Everyone loves my pictures but no one wants to pay

I guess its a lesson I've learned from doing an urban outdoor shoot with a friend of a friend for free. They all wants picture now but none of them can afford it. Its good publicity for me in a sense that I can find model for free but at the end of the day, I would love to subsidize some of my equipment cost/make a few dollar on the side.

Take the images that you've made to this point and start marketing yourself. Doing free work to build up a knowledge base and a portfolio is fine, but you cant expect to start charging those same folks after they've become accustomed to free/cheap photography. So find a new market, with people you dont know and who dont expect you to work for free. That means advertising somehow, marketing yourself, and being able to deliver on demand.

None can afford it? Setting prices too high maybe?

tupper wrote in post #14762194
None can afford it? Setting prices too high maybe?

More likely folks with no money to spend, especially when the cow was giving milk for free.

Everyone loves free photography.

For your friends-of-friends who want free shoots, use them when you need to experiment with new styles, new techniques, or new gear. Use them to perfect your workflow and turnaround times. Use them until you can consistently turn out quality portraiture without fumbling anything through the process. That way, you look and act like a seasoned pro when it comes to the paying clients.

ryanshoots wrote in post #14762315
More likely folks with no money to spend, especially when the cow was giving milk for free.

I think this is probably more likely to be what is happening. We've seen this same story many times on here and no matter how many times people are warned about giving it away for free they continue to do this. If you believe in your abilities as a photographer set realistic prices that will give you the returns that you feel you deserve. Setting your prices too low also sends a bad signal, IMO. If the current rate for product X is 200.00 and all of sudden you see a someone doing it for 30.00 people will think "what is wrong with this person's work". You don't have to be at the top echelon of the price range but somewhere in the middle seems to work fine.

When people ask me about going pro or at least getting a few paid gigs I always urge them to make a plan on how they want to gain that experience. My suggestion is to see if they can gain that experience on family and friends that you can trust and work with. If you post on social networking, Craigslist, etc. that you will do portraits for free or a fraction of the normal going rate you are setting yourself up as a budget provider. Even people that have the disposable income to pay the higher levels will choose you because at the end of the day why should they spend money they don't have to. If you have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances this becomes known and it is hard to dig yourself out of that hole. It is a difficult situation in how do you get that experience. The camera club that I belonged to once used to have a session where they would hire models each calendar quarter and you could book time with the model and have a pro there assist you. There is also the option of digging your wallet out and paying someone to model for you. Consider it an investment in your future. While I realize that everyone wants to do everything on the cheap, we go out and spend thousands on our gear and accessories but won't spend a couple of hundred dollars to get better. I've never gone to a shooting workshop but I have spoken to some that have and they gained valuable lessons and great images to use.

Once you have the portfolio that you feel proud of and you still are not getting the kind of paid jobs you want you can consider adjusting your pricing moderately. There are lots of things such as value added items like DVD's of the images that you can package together to make the pricing look more attractive. Offer a free print as the cost to us is minimal. I've packaged a free 8x10 in some portrait promotions that I did last year. The cost to me was around 2.50 at the lab I use but they thought they were getting something worth 35.00 for free. You have to make sure that they can see your normal price list when you do something like this though.

You are the master of your own destiny. It can be done but sometimes it might take a few dollars but dollars well spent. Other times you can get that experience for free. No matter which method you use when you decide to start advertising your services more globally you won't have to hear, "You did the shots of Nancy for free last month".

I will put my feet down very soon. I did not make any promises but its nice too see the appreciation I got for my work. At least I know where I stand.

I'm an amateur who makes a few pound and what I do is:
1 - If I want to try something new I ask family, friends and even friends of friends to pose for me and they get a few prints for free.
2 - If they ask me, they pay. Simple

ssim wrote in post #14762557
I think this is probably more likely to be what is happening. We've seen this same story many times on here and no matter how many times people are warned about giving it away for free they continue to do this. If you believe in your abilities as a photographer set realistic prices that will give you the returns that you feel you deserve. Setting your prices too low also sends a bad signal, IMO. If the current rate for product X is 200.00 and all of sudden you see a someone doing it for 30.00 people will think "what is wrong with this person's work". You don't have to be at the top echelon of the price range but somewhere in the middle seems to work fine.

When people ask me about going pro or at least getting a few paid gigs I always urge them to make a plan on how they want to gain that experience. My suggestion is to see if they can gain that experience on family and friends that you can trust and work with. If you post on social networking, Craigslist, etc. that you will do portraits for free or a fraction of the normal going rate you are setting yourself up as a budget provider. Even people that have the disposable income to pay the higher levels will choose you because at the end of the day why should they spend money they don't have to. If you have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances this becomes known and it is hard to dig yourself out of that hole. It is a difficult situation in how do you get that experience. The camera club that I belonged to once used to have a session where they would hire models each calendar quarter and you could book time with the model and have a pro there assist you. There is also the option of digging your wallet out and paying someone to model for you. Consider it an investment in your future. While I realize that everyone wants to do everything on the cheap, we go out and spend thousands on our gear and accessories but won't spend a couple of hundred dollars to get better. I've never gone to a shooting workshop but I have spoken to some that have and they gained valuable lessons and great images to use.

Once you have the portfolio that you feel proud of and you still are not getting the kind of paid jobs you want you can consider adjusting your pricing moderately. There are lots of things such as value added items like DVD's of the images that you can package together to make the pricing look more attractive. Offer a free print as the cost to us is minimal. I've packaged a free 8x10 in some portrait promotions that I did last year. The cost to me was around 2.50 at the lab I use but they thought they were getting something worth 35.00 for free. You have to make sure that they can see your normal price list when you do something like this though.

You are the master of your own destiny. It can be done but sometimes it might take a few dollars but dollars well spent. Other times you can get that experience for free. No matter which method you use when you decide to start advertising your services more globally you won't have to hear, "You did the shots of Nancy for free last month".

When I started out with seniors, not having any seniors in the family and wanting variety, I told the girls that the shoot is free but any photos they want must be purchased. I did about 10-15 of these. They sometimes want free sessions again but I simply tell them that time has passed, and I now have fees along with a money back guarantee.

ryanshoots wrote in post #14762315
especially when the cow was giving milk for free.

Nailed it! Just like in dating, why should they pay you when you have demonstrated they can get what they want from you for free?

The solution? Simple: stop it. Just like turning off a light switch. Just inform them you no longer do that, and stop.

They can't afford it? Negotiate. "I would love to shoot you, so what can you pay?" It's also a test. If after being offered to negotiate a price they are still not interested in paying you, then you know you're simply being used. If they do negotiate, they have reaffirmed you do good work and they desire it.

cdifoto wrote in post #14766323
When I started out with seniors, not having any seniors in the family and wanting variety, I told the girls that the shoot is free but any photos they want must be purchased. I did about 10-15 of these. They sometimes want free sessions again but I simply tell them that time has passed, and I now have fees along with a money back guarantee.

Cool business model. I think I've witnessed a lot of this on CL. 2 hour free session and if you want a disc that's $50-100.

Glueeater wrote in post #14767133
Cool business model. I think I've witnessed a lot of this on CL. 2 hour free session and if you want a disc that's $50-100.

Sure, if you like to work for less than minimum wage and never be able to pay for new equipment, let alone insurance or backups. People need to either do it for fun or actually value their time and talent.

mmb wrote in post #14767211
Sure, if you like to work for less than minimum wage and never be able to pay for new equipment, let alone insurance or backups. People need to either do it for fun or actually value their time and talent.

You have to break through somehow. All depends on how you approach starting out.

It's been said before, but no one charges or should expect immediate profit at the start. I assume these value shoots to be "startup" costs or a capital investment. Yes, I'm aware of "give something for free, they always expect it." Depends on how strong you are with your pricing.

edit: I work a full-time job that pays for the possibility of photo. I realize this is not the case for the majority of people.

Glueeater wrote in post #14767133
Cool business model. I think I've witnessed a lot of this on CL. 2 hour free session and if you want a disc that's $50-100.

Yes that's done on CL a lot. I didn't offer disks. I offered the same products as I do now at similar a la carte pricing.

Never in a million years would I shoot a session that caps at $100.

I love Ferraris, but can't afford one. It would good good publicity for Ferrari if I was seen driving round my town in one, do you think they'l give me one.

At the end of the day NOBODY will pay for anything if they can get it for free, as above you have to decide are you doing it as a hobby or business.