The debate whether to work for free is an old one. It’s also one that I don’t care to get into. However, for most of us, there comes a time when we do shoot something without payment, whether it be because we’re testing lighting, doing pro bono work, or we just aren’t very good at asking for what we’re worth. But what do we do with the images after the shoot?
That's a lot of work for some likes...
A photoshoot is, at least for me, a labor-intensive activity. In addition to schlepping around gear, location scouting, and the actual day of shooting, there're the behind-the-scenes tasks of finding your stylists, getting releases signed, coming up with concepts, research... And yet with all that hard work, what usually ends up happening to the images from those shoots? They get thrown on Facebook or Instagram. Perhaps a blog post is made and that’s about it.
Be Picky
Should you decide to shoot for free, make it for something that is genuinely lacking in your portfolio. Too often we have 18 photos in our portfolio that may as well have been from the same photoshoot. If you’re not making any money (immediately… more on that later) then really stretch those creative muscles. Be fearless. You don’t have a client to please, so please yourself. Make those shots that wouldn’t be possible with a paying client because you are working according to a brief. Time is precious. Don’t shoot the same old crap that’s already in your portfolio for free. Your time would be better spent working on marketing, sales, networking, editing… anything. Spend time with your family and friends. There’s a lot of value in that, too.
What can this shoot do for me?
So you’ve decided that this opportunity to shoot is going to be worth it. Even though you’re not making any money on it, it just feels like something that’s worth your time. Great! So you do the shoot, the images come back… now what? Make your images work for you. You’ve got fresh work in your hands and you’re excited about it. Submit to magazines. Send some personal emails letting potential clients know about your shiny new images. Take them by relevant businesses and show them to their marketing department.
Target, Target, Target
Showing off your images is great. Seeing those likes rolling in on Facebook gives you those flutters of approval that we as artists are always pining for. Unfortunately, rent doesn’t get paid on likes. If you just created some awesome interiors or exteriors, drop off some new materials at an architecture firm or three. If you just shot an amazing fashion look, in addition to submitting to fashion blogs and online publications, also submit to some actual paying magazines. Don’t limit yourself. Make some cold calls. You never know what those art directors, editors, and art buyers are looking for and your fresh, new images may be just the thing.
Three figure skaters walk into a bar...
No, that’s not the beginning of a joke. Rather, it’s what happened to me almost three years ago while I was bartending. Of course, I didn’t know they were figure skaters right away, but as is often the case, people talk to their bartender about their lives. Naturally, as soon as I learned what they did, out came my business cards. I love taking photos of athletes, and living in Denver there was a woefully large hole in my portfolio of winter sports portraits. Sure enough, after checking out my work, they called me the next day to set up a shoot.
They all met me at a skating rink three days later and, because of their connections, we had the run of the place. I managed to get shots I never would have gotten had I not been connected to the venue. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. I liked the images, posted a few to my various social media, and prepared to move on to my next shoot. Something stopped me. I wanted more. I wanted to see what else I could do with these images. On a whim I Googled “figure skating magazines.” As it turns out, one of the largest figure skating magazines in the country is based only 70 miles down the road in Colorado Springs. Screw it. I pick up the phone, “Hi, my name is Hans Rosemond. I’m a portrait photographer based here in Colorado. I’d love to speak with you about doing assignment work for the magazine!” The response: “Sure, send me a link to your website and we’ll contact you if we’re interested.”
After I got off the phone, I didn’t just send them a link to my website. Instead, I created a custom gallery of those figure skating images I took and directed them that way. A couple of days later I received a phone call from the editor in chief saying they liked the images and they would let me know when something comes up.
Three months later I was booked for my first job with them. Since then I’ve shot about 10 covers and booked a wedding through a contact made through them. I’ve been to the Olympic Training Center, photographed famous Olympians, and I’ve met some amazing people. I have a reliable client that calls me every year with more work. I haven’t gotten to go to the Winter Olympics, but I’m working on it. All told I’ve gained about $10,000 in revenue directly from that “free” shoot.
Social Media Isn’t Everything
Of course, I know, not all your unpaid work will end up like this, but if you find a subject you feel passionate about photographing and you truly feel like you can make some moves with it, do it. But follow through. The best thing about social media is it’s possible to get noticed. The worst thing is that everyone else can, too. Don’t take your best shots and just bury them in the layers upon layers of images and profiles out there. Pick up the phone, knock on some doors, let the hiring parties out there know you exist and you have something to contribute.
“Free” is only temporary if you want it to be. Get out there and make your photos work for you.
Special thanks to Colin Grafton, Nobahar Dadui, and Annabel Bowlen for their trust and willingness to take a chance with a crazy photographer!
Hans, about cold calling... its confusing, half of other writers on Fstoppers say to cold call and the other half say to avoid it to not make the wrong person angry and start blacklisting you or talking bad about ya, so basically making a bad impression.
Regarding cold calling, I'd say if you're going to do it, definitely know exactly who you're looking for and keep the calls to a minimum. Be polite, to the point, and they'll let you know how to proceed. I don't see any harm in it if you're unobtrusive.
It's all about research, which is why I hate to call it Cold Calling. I prefer the term Warm Calling.
Warm calling because I'd never call a potential client to establish a relationship without doing my research on them first. Because the difference between a sale pitch and a business proposal in understand. Understand your client and what they need before you call them.
Zach, I totally agree. It's important to know about the client's need before calling otherwise one could just be wasting their time. Trying to sell me a product I don't need won't be successful.
That was very inspirational, I'll start making calls for now on! Even if they hate me for bugging them or their office, its a risk vs. reward method of doing things.
Nice, I'm loving your articles Hans, I'm currently beefing up my portfolio and trying buff my skills to do a photography side business next year and all of your stuff recently has been very useful. I also just so happen to live in Colorado Springs so this was doubly useful lol
Don't go taking my clients! lol jk. Good luck out there!
You only work for free if you are doing it wrong.
Great post Hans.
Thanks, sir!
The lesson learned here is sometimes you just gotta reach out and call. Social media is good but doesn't build bonds with people as quickly or as strongly as simply calling or meeting in person.
Good article!