Family, the anti-business!

cptrios wrote in post #12674511
What else should a professional photographer do?

Think of it as helping out family. I'm sure my brother in law did not think of business when he helped with my roof. He had a skill which helped greatly with my project just like I had a skill which helped greatly with his daughters wedding.

Now that I come to think of it, since my grandfather died I'm the only one in the family with useful skills anyway. Everyone else is just a paper-pushing corporate cog.

bwk900 wrote in post #12672460
It depends on your family. My family ask me to shoot for them, but I get paid many times over when it comes to my birthday and christmas.

If its someone I don't see or talk to normally, they pay.

def depends on the family. i'd do it in a heartbeat, but thats just me. my fam would also be considerate enough not to demand anything from me. if they wanted it they would ask kindly and see if i had time in my schedule, and work around my schedule.

Hogloff wrote in post #12676076
Think of it as helping out family. I'm sure my brother in law did not think of business when he helped with my roof. He had a skill which helped greatly with my project just like I had a skill which helped greatly with his daughters wedding.

Did he repair/replace/whateve​r your roof for free, or did he help you with it? If I were a lawyer, I'd happily give family free legal advice...but would I represent them in court for free? No way. The simple political issues in working that closely with family would be problem enough for me to say no to that.

Not that I think we're in complete disagreement...when I say "professional photographer" that's exactly what I mean. Someone who makes their living with photography - not someone who sometimes does shoots for money. I don't know which you are!

Then of course the big x-factor is why they're a photographer. Some people became pros because they love shooting, and some see it as simply a career, with little joy. If I were the latter, I'd be very reluctant to do a free shoot for anybody.

I had breakfast with a good friend, a very successful lawyer, just this morning and I asked him, "Do you ever do free work for family?"

He merely shook his head and said, "No." And I happen to know that he gets along famously with family.

RDKirk wrote in post #12689478
I had breakfast with a good friend, a very successful lawyer, just this morning and I asked him, "Do you ever do free work for family?"

He merely shook his head and said, "No." And I happen to know that he gets along famously with family.

I do anything I can to help out family including photos and I get along great with my extended family. Your point was....

Hogloff wrote in post #12693371
I do anything I can to help out family including photos and I get along great with my extended family. Your point was....

I'm sure the person I was responding to understood my point.