Pictures at "mates rates" or even for free?

Quicksnapper

Quicksnapper

Messages
704
Name
Sara
Edit My Images
Yes
Just wondered ... I've recently taken some quite nice shots of my friend's dog ... a scruffy and appealing mutt.... (the dog - not the friend ...!) and she's asked me to do her a couple of prints. I've done this many times before for friends and never charge them, even when there has been a modest cost to me for getting the prints done (or doing them myself). I just like giving stuff away I guess and am always happy that people actually like my work enough to want it printed up. Am I the only who gives stuff away for free or is this a common thing with photographers?

ETA ... clearly, if you're a pro doing a commission shoot or covering an event, then that's a bit different from casual shots for friends ....
 
:popcorn:

Talk about a loaded question. You may get some rather strong replies.

Some people see freebies as taking away work from someone that could have otherwise been paid for it.

Others see it simply as a favour for a friend (always useful if that friend offers services they can provide to you for free in return).
 
Last edited:
I'd just charge for prints in fairness. If something is going to cost you money or materials etc.. for a free shoot id get the friend to cover that cost.

I've done some free shoots and friends always expected they would get others free and take the Micky. You have to watch as well they don't say to their friends "oh I know a tog who does free photos".
 
Define "friend"..

That you have to ask, suggests we don't share a dictionary. For a genuine friend I'd just give them the prints (framed if there was an excuse - birthday, dogs birthday, etc.), but with a genuine friend it would be difficult to unentangle the web of shared favours and meals anyway.
 
Id say that unless you are a pro photographer that relies on the income to survive, id just give them away free. Ive done this plenty of times for friends. When ive been specifically 'hired' to do photos for friends, ive just charged them for the prints (at cost).

Its good to be able to do things like this for your mates, and a nice feeling when someone likes your photos enough to have them on their walls.
 
To me, the border would be on how the shoot was arranged: If someone said to me "I need some pictures in such a location & style on such a date - could you do these for me" then I would see that as a paid commission for work. However if I were out with friends on a sunny afternoon and their daughter sat down and I took some pictures then I will happily hand them over without expecting money in return.

There can also be a trade off. I work in an innovation centre with a number of small businesses, often with 1 employee, and someone here needed some shots of her at work in the lab. I knew she had no money at the time, and was very happy to just take pictures that she could use for publicity FOC - most of the businesses here do this kind of thing and help each other in innumerable ways. Did I do some other togger out of a job - not in this case, because there really was no money for anything else, and if I'd not been around then it might have been phone selfies.
 
When I was starting out in business I photographed friends for free in order to quickly build my portfolio. It was hard work at times but at least it wasn't a one-way street and there was a mutual purpose. The only other times I would consider doing some photography for friends would be if they were a very close friend with a birthday coming up, or if they were unwell and needed perking up, or if they had done me a big favour and I wanted to do something nice in return. But beyond that I cannot understand why you would do things for free - you'll end up attracting a bunch of freeloaders who see you as a soft touch. As for the whole flattery thing, I don't think there's anything remotely uplifting about people wanting your photos for nothing, in fact it's a bit of an insult most of the time. If they offered to pay good money for them, then that is flattering, yes.

At the end of the day I think all you can do is ask yourself why you should do free work for this person.

Edit: I agree with Toni in that if it is you who decides to take the photos without being asked during a social occasion, then it would be slightly odd not to pass them a print. I think the trick is not to get into that situation in the first place to be honest, unless of course the friend falls into one of the positive categories already described.
 
Last edited:
I am always gving my mates free pics... because there my mates...... if i want one of my mates to do soemhting for me they dont charge..... its a mates thing... like the masons but without the wierd bits...


PS i should add.. 99 times out of a hundred they will say no no no i will give you somehting... but thats more like a ritual :)
 
Last edited:
In my opinion if anyone is concerned that working for free is akin to taking food out of the pro photographers mouth, then maybe a point worth considering is that you can't possibly be taking work away from a pro if the person you are doing the work for had no intention of hiring a pro in the first place.

If they'd shopped around for a pro and then you'd offered to do it for free then that'd be a different ball game.
 
I think it also depends how much time & effort you put in. If you happened to take some nice photos at a social event, primarilly for your own use, it would be strange not to give a print (as any amateur would) just because it happens to also be your day job. It would be a different matter if it was a pre-arranged day-long shoot at a location chosen specifically for the taking of photos etc - especially if it inteferred with your paid work.

To put it in context, I work as a tax accountant/advisor. I'll happily give my friends free advice/tips over a meal/beer, but if any of them commissioned me to do several days' work on an in-depth technical point I'd expect some kind of reciprocation (if not necessarilly at my usual rate).
 
Interesting viewpoints. Thanks all.

To put the occasion in context, I happened to have my camera with me when I met up with my friends, thought the mutt in question might be a good subject and spent 10- 15 minutes taking a few shots just for the fun of it .... I emailed a few of them to my friend and she liked them enough to ask for a couple of prints. I'm definitely not a pro, just someone who enjoys taking pics and likes to get the best pics I can of any given subject.

Lindsay ... whilst I love to take pics for people, I'm certainly not an soft touch and do say 'no" on occasions.

I think the point here is that I don't consider taking photos to be "work" ... it's something I do purely for fun, as a hobby, in my spare time. Clearly for many on here, it is work, so that's a different matter.

incidentally .... The friend with the dog is a highly paid and successful divorce lawyer .... I'm certainly not thinking of calling upon her professional services any time soon!!!;)
 
Quicksnapper said:
Interesting viewpoints. Thanks all.

To put the occasion in context, I happened to have my camera with me when I met up with my friends, thought the mutt in question might be a good subject and spent 10- 15 minutes taking a few shots just for the fun of it .... I emailed a few of them to my friend and she liked them enough to ask for a couple of prints. I'm definitely not a pro, just someone who enjoys taking pics and likes to get the best pics I can of any given subject.

Lindsay ... whilst I love to take pics for people, I'm certainly not an soft touch and do say 'no" on occasions.

I think the point here is that I don't consider taking photos to be "work" ... it's something I do purely for fun, as a hobby, in my spare time. Clearly for many on here, it is work, so that's a different matter.

incidentally .... The friend with the dog is a highly paid and successful divorce lawyer .... I'm certainly not thinking of calling upon her professional services any time soon!!!;)
Click to expand...

Well I would carry on as you were :)
 
personally I don't believe in 'mates rates' - good friends and close family get things done free - we don't even keep a tally of favours done vs favours owed as it all comes out even in the end .. but I'm talking about people you'd donate a kidney too if they needed it , people who you'd bail out if they owed money to a loan shark, people you'd let crash on your sofa if they were made homeless, people you'd give your last Rollo ...

anyone who doesn't fall into that category pays full whack* or goes elsewhere , otherwise you can wind up with " Hi yeah its Kev , you know Kev, we were at school together .. I held your head down to toilet while Rocker flushed it, great days , anyway the reason I'm calling is that I'm getting married and I was wondering if you could do me a favour... "

* ex girlfriends, blokes who exe girlfriends went off with, people I never liked anyway , and anyone who's cheeky enough to ask for mates rates without actually being a mate , pays at least double.

That said in the situation above 'full whack' would be prints at cost, if it wasn't a commissioned shoot or anything
 
Last edited:
I did 2 hours for a good family friend recently and never charged. Did however get a nice bottle of wine and further business through recommendations for the shots and I actually feel I may not got as much business if I'd have charged. Someone's you have to speculate to accumulate, but pick your audience and don't allow yourself to feel taken advantage of.
 
It's fairly simple, amateur or pro, you're free to give stuff away.

IMO the questionable behaviour is to do stuff for people you don't like enough to work for free and justify a small price because you know them. @DG Phototraining summed it up in a similar thread; "I'm quite friendly with the newsagent, garage owner, plumber etc but I don't expect any of them to do me discounts" paraphrased.

Often people who know they aren't worth proper rates will justify charging peanuts because they're shooting 'as a favour'. If I do a favour for a real mate, it doesn't cost them money.
 
Quicksnapper said:
Just wondered ... I've recently taken some quite nice shots of my friend's dog ... a scruffy and appealing mutt.... (the dog - not the friend ...!) and she's asked me to do her a couple of prints. I've done this many times before for friends and never charge them, even when there has been a modest cost to me for getting the prints done (or doing them myself). I just like giving stuff away I guess and am always happy that people actually like my work enough to want it printed up. Am I the only who gives stuff away for free or is this a common thing with photographers?

ETA ... clearly, if you're a pro doing a commission shoot or covering an event, then that's a bit different from casual shots for friends ....
Click to expand...


Not sure I understand the question. If you're not taking photographs to earn a living, then it makes no difference. If you are, and you give them away, you'll not make any money.

Pretty much as simple as that. I'd not charge a friend, no. If what they want is expensive to produce I'll get them to stump up the productions and printing costs though.. unless it's a present.

Just common sense really.
 
Phil V said:
It's fairly simple, amateur or pro, you're free to give stuff away.

IMO the questionable behaviour is to do stuff for people you don't like enough to work for free and justify a small price because you know them. @DG Phototraining summed it up in a similar thread; "I'm quite friendly with the newsagent, garage owner, plumber etc but I don't expect any of them to do me discounts" paraphrased.

Often people who know they aren't worth proper rates will justify charging peanuts because they're shooting 'as a favour'. If I do a favour for a real mate, it doesn't cost them money.
Click to expand...

Don`t you just love Phil V, always a straight and honest answer. I usually look forward to seeing his comments, it`s not always what the OP wants to hear or see but-------
 
stryvya said:
it`s not always what the OP wants to hear or see but-------
Click to expand...

unfortunatly none of his answer would be any use to the OP so your right.. the op probably didnt want to hear it.... read the OP question then read phils answr and see just how far apart they are..

OP asks (no he wonders) about casual shots for friends .. just pics of there dogs running baout as an example..and is he on his own giving them a print or two for free............ phils answer is great for other people in the thread who have widened the question a bit.. buts miles off the OP
 
Last edited:
I've done free studio stuff for friends, but it was building up my experience. Any prints provided were paid for.
But for friends I was always brought up that you do favours and what goes around comes around. Sometimes you'll need help.
 
KIPAX said:
unfortunatly none of his answer would be any use to the OP so your right.. the op probably didnt want to hear it.... read the OP question then read phils answr and see just how far apart they are..

OP asks (no he wonders) about casual shots for friends .. just pics of there dogs running baout as an example..and is he on his own giving them a print or two for free............ phils answer is great for other people in the thread who have widened the question a bit.. buts miles off the OP
Click to expand...
I thought I'd covered the OPs point in my first line. :) and the last line.

The rest of it is about the reason people get confused about the issue.
 
stryvya said:
Don`t you just love Phil V, always a straight and honest answer. I usually look forward to seeing his comments, it`s not always what the OP wants to hear or see but-------
Click to expand...

I do yes. I think PhilV's posts are some of the most sensible and useful on TP
 
Phil V said:
I thought I'd covered the OPs point in my first line. :) and the last line.

The rest of it is about the reason people get confused about the issue.
Click to expand...


I didnt dissagree with a single word you wrote.. and my post wasnt really about yours it was about the holier than thou response ... he said its not what the op always wants to hear.. well ... yes your post is correct and yes first and last bit you covered it.. but the rest has nothing to do with the OP .. yes we both agree the rest is relevant to others who have stretched it.. BUT my comments where in response to the next persons comments about your post and the OP.. take the OP post.. cut out the rest then your post.. it then become mad... its correct in contect now.. but not as the person sucking up to you makes out

do you see my train of thought? :)
 
Absolutely Tony. :)

Just pointing out if answered his post amongst my ramblings
 
Phil V said:
Absolutely Tony. :)

Just pointing out if answered his post amongst my ramblings
Click to expand...


for the record and before the lynch mob gets here.. I thought your post was bob on..... it was the sly dig by the next poster about the relationship between your post and the OP that I thought was off ..
 
I might go back to bed :)
 
A friend had asked me to photograph her dog before, and I hadn't done anything about it. When i saw them post some of their own photos up on facebook, I offered to come along for a walk (to take some proper ones ;)).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62198876@N02/sets/72157644192892167/

I didn't ask any money for them, but shortly after she did commission (paid) my sister for some paintings of her dog some based on the photos I took. My sister did ask me, and I'm happy to support her so I let her use my photos.

It just stung a bit..

I am shooting some portraits for a charity and a friend's wedding in two weeks - but i'd agreed to those before all this :) In the future I will look for at least a token gesture of payment
 
dancook said:
A friend had asked me to photograph her dog before, and I hadn't done anything about it. When i saw them post some of their own photos up on facebook, I offered to come along for a walk (to take some proper ones ;)).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62198876@N02/sets/72157644192892167/

I didn't ask any money for them, but shortly after she did commission (paid) my sister for some paintings of her dog some based on the photos I took. My sister did ask me, and I'm happy to support her so I let her use my photos.

It just stung a bit..

I am shooting some portraits for a charity and a friend's wedding in two weeks - but i'd agreed to those before all this :) In the future I will look for at least a token gesture of payment
Click to expand...


Great pictures there Dan, I can see why it stung.
 
If theres a possible/potential commercial value to the photo then charge if its for a friend or not

If theres no commercial value then dont charge a friend but charge anyone else
 
What's the big deal. You can do what you want: pro, semi-pro, hobbyist or whatever. I'm a physiotherapist and I often give help to people I know without charging. I know other physios who don't because it drives them up the wall constantly being asked stuff outside of the normal work situation. Both approaches are fine to me.
 
Phil V said:
It's fairly simple, amateur or pro, you're free to give stuff away.

IMO the questionable behaviour is to do stuff for people you don't like enough to work for free and justify a small price because you know them. @DG Phototraining summed it up in a similar thread; "I'm quite friendly with the newsagent, garage owner, plumber etc but I don't expect any of them to do me discounts" paraphrased.

Often people who know they aren't worth proper rates will justify charging peanuts because they're shooting 'as a favour'. If I do a favour for a real mate, it doesn't cost them money.
Click to expand...

I reckon that hits it on the head nicely. I am not a pro tog, but I have/do charge when somebody I hardly know asks me to shoot something, unless it's giving me valuable experience (something I have never had the chance to shoot but always wanted to) or is of another specific interest (I got into the pits during a WSB meet once). I shot the neighbours kids because her other half left her and she was really down - but then I wanted the experience. I have shot some stuff for an estate agent, but we have an agreed price for that (and my Mrs works there).
 
KIPAX said:
unfortunatly none of his answer would be any use to the OP so your right.. the op probably didnt want to hear it.... read the OP question then read phils answr and see just how far apart they are..

OP asks (no he wonders) about casual shots for friends .. just pics of there dogs running baout as an example..and is he on his own giving them a print or two for free............ phils answer is great for other people in the thread who have widened the question a bit.. buts miles off the OP
Click to expand...

... Kipax ..... "She" ... Not ..."He" ... But otherwise, you're spot on ... It was just a casual musing really. I like to give stuff to my pals because that's just the sort of person (girl!!) I am ... I have received lots of bottles of wine/choccies/flowers and other acceptable goodies in return. To me, it's not a big deal and not something I take too seriously ....
 
KIPAX said:
OP asks (no he wonders) about casual shots for friends .. just pics of there dogs running baout as an example..and is he on his own giving them a print or two for free............ phils answer is great for other people in the thread who have widened the question a bit.. buts miles off the OP
Click to expand...

the answer to that question is - can you afford the print cost... if yes then do something nice for a mate and give them the print (maybe in a nice frame if you can afford it) - if not then tell them you can't but give them the digital file on disc to get printed if they want

My friend Jo once admired one of my seal shots, so I gave her a framed A1 print of it... just because
 
Last edited:
Quicksnapper said:
... Kipax ..... "She" ... Not ..."He" ... ...
Click to expand...

I dont think thats the first time is it :( theres no way of knowing at a glance so i just presume everyones a bloke... thats probably a bloke thing in itself.. sorry :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top