Would you do this?

sactown024 · Dec 7, 2012

I got this email from a local restaurant and wanted others opinions since it is basically an unpaid event. the email reads as follows

"Hi Nate

The photo looks great and your branding on the bottom of the picture is totally fine. And I have a question for you!

We have an event in the restaurant coming up in January on the 25th. Robert Burns Night. It's a Scottish dinner celebrating the life of Scottish poet Robert Burns. We had a great time last year and we will be doing the event annually. We will have traditional Scottish fare, bagpipers, lots of scotch and haggis and many musicians and readers of poetry. We just had our first organizational meeting to get everyone on board and we're looking for a photographer to capture some of the night on film for promotional use for the restaurant. Would you be interested in photographing our evening of Scottish revelry? We are on a budget so we are trying to set up agreements with "trade" We will give you dinner, the whole kit and kaboodle of Burns Night including scotch if you like it! And a $50 gift certificate to Waterhouse for a future visit. And we would be happy to give you credit when we use your photos on the website or in other publications.

Let me know if you might be interested. Your photo of the patio is really lovely and you were our first thought.

Best,

Kate"

would you do it or kindly refuse?

12sndsgood · Dec 7, 2012

It all depends on where you are and what benefit you think it will have on you. They are offering you something. How much traffic do you think will notice your work? do you feel you may be able to increase your exposure or maybe network to pull in another job? Some people say to never do any free work (gift certificate some would still consider as you working for free) I have done some free work and have wound up getting work out of it down the line do to that, so for me it was beneficial. You just have to decide if it will be beneficial to you. For me with free work I think at a few diffrent things, 1.Would I enjoy it? (It's free work so if im going to spend my time doing it, it better be something i'd enjoy doing) 2. Will it benefit my portfolio (Is this an event that i can add to my port to generate new work.) 3. Do I feel the client base in attendance corelates to the client's I want to work for ( you can find new customers in the strangest places.) 4. If i'm doing this for free are they going to be accomodationg to me since i'm not getting any monetary value. ( Sounds like they are with the offer of dinner and a gift card)

texkam · Dec 7, 2012

I would do it if thier utility company, food and beverage suppliers, insurance company, accountant, advertising agency, employees including Kate and the top management are all agreeing to the same compensation agreement.

pixmedic · Dec 7, 2012

I wonder how many other people are working there for food. Maybe you should ask. Im guessing Kate isnt. Im not saying you shouldn't do it though... If a dinner and a future dinner are compensation enough for you then it isnt a problem. People barter skills all the time. If you think it will be fun, or will benefit your portfolio and/or possibly lead to other paying jobs then do it. Just be careful that they dont just assume they can buy your time and skills with a dinner every time they need an event photographed. You dont want your "going rate" to be dinner amd a gift certificate.

runnah · Dec 7, 2012

Go for it. These types of deals are great because not only do you get something good out of the deal you, don't have to tell Uncle Sam about it.

I've known freelancers who get driveways paved, oil tanks filled and decks rebuilt for their work.

KmH · Dec 7, 2012

for promotional use for the restaurant.

I would shoot for the dinner, booze and gift certificate, but the promotional use would cost extra.
How much extra would depend on a number of factors - like exclusive/non-exclusive use, media types, impressions, web site clicks per month, and how long they would want to use the photos, etc.

Ultimately, the only thing a photographer actually has to sell is licensing usage rights of some kind.

That is what copyright is all about. Copyright is a bunch of rights that the photographer can license piecemeal.

Licensing Guide | American Society of Media Photographers

e.rose · Dec 7, 2012

Would *I* do it for just that? No.

Would I have done it for just that 2 years ago? Yeah.

I agree that it depends on where you're at.

If you're good with that, do it. If not, maybe squeeze a few more meals out of them since they're gonna have prolonged use of the images, why shouldn't you get equally compensated by their kitchen?

And if food isn't enough... Give them a monetary quote and leave it at that.

How do YOU feel about their offer?

Patrice · Dec 7, 2012

Looking at it another way, if you don't have a paying assignment for that evening you could stay home and eat KD or go take some photos, envoy the revelry, tastes some decent scotch and get some exposure for your business. I'd pick the scotch.

Buckster · Dec 7, 2012

I would do it, and use it as a networking tool with the patrons there - so make sure that's in the contract. Have lots of business cards to give out so they can get photos of themselves from you in aftermarket sales, and that opens up a list of potential clients for you.

Use it to your advantage.

JAC526 · Dec 7, 2012

I would totally do this. Free dinner and Scotch...yes please.

sactown024 · Dec 7, 2012

Nice, thanks for all the input, some great info here. I def need the exposure but maybe ill hit them with the ol' " pay for my gas and throw in a few more meals". Ireally like the business card idea.

Doing the event for free and charging them for the digitals is a good idea too. Not sure if they will bite on that though. I love how they will pay the bagpipers business but for some reason they think they can get away with offering the photographer a meal, cheap ass'. The problem is if I say no, they will just go ask Joe Shmo down the road with his new rebel to do it for free.

gsgary · Dec 7, 2012

I would set up my studio,laptop,and dye sub printer and mint it, do you shoot on film she said she wants it capturing on film

Mully · Dec 7, 2012

Buckster said:
I would do it, and use it as a networking tool with the patrons there - so make sure that's in the contract. Have lots of business cards to give out so they can get photos of themselves from you in aftermarket sales, and that opens up a list of potential clients for you.

Use it to your advantage.

Hand out business cards and yak it up.... just have them sign a contract for restricted usage.

pixmedic · Dec 7, 2012

sactown024 said:
Nice, thanks for all the input, some great info here. I def need the exposure but maybe ill hit them with the ol' " pay for my gas and throw in a few more meals". Ireally like the business card idea.

Doing the event for free and charging them for the digitals is a good idea too. Not sure if they will bite on that though. I love how they will pay the bagpipers business but for some reason they think they can get away with offering the photographer a meal, cheap ass'. The problem is if I say no, they will just go ask Joe Shmo down the road with his new rebel to do it for free.

If you want to do it because you are fine with doing it for the dinner and drinks, thats fine. but dont go do it just because someone else will do it that cheap or cheaper. let THEM take the hit. the restaurant wouldn't expect someone to go in there and get their food for next to nothing just because they can go to McDonald's and eat for cheap.

kathyt · Dec 7, 2012

I would have done this when I was first starting out in business and trying to get my name out there. Sure. I would not drink at the event though, because it would not look very professional.