Can you come out and shoot my 5 hour event? I'll pay you $50!

I recently spent some time watching the 3 day free tutorial in nightclub photography offered by http://www.nightclubphotographyonline.com. If you have any interest in that area, I really recommend checking them out. They have some great tips and are really the only guys I have been able to find that have any information on being an effective club photographer. One of their tips was that if you are interested in breaking into the nightclub photography scene, to offer the club promoter or owner your services for free for a few nights so they see how you work and what your product is. This is something that I think is a great tip and that I myself have done before. So if you want to get into that field, give that a shot. It would probably pay off more in the long run.

When I offer or agree to shoot an event for free, my reasoning usually falls into one of two categories.

1. I have extended the offer because I want something out of this deal
This would absolutely be the case where you offer to shoot that nightclub for free as a deal to possibly be hired for work in the future. It's like all those free samples at Costco. They aren't just handing out those samples to feed their customers while they're shopping. They hand them out to get them interested in things they might not have bought without having tried. It's a small cost to pay to increase sales. I actually have 3 pounds of italian sausage still sitting in my freezer because of just this. If I approach someone and ask them if I can take their picture at no cost to them, it's because I want to try some new technique out, or get some particular type of photo in my portfolio (i.e. maternity, fashion) to show prospective clients, are working on a personal project, or want to initiate some kind of mock interview with them or their company. The reason for my offer is ultimately self-serving because I, like any business person, wants to stay in business and sometimes that means giving out free samples (within reason and moderation). The biggest diversion that I have from this is when I shoot photos for documentary work. The goal with that work is to educate and ignite social change. The goal is not self serving to my business efforts or to roll a profit for anyone. In those cases absolutely, I work for free but it's also a project I myself am pursuing and as is the case with passion, cannot have a price tag. But if someone contacts me and wants me to go somewhere to cover some subject for them, that falls into the "I'm working for you, you need to pay me" category. Plan on compensating a photographer for that.

2. I have accepted the offer because I want to help someone out
I have friends. Everybody has friends. Sometimes, you may have a friend who is not going to have professional wedding pictures taken at their wedding because they simply don't have the funds. Sometimes, you may have a friend who is a part of a non-profit charity event that relies on the giving and donation of other people and want a photographer to capture the event but doesn't have the funds for it. In these cases, I could absolutely see the logic and reasoning in working free of charge. I have been helped left and right in my life and as is the premise with "paying it forward," honestly enjoys when I can give back to a good cause doing something that I love to do anyway. So in the sense of giving, give back when you feel that you can really do something great for someone who needs it and would otherwise be unable to have it. However, even in the sense of giving, I cannot make charity work the basis of my business because then I will be unable to stay in business. Therefore, invitations to shoot for free with no benefit to my business need to be accepted in moderation. If I always worked for free than I could not afford to work. Interesting paradox but all too true. Yet, a free event here and there for someone who could really use it, if you feel that it's a good use of your time, go for it.

All in all, photography is a business. Whether you work for yourself (freelance) or work for a studio or agency, it's still a business. Programs and transportation and equipment cost money - a lot of money. So in order to keep working at a professional level, an income has to be obtained. We as photographers, especially those of us that have developed a desirable product, get lots of invitations to shoot events and get special access - for free. Most often, it's disguised in some sort of, "you can work on your portfolio!" language. If you need that kind of shot in your portfolio, go for it. But usually, when the free invites for that type of event or subject start rolling in, it's because you already have great shots in your portfolio in that area and they just want free services. Be selective and don't become known as the free photographer if you want to be paid.

And lastly, to the public: really consider what you ask us when you ask us to work but offer us little or no money for the gig. I recently was asked about shooting an event and the event ran over a long period of time, would have required me to travel downtown on a busy night of no parking or paid parking only, and I would have to be stuck on a boat for hours with lots of really drunk people and about $2,000 of photo equipment. I was offered $50 for the event. For me to take that, I would be working for less than minimum wage already and after gas money and parking, would really be taking away something closer to $35 for 5 hours of work. And that's not including post processing. That's also assuming that no one drunk bashes my equipment while I'm there. The logic in the offer? Who knows. I was offered the gig by a dear friend who was just relaying what the party host was offering. But really - for $50, I could bring a point a shoot that would fit into my pocket and take some shots but mostly just hang out and drink. The shots would probably turn out pretty decent, but anyone can do that and most party goers will do that for free. Save your $50. Think about what it is you want to buy when you consider what you want to spend. So please respect photographer's time and efforts, we're just trying stay in business!