Is it ok to turn out bad work if its free?

Lesson for the Pro's,

1. Never have your clients meet you at Wal-Mart. (Pick them up yourself, and meet them in front of Wolf Camera) LOL

Cheers,

David

PWard wrote in post #11585590
just don't do what these two gals did...

http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=vIiH9uxdE5M

Is this the new form of "Rick Roll"ing I heard so much about a few years ago?

Watched the video, and I think the reason why the Judge slapped her with 2,500.00 dollars was because she didn't have a clue about photography on a technical level. I also think he would have over-looked the fact about using a Rebel body, but probably not the lens.

The pictures I saw looked decent, but to charge 1,300.00, the equipment was sub-standard, and the photograper wasn't a photographer.

Ultimately, I agree with the Judges findings and ruling.

JakAHearts wrote in post #11604462
Lets see some pics from your first paid gig and let us decide if it was a stupid question.

The question itself was fine. The "oh boo hoo, you're being condescending" whine to the people who bothered to respond to your question, on the other hand, is complete BS. Grow up.

davidc502 wrote in post #11604973
Watched the video, and I think the reason why the Judge slapped her with 2,500.00 dollars was because she didn't have a clue about photography on a technical level. I also think he would have over-looked the fact about using a Rebel body, but probably not the lens.

The pictures I saw looked decent, but to charge 1,300.00, the equipment was sub-standard, and the photograper wasn't a photographer.

Ultimately, I agree with the Judges findings and ruling.

I think the technical details were incidental - the stupid cow got her penalty multiplied because she was defending her attempt to cheat her client by charging professional prices for slipshod work.

Think about doing free work as investing your time into building a quality portfolio.

If you were an up and coming restaurant, you wouldn't give out sub-par samples of your food, would you?

So if you agree to do something, don't do anything but your best work.

cdifoto wrote in post #11592546
What is most likely to ruin you is doing good/amazing/awesome work free.

Disagree. My firm often throws in additional work such as reports and analyses (I'm an organisational psychologist) for free, and it's never done us any harm. When a client's already sending a couple of hundred grand your way, chucking in ten grand of high-quality work gratis only serves to build the relationship.

Gedanken wrote in post #11606019
Disagree. My firm often throws in additional work such as reports and analyses (I'm an organisational psychologist) for free, and it's never done us any harm. When a client's already sending a couple of hundred grand your way, chucking in ten grand of high-quality work gratis only serves to build the relationship.

That's not "free," that's "business complementary."

And I presume none of that would be "bad work."

RDKirk wrote in post #11606060
That's not "free," that's "business complementary."

And I presume none of that would be "bad work."

I'm not going to get into splitting hairs - whatever the context, I'm not being paid for it, and doing it badly is much more likely to ruin me than doing it well.

Gedanken wrote in post #11606107
I'm not going to get into splitting hairs - whatever the context, I'm not being paid for it, and doing it badly is much more likely to ruin me than doing it well.

It's not splitting hairs. The difference is that you have already established a continuing business relationship with those clients. You're not delivering work at no cost in a hopeful speculation of getting future paid work.

Ah, so you mean that if you're doing it speculatively, you can do it badly?

If not, what's your point?

Gedanken wrote in post #11606148
Ah, so you mean that if you're doing it speculatively, you can do it badly?

If not, what's your point?

Mypoint to the OP is in posts #7 and #9 above.

My point to your post is that you're talking about a different situation from that spoken of by CDIfoto or contemplated by the OP. If the OP were already in a continuing business relationship, he would not be asking the question.

RDKirk wrote in post #11606214
Mypoint to the OP is in posts #7 and #9 above.

My point to your post is that you're talking about a different situation from that spoken of by CDIfoto or contemplated by the OP. If the OP were already in a continuing business relationship, he would not be asking the question.

And how does the context change whether or not it's OK to do the job badly?

It does not change! It is not OK to do it badly, that you banter it is ok is, are you sure your a organisational psychologist?

Ah the judge, I just watched that funny clip. The judge nailed her because she didn't know when to keep her mouth shut and listen to unbiased facts.

Gedanken wrote in post #11606556
And how does the context change whether or not it's OK to do the job badly?

You said:

Originally Posted by Gedanken

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Disagree. My firm often throws in additional work such as reports and analyses (I'm an organisational psychologist) for free, and it's never done us any harm. When a client's already sending a couple of hundred grand your way, chucking in ten grand of high-quality work gratis only serves to build the relationship.

I don't see you making reference to the issue of bad work, and I presumed it was not. Are you saying that it is an issue? Are you asking an opinion from me that I have not already stated in posts #7 and #9 above?