - they are the dogs at the front, leading the way, but all the other fox hounds are just following the rse hole in front of them with no idea why they are there, what they are acutally doing or where they're going.
Would it give you more pride to know that your clients value your work enough to pay you, and are not just using your work because you save them money? The reason I ask is it must bite you wondering whether your work is good enough, if people aren't willing to pay for it to go on their cover.
You see I get paid for covers, magazine work, brochure work and I love my job: I get to hang out of helicopters, sail and photograph million pound yachts and I travel the world - I have those memories, the delight that I'm being paid and I don't do jobs I don't enjoy. I can make my "holidays" pay for themselves, and yes they are "holidays" because I'm doing what I love doing, taking photographs. I don't need people to use my work for free for it to be seen, magazines pay me to use my work and they use it because they want to, not because it's free or it saves them money. I get more pride knowing my clients want to use me and my images above anyone else's, and I'm chosen on merit.
It's true I'd still want to do that if I wasn't getting paid for it, but I'm a professional, photography is my profession, it's my choice and I value my work. So do my clients.
Your first sentence tells me you misunderstood the piece. I would never do free work that I didn't enjoy! Totally pointless. I was trying to suggest we should not stick our nose up at projects we'd enjoy doing simply because we won't work for free.
Sorry Jack, it's you who has misunderstood me – As well as being a professional photographer I'm also the Tech Ed of a magazine, I edit and write features to accompany my photography. I read and understood your misguided methodology, for I too was young once (I'm still young now, but probably an old bloke in your eyes).
I realise you are not doing the work you don't enjoy for free, if you'd have read my reply and thought about it, that was not what or why I was asking. I was asking – in the context of your paid work:
If you don't enjoy doing something, why are you doing it?
Think about this...go on, you know this one...To pay your rent? To pay your living expenses? To fund your free work you do enjoy? All of the above? Now, if you didn't need the money would you still do that work – which is far from your favourite?
I realise you're doing your unpaid work for the joy of doing it and that mythical currency "exposure" (worth 2/10th of nout: btw, no one accepts "exposure" except green photographers). But wouldn't it be more beneficial to you both financially and spiritually to get paid for the work you do enjoy doing, then you would be able to drop the stuff you don't?
*Lightbulb Moment*
You wouldn't have to work for free to do the work you enjoy doing because you'll be getting paid for it and doing it anyway. It's what I do.
If that doesn't make sense...Here's a scenario for you, which will hopefully show you why working for free is a silly thing to do:
You have an unpaid gig, doing it for the love of photography. All booked in, all ready to go next week, the artist you love is only in town for Thursday only. Then a client comes you with a two day job, which has to be on Thursday/Friday next week £4,800 (£4,500 £300 in expenses). The paid gig could be as good if not better than the unpaid one, and it will give you more of what you crave "exposure". What do you do - the free gig has been in your diary for ages?
You see if you were getting paid for the unpaid gig it would be easy to refuse the other gig, not great that you may only earn half as much, but at least you'll have earned something. Your way you're paying to shoot something - and giving your work away.
Working for free is actually 'paying' to work, as you have initial overheads that need to be covered and additional costs specific to that project. If the reward to you is greater than the financial loss then great, yet it's still detrimental to the industry as a whole.
In the meantime I don't see too many doctors doing free heart surgery because it was a privilege to save someone's life, which in comparison to having a feature in Vogue is pretty hard to trump.
Want to do a project with friends and create something special? Even produce a short film or a book. Go ahead, you're in control and everyone will gain a life goal of being involved in something magical that was not based on meeting a demand of someone else. (Yeah I read the bit about forfeiting money so your client shouldn't have any expectations). The 2 are similar but the difference is one is a separate concept that can be used by all for marketing their brand to the industry, the other is a project that should be rewarded a commensurate rate of pay.
Paying to shoot for magazine X or Artist X, who require your skills and talent to produce something for them so they can get richer whilst you struggle to pay rent sounds like exploitation to me. The biggest problem this industry faces right now is a great big cue of young people who think after 3 years of fiddling around, are ready to take on large assignments. Yet they're not ready which is why the corporates see no worth them and the only way to get the work is to beg and 'do it for free'. Once you finally realise the only reason why your shooting is because you're being pulled over the table and leave, the next naive and gullible wannabe is right behind you slavering at the chops to grab that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
My advice to anyone who wants to work with the large corporates who should be paying a fair fee and do to the top photographers. Go earn a 6 figure yearly income from your creative services. See how F'in hard it is to reach that point where your calendar is always full of paying clients. Then come back and tell us why we should be taking on more free work.
Anyone can work for free.
Im not opposed to working for free. But I have a set of standard that have to be met for me to do that. Everyone has the free will to work for who they want in any capacity they want.
What I think we all need to be careful of is leaving money on the table. You have to ask your self don't they have money for this really big opportunity. I alway like to push back a little bit when they say there is no budget. Often times the money is really there you just have to find a way to get it.
In the end if some sort of money is exchanged... even if it is just to cover expenses.. they will respect you and value your work more. Its human nature to over value something you have paid for and under value something you get for free.
Thank you Martin, fully agree with this!
Of course! It seems like you got a lot of hate from this artical.. I think that shows that a lot of people are having trouble adapting to a changing world.
Haha, at the risk of being savaged by the wolves, I couldn't agree more!
Jack a courageous post and you might have known you would get some negative feedback.The problem is photography is in danger of going the way of the typing pool we used to take all our letters to many years ago when I started work.The fact we can all type our own letters now made them obsolete.They had to find other work.I have done some free stuff over the years, mainly for family. Not everyone has the means and support to live on nothing as a photographer.I hope professional photography lives on as a gifted photographer is usually streets above the amateur but the gap is closing.I like your pics Jack. Good luck with your career.
Thanks so much Geoff :)