Reminder Why I Mostly Don't Shoot For Money

[JoeW]

Well...besides the fact that there isn't a line of people outside my door waving money at me to do work for them as a photographer.

I recently did a "prom" shoot for 3 couples. Not very lucrative but I did that intentionally--2 of the parents are in my church, I did it more for them, cut them a very good deal and when they said "that's too low" I said "so put some extra money in the collection plate next Sunday." So I went in to this shoot feeling good...I'd make some change, b/c there was money the "clients" (i.e.: parents) would be more likely to take it seriously, the 6 young adults were all attractive, we got some good poses, the outdoor location (except for heat that had the boys perspiring in their suits/tuxes) was lovely (a dock on a lake). And I was happy with the results (with the clients being VERY happy).

But when all was said and done, I got a great reminder why I prefer shooting as an amateur rather than a pro. At times I felt "under pressure" to get edits done (and it competed with other edits I was working on). I felt like rather than work to my standards, I was working to some imagined client standard (like a shot I felt "meh" about...pinning on a corsage...I was sure the client would want). Not necessarily higher or tougher standards, just different.

It's not that the "pressure" was so terrible. It's that it's really pretty addictive being your own boss, calling your own shots, deciding what shots you like (or will discard) and editing at your own pace. And I knew that from before but it was nice to get a reminder about that.

 

[tirediron]

You do have to retain a certain objectivity with things such as the corsage shot, but at the end of the day, you can't sacrifice your standards. And there's a difference between a 'mehh' shot due to subject matter and a 'mehh' shot because it's not as good as it could be technically.

 

[astroNikon]

Memorable shots are in the eye of the beholder, and in this case the client.
So ... get the shots that the client wants and thinks are important.


I'm not a pro and don't really do things for money but I listen to them when I do.

 

[480sparky]

I stopped accepting commission work decades ago. Never have regretted doing so. You just cannot pay me enough so get someone else.