photographer friends

**updaduff** · 18-02-2011 06:45

if you have a friend who is a photographer, do you expect free photography? if you book them - do you hope that they say no payment? or mate rates? opinions???

**iwantcake** · 18-02-2011 06:53

I suppose it depends on how close you are to them, and to a certain extent, how busy and successful they are already.

I have a friend who is an AMAZING photographer - she has received many accolades in the wedding industry and does gorgeous portrait photography as well. I have never assumed she would give me a freebie or even mates rates, but she knows how much if a fan I am so she offered to take photos of my DD and family, free of charge. In return I posted them on Facebook (with her permission), posted the link to her website, and praised her to the heavens, giving her more publicity and referrals.

I would wait until they offer, and then as a thank you, offer to tell all your friends.

**gizmoduckus** · 18-02-2011 08:38

No, I don't expect to get anything free from people I know if that is how they make their living. The only time that I feel okay with it is if we do a trade of services and then that is fine with me.

Of course, if they offered without being prompted to, I would be very grateful.

**Myztiks#1Fan** · 18-02-2011 08:56

i am the same with giz, i would wait til they offer or also trade with them.

i am very lucky that the photographer we are seeing in 2wks time is throwing in extra for us because of our travels out there.

**MrsBeee** · 18-02-2011 09:04

Originally Posted by gizmoduckus

No, I don't expect to get anything free from people I know if that is how they make their living. The only time that I feel okay with it is if we do a trade of services and then that is fine with me.

Of course, if they offered without being prompted to, I would be very grateful.

If I was a Dr/builder/electrician/mechanic I wouldn't expect for someone to ask me to fix something for them then expect me not to be paid. If I heard they had an oil leak and offered to take a look at it for them, then fair enough. But they're not going to book their car into my workshop or come into my drs surgery and then just sit looking at me expectantly when I give them the bill. Why should it be any different for a photographer? It's still their livlihood.

**MothersMilk** · 18-02-2011 09:10

I would never expect free service from a friend in any trade (whether it be photography, plumbing, cake decorating and whatever else).
If i had a friend who was a photographer and i asked them to take my wedding photos it would because i loved their work and i would pay them what any other client would pay - i wouldn't expect 'mates rates'.
If it was offered to me to have photos done at a reduced price that would be different but i would never expect it.
Actually it kinda annoys me when expect free service from friends in trades - it's rude.

**missjess86** · 18-02-2011 13:35

i have quite a few photographer friends, i would never expect not to pay them. but then they would never LET me pay, even when i offer over and over. But i still went and bought them a bottle of nice wine and thank you card etc.i think it would be rude to expect not to pay?

**dicey** · 19-02-2011 14:03

All of my friends assume that I will take their photos for free. I'm RARELY offered payment, and if I am, I am offered transport costs. I think the problem is that my friends know that I would turn down their payment, or at least a large portion of it, because I don't like taking their money. So now they expect me to do everything for free. They even recommend me to *their* friends because apparently I don't charge... I have to stop being such a push over I guess...

It is pretty annoying. I don't expect anything for free from my friends, I think it would be rude. Photography is very time consuming, just as any craft is. A lot of my friends are crafters, but I don't expect them to give me things for free, I pay full price.

**flicker** · 19-02-2011 14:37

i find this really awkward with my cousin. We have swapped services before when she took photos for my website. I did her dds birthday cake. we were both setting up businesses at a similar time.
but it was hard because she took forever to get my photos back to me because i was a favour not a booked job. it meant that i did not get photos in time to have promo shots taken for a display i was working at.

so next time i said that i would like to book her but with payment. this is when i wanted to book for family photos. i wanted to pay so i was a job and got the full service and attention. and she would not move us if a paid job came up. she would not take the money so i still have not done it.

so now i want to get photos done but i dont want to be seen paying for someone else because i am worried she may think i dont like her work!

so yep, it can be very awkward. sorry i have digressed a bit....

**Guest1234** · 19-02-2011 15:14

I've had friends ask me if df will take photos for them, for free. It makes me feel horrible coz I know they are just trying to take advantage. He generally refuses payment if friends offer to pay, but also if they ask for freebies he tells them no he is busy.
He takes pride in his photography, and he will bust his @ss for hours on PhotoShop to make them perfect colouring, lighting etc, so for people to expect him to do that for free

It's a lot more than just snapping a few photos.