5 Photographers Chat ‘Working For Free’

February 3, 2015 by Udi Tirosh 18 Comments

‘Working for free’ is a charged topic for creatives and for photographers specifically. One side of the discussion claims that getting your name out there, getting exposure and creating contacts and networking is worth working for free, while the other side says that no work should be unpaid and that ‘working for free’ is essentially the industry’s way of ripping photographers of their well deserved compensation, while devaluing the entire market for everyone.

It is interesting to see the take on this questions from some of the world’s high-profiles and now-successful photographers. Of course, they were not always high-profile and successful so they can share a view going from their early trying-to-get-out-there days all the way to their current state.

InMyBag magazine asked 5 photographers what they thought about working for free: Jasmine Star, Tim Wallace, Don Giannatti, David Talley and Simon Bolz:

In my Bag allowed us to share some of the thoughts those photographers have, for their full views head over to InMyBag.

Jasmine Star:

If you’re just starting out in business, I’d highly suggest accepting projects for exposure (as I did), because it’s an effective way to build a portfolio and increase demand. But there comes a time in a business when you’ve set yourself up to not depend on those types of jobs…

Tim Wallace

In my view agreeing to work for free is the same as saying ‘I’m not sure what I’m doing so won’t charge you’ which then very easily creates a brush that could broadly touch many others in the same industry

Don Giannatti

These days I see ‘free’ as being built into the business model. Sharing sites are essentially free content delivered by the users. There are entities that promote ‘free’ as a business model in itself with free entry level services and free level memberships. Free – is never free. Something of value changes hands. What matters is what side of that exchange you are on

David Talley

Would I work for free? Heck yeah, man! I love doing free work if it’s mutually beneficial to both parties, is volunteer work for an organization I believe in, or is a creative collaboration between other artists with a common goal. We get in to this craft of photography because we love the way the shutter sounds and how the image appears on that tiny screen after clicking – and most of us forget those little joys when we introduce money in to our craft. Love people, and love what you do

Simon Bolz

Luckily I was never asked to do a photo production for free. If someone ever asks me, I will politely say no. It’s better to turn down a project and stick to your principles than to hope for a career boost which will never happen (trust me). Therefore I don’t understand why some photographers work for free

[You wouldn’t ask a plumber to work for free, why ask a photographer? | inmybag]
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About Udi Tirosh

Udi Tirosh is the Founder and Editor in Chief of DIYPhotography, he is also a photographer, a relentless entrepreneur, a prolific inventor and a dad, not necessarily in that order

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Timm3h

4 Photographers and a fraud.
Looking at you miss “Star”.
- speakingcake
  
  She’s a fraud because… she’s a woman ? M. Bolz is much more of a fraud to me, with his sexist porn disguised as “artistic nude”.
  - CT
    
    I believe Timm3h was calling her a fraud because of the big plagiarism scandal that was well documented. It has nothing to do with her gender. As far as your comment on Simon Bolz’s work, it appears that you take offense to nudity, and have something against it. You call the man’s work as sexist, but your language and tone shows who the sexist really is.
Fabio Tommasi

If you aren’t a pro-photographer, you could spend money and time to have fun with a camera. A pro, need to be able to build relationship with clients, sometimes working for free. But a professional photographer doesn’t exist without a fee…
Nonya

If photographers are expected to work for free or extremely cheaply then we should expect all businesses to give US services for free or way below the rate everyone else is charging. Especially the first few times we use them. Yeah that sounds fair. If you want exposure and to get your name out there then don’t let it be because you are a cheap date.
- Joseph Gruber
  
  And many do just that. In fact, Chick-fil-a is giving away for free this month their hot coffee / iced coffee with no strings attach nor purchase needed. Obviously, the “ploy” is that you’ll buy something while you’re there and/or become a future customer. Same difference here I see.
  - Fred
    
    The difference between a service ( i.e. photography ) and a product is huge! It could cost Chick-fil-a NOTHING to provide free coffee ( the uptake is actually quite small on these sort of promos ), while giving away free ‘time and talent’ is a direct hit on one’s income. You you ever expect your accountant or lawyer to provide you with ‘free’ service?
    - Joseph Gruber
      
      You mean like H&R Block offering a “second look” at tax returns for free? Or a lawyer offering quid pro quo service?
      - Cecil
        
        If a lawyer or photographer wants to help out a charity cause then more power to them. This world needs more good deeds. The thing is that the employees actually putting the time in to give that tax return a second look are surely getting paid. LOL Try asking employees to drag their butts out of bed and work for nothing so that the owner of a business can increase the exposure a company has. That would be one heck of a good deed on the employees part to help the employer but it wouldn’t help him/her eat or pay the rent.
Jim Johnson

You shouldn’t think of it as working for free, you should think of it as giving something to someone, some cause, or some organization. Think about whether you would give them money instead if you had it. If the answer is yes, then give them your service and some photos. If the answer is no… don’t.
Paganator

Free is a powerful marketing tool if you can figure out a way to make money out of it. The creators of Farmville made billions, for example.

I’m currently trying a “risk-free” approach to get new business: I offer selected companies a single “free” photo session. If they like the pictures, they can pay to get a license to use the pictures. If they don’t like them, they don’t pay a cent.

I’m trying to remove obstacles in the way of new clients trying my services — the fewer risks for them, the more they’re likely to trust me for at least one project, where hopefully I can wow them with great pictures and service.
Andrew Sible

My worst photographic job experiences have been donations of my time. Some of my most personally impactful relationships with my clients were created with the same free work. I didnt earn money from those relationships, but I earned a few moments with a special person who is no longer with us. That alone was worth the time.

Each person should weigh in for themselves because you never know what could happen, and nobody can say how a job will help or hurt a career until the job has passed. I won’t be donating any time outright, but who knows what will happen. I would recommend to donate time only if you seek to, at that point in time, meet other people and expand your knowledge and social network. Don’t do it mainly for the money (which younhope might come someday), I believe that is the wrong reason. Sure we all hope to better our business financially, but let that be a byproduct of personal growth. Also, DON’T let it hinder financial growth too much. At some point donations will take up valuable paid time and you gotta eat!
bassalop

I do free projects in an on going bases, but only for non-profits and locally. In turn, I get exposure both directly and online but I make note that I have freedom of expression/creative process and that I’m not being noted as a “free” entity. Those gaining from my ability financially can afford to pay.
yohan the cat

Working for free is an investment, because you aren’t working for free – its costs money to exist – so you have to assess it as an investment. Some projects or situations are worth investing in, some aren’t – regardless of funding.
Mark Clarisse

I absolutely agree that when starting out its a brilliant way of getting exposure and learning the craft. Nothing’s for free and there’s always some gain (other than financial) benefit, you just have to make the decision when to transition to do more paid work than free.
Steve Duffey

David duChemin wrote what I think is an excellent piece regarding this very matter in his blog.

http://davidduchemin.com/2015/02/commodity-failure-a-rant/
speakingcake

People seems to forget there’s two sides of photography : the job side and the art side. If you’re a wedding photographer, a photo-journalist or doing advertising, of course you should get paid. But if your aim is to make art, money should never enter your mind when you push a button. Art is only for art’s sake, and it should stay this way. If you make money out of it, that’s a plus, but never a goal.
Jayne Russell

When you hire someone for free they will not have 3rd party insurance let alone well maintained gear. Think of the professional camera man that knocked out Tiger woods teeth. Imagine if you did that even if an accident. Imagine you did it to a professional model and they sued. It is worth reminding them sometimes the importance of things like that.
Real photographers have real overheads and produce real results in theory. Why settle for second best?
Having said that, I started in studio work and worked for 3 months for free making myself valuable to the company in that time. I set a time limit and stuck to it.
30 years on, I work for free- I have my choice of a charity to support. I chose to use my skill to help rather than send money. I face regular enquiries from other charities as a result but each understand I have chosen one only and without fail I get commissioned at full rate once I explain that.