Friends as clients?

How willing are you to work with personal friends as clients? (Weddings, portraiture, etc.)

In my life's experience (regarding many things, not just photography, but especially photography), it often ends up causing hard feelings. No so much because of the qaulity of work, but for some reason friends all too often seem to have higher and unreasonable expectations. Expectations that a stranger wouldn't have, and expectations that the friends wouldn't put on a stranger if they hired said stranger for the same thing.

I've worked for my friends at times and I have no problem with it if done carefully. Just make sure that all expectations are set up front. I also usually cut my friends (assuming they are good friends) a small break with a little discount or a little something extra. Not enough to make it a loosing proposition on my part but a small amount to make them feel special.

"In my life's experience (regarding many things, not just photography, but especially photography), it often ends up causing hard feelings. No so much because of the qaulity of work, but for some reason friends all too often seem to have higher and unreasonable expectations. Expectations that a stranger wouldn't have, and expectations that the friends wouldn't put on a stranger if they hired said stranger for the same thing."

My experience also.

Maybe I have good friends or the people I call friends ( and there aren't too many of them) are friends and not just aquaitences.

For Friends ( my real friends) I don't and wouldn't think to charge them anything. Not the way we work. We help each other and unless there are expenses incurred ( and not always then) which are reimbursed, no money ever changes hands.

I have shot a lot of things for friends and have always got back sooner or later more than I feel was due. Thankfully my friends feel the same way with what I do for them.
One friend n particular gets me to do a lot of things for him but I hope he asks me to do a lot more for him so I can begin to repay what he has done for me on so many levels.

I think that's probably the crux of the matter, Friends Vs associates.

That is the crux of the matter. If I were not a photographer and would give them the equivalent value in some other kind of gift, then I'd shoot for them free.

People don't appreciate "bargains" in photography because they don't understand the value. Even if your weddings normally run $3500, if you charge a friend $500, she doesn't see it as a $3000 gift. She sees it you charging her $500 for what should have been free.

So I don't do cut-rate for anyone--it's either free because I like them that much or it's full price.

I have done a fair amount of work for close friends. The first thing that I do when they start asking about this is that I tell them you are hiring me the photographer not me the friend. I give them a break on the services but all else is as if they are a stranger purchasing the same. I've never felt as though they put extra stress on the job by assuming or expecting anything above and beyond what I would do for someone else. The OP was a little vague, how about a "for instance" as to what your friends did that resulted in hard feelings. There is no doubt that working for friends (and family for that matter) can be stressful if you let it. You want to do your very best for them and as long as you do that there shouldn't be problems. They are used to seeing your work so they would know if you could have done anything differently.

RDKirk wrote in post #15151235
That is the crux of the matter. If I were not a photographer and would give them the equivalent value in some other kind of gift, then I'd shoot for them free.

People don't appreciate "bargains" in photography because they don't understand the value. Even if your weddings normally run $3500, if you charge a friend $500, she doesn't see it as a $3000 gift. She sees it you charging her $500 for what should have been free.

So I don't do cut-rate for anyone--it's either free because I like them that much or it's full price.

Makes perfect sense.

I treat everyone the same. If they want professional service they pay the professional rate. If it's something like a relative's birthday party or Christmas, we pass the P&S around and take equally crappy half-assed snapshots. I don't make a job out of free photography anymore.