to charge or not to charge

[hapa mamma]

I bought my Canon Rebel about 2 years ago to take pictures of my son. As is probably very common, I got more and more interested in the art of photography and have enjoyed learning and growing. I purchased seemless background papers, an alien bees light, books, books, books, a speedlight, tripod...you get the idea.

Friends have asked me to take pictures of their children as well. Because I like the opportunity to grow and learn I've always done it for free. (As a thank you they've purchased books or backdrops for me, but I've never recieved payment.)

Now friends and family of those I have shot for free are asking me to take pictures of them and offering to pay for them. I don't feel that I am experienced enough to accept payment, but obviously they think the pictures they've seen of mine are worth something.

So, do I continue shooting for free and if so, should is just be for close friends or should I get all the experience I can?

Or should I begin to charge for services and if so, what is reasonable?

Thank you for your time!
Samantha

[Just Be]

I wouldn't charge family. Friends, maybe if you have the time and desire to do it for free. Photography is fun starting out. Keep it that way. After you gain the skill and confidence, then start charging a reasonable fee. Then if you get really good and in high demand raise your prices as you see fit.

[MJPhotos24]

Family and business don't mix; friends don't ask friends to shoot free; lego my ego. I mean, charge, your time and gear is NOT free contrary to the many people that think it is. If you're just giving them a CD charge for your time, prints then come up with some packages. I'm sure they'll love the deal they're getting compared to going to some "mart" store with a sales person that doesn't know what they're doing.

[Mike414]

.......your time and gear is NOT free contrary to the many people that think it is......

Agree 100%.
You'll find yourself spending so much time taking pictures and in front of your computer processing.....for free :confused:
It sure sounds like you are ready to start collecting for your knowledge, equipment and time. Hey you might even be able to get "that" new lens or camera you've been wanting :)

Good luck and I hope it works out.


Mike.

[DDCSD]

Listen to Mike. Both Mikes. If they think your work is worth paying for, then it is time you started thinking that way also.

Just be glad you have good friends that aren't all leaches. :)

[chrisvl]

Take the money. It sends a msg that you value your time and that they're in a business relationship. When people get stuff for free they don't value it as much. They will book you and then don't show because they have nothing to loose.

Plus it funds new gear :)

[SYS]

For family members, free. It gets sticky with everyone else. From my own personal experience, it's not the money part. People are strange. When I'm business like, things are clean. When I try to be kind, then things start to get weird with all sorts of fuzziness and sometimes with quite unpleasant endings.

When I started receiving numerous requests from friends and acquaintances, the first thing I did, in order to be clean and organized about things, was to set up a SmugMug Pro account. From then on, all requests from non-family members go through there in terms of "business transactions."I don't have to deal with the transactional or negotiational aspect of the whole thing directly with them. The prices are pre-set. If they don't like the images or the price, they can discreetly avoid purchasing any. They cannot be unhappy with me, because I allow them to view the password-protected gallery full of their photos, as well as sharing the images with whoever they choose to around the globe, and as long as they want, even if they don't buy any.

One nice and very important thing about this set up is the CONTROL of all future requests. You start to only receive carefully thought out requests, eliminating all sorts of time wasting, spur of the moment type of requests that weren't even serious to begin with. Having an account like SmugMug also establishes your reputation as you grow as photographer, not to mention your own personal pleasure of sharing your prized images with those who appreciate your work.

[RaymondXTi]

If they're willing to pay, charge them.

[SoundsGood]

You're lucky. I've got more and more friends & neighbors asking me to take pictures of their kids, the family, etc. But not one has ever mentioned anything about paying money.

[amfoto1]

Charge them a fair rate for your time and efforts. Nothing at all wrong with that.

Your camera will be due for replacement in a year or so, you've invested money getting backgrounds and lights and learning how to use them.

The foolish thing would be to keep doing it all for free.

As I said, charge them a fair price, then throw in a few extra signed prints or whatever. They''ll be ecstatic.

[wyofizz]

The advice from SYS is dead on. I do the same thing.

Dave

[Andrushka]

SYS's advice is great... go with that because: the more free stuff you do, the more free stuff you WILL do... then when you are abandoning other activities in order to edit your friends' 18th free photoshoot you provided, you will begin to loathe yourself :-)

[FocalPrincess]

I agree with all those who say that your time is worth something. Even if its a nominal fee, make sure you're being compensated for your very valuable time. If the requests are starting, I'm guessing they'll continue as your reputation grows by word of mouth.

[Digger]

I don't like to charge family or friends for my time. I simply ask them to buy prints from my site. They are happy for me not charging and the markup on my prints make it worth doing for a friend. Plus i get more practice and more portfolio stuff.

[tim]

Friends + family + money do not mix. Do what you want to for free, turn down the rest, and charge strangers if they inquire.

[noxcuses1]

You have to charge something, even if it is just a token.

[SoundsGood]

Friends + family + money do not mix. Do what you want to for free, turn down the rest, and charge strangers if they inquire.
I tend to agree with this.

[RushFaster]

As soon as you charge something the expectations change.

When it's free, it's a favor, so the expectations are just that. When currency is introduced you have to deal with a much wider range of issues.

[Mike R]

Friends have asked me to take pictures of their children as well. Because I like the opportunity to grow and learn I've always done it for free. (As a thank you they've purchased books or backdrops for me, but I've never recieved payment.)



You can say that they have paid you, Books and Backdrops are not free.
Start charging.

[Roy Webber]

The advice from SYS is dead on. I do the same thing.

Dave
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