Do you shoot for free?

[tirediron]

I do a lot of shooting for free. I do a LOT of work for a local animal charity, and if I have an idea or a concept that I want to try, or maybe a lighting idea, I'll grab someone from MM and do a TF* shoot. The model gets images, and I get to try out my idea.

 

[manicmike]

I've done a few paid gigs, but I'm not in it to make money right now. Maybe if I stop sucking less I'd be interested in making money.

 

[Bossy]

How do you plan to advertise, market, and promote your "part-time, or less, a couple shoots a month really" business?

You are really stuck on this "part time" issue aren't you
I'll market the same way I'd market a full time business and manage my time/book clients so I'm only working part time
Word of mouth, networking, online presence, same stuff.

 

[Bossy]

I do a lot of shooting for free. I do a LOT of work for a local animal charity, and if I have an idea or a concept that I want to try, or maybe a lighting idea, I'll grab someone from MM and do a TF* shoot. The model gets images, and I get to try out my idea.

I did lots of TF models before I realized that that wasn't really my favorite stuff to shoot. I excel at unposed/ candid family stuff, which is where I'm at a bit of an impasse, its not something MM can really provide, although I did place a ad thing up for one.

That said, I have another question, I got a bite asking me how much I charged, I replied back. Now its been almost 2 days, would it be weird if I contacted her back and offered to barter for exchange of enhancing my portfolio or should I wait a bit longer to see if shes interested in paying my fee?

 

[tirediron]

Depends; if you don't care about the money, but want the images, sure ('though I'd leave it at least another day regardless), but if you have serious thoughts about moving into business, then stand your ground, and if you get the gig, great, if not, oh well.

 

[Scoody]

I shot a baby shower for free today for a friend. End of the day, I had lined up two senior portrait shoots, a shoot for Christening, a couple and a maternity shoot. I shoot for free when I see a networking opportunity. I do a free portrait for beauty shop owners and they recommend me for weddings and quinceanera to their clients.

 

[e.rose]

How do you get over the hump of just starting out? Do you charge to build your portfolio? Do you do it for free? Do you reel in everyone you know to get something up and charge everyone else?

I've been shooting for while, have a formal education in photography and just moved to a completely new area where I know one other family so networking is rough. My portfolio is old, I haven't shot strangers for over a year due to some life happenings, and I've also decided the direction I want to go in photography so a lot of my old work doesn't apply to the genre. I'm just trying to figure out how to build up a clientele without screwing myself, since I know I am valuable.

I still have to do other stuff on the business side, tax and licenses etc, but I'm not going to get that ball rolling until I figure out if I even have it in me to get a business going.I also only want to do it part time or less, a couple shoots a month really.

So how did you do it?

There's no real one way, but I'll give you a quick run-down (and knowing me, "quick" probably means 20 paragraphs, that I shouldn't be spending the time to type up right now, because it's late and I have a LONG, early day tomorrow. )

Anyway...

Back home in PA I was shooting for free a lot.

You know what that got me?

More free shoots.

I finally got the gull to start charging, but all I was getting was requests for more free shoots, because the people that were recommending me... I shot for free.

It was a terrible endless cycle.

I started charging back home, but I wasn't charging enough, and while I had one or two people book me here and there, I wasn't making much off the shoot, because even if they were going to pay me, they still didn't want to pay "a lot".

Bands paid nothing... models paid nothing... weddings paid WAY too little... portrait paid not enough...

I was starting to swing back into a depression, which was terrible, because the whole reason I got into photography in the first place was to help pull me OUT of a depression.

Then Keith and I decided we were going to move to Nashville, and that scared me SH*TTLESS, because I was suddenly moving from a town where I wasn't making money, and the only people who knew my name wanted to pay me nothing, to a BIGGER town, where NOBODY knew my name, and probably most DEFINITELY wouldn't wanna give me money... right?

Well we moved here, and I had mixed feelings. I was happy, and excited, and terrified, and stunted, because I didn't know where to start. I had an advantage because I knew a few people from doing audio work with a company here before, and I had a photographer friend that helped me get acclimated within the photography community, but still no real potential *clients*.

I had a random "CD cover" session with someone, that I charged way too little when I got here, and I did 3 lives shoots for free, and a second promo shoot for free, but I didn't really want to keep shooting for free, because from past experiences, I knew what that was going to get me...

Around the time when I decided I had had it with free shoots, a model contacted me about... you guessed it... doing a "trade shoot".

I almost told her to pack her bags, but I held off long enough to "Facebook stalk" her, and discovered that not only was she a pretty girl, but she was a HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR at a high school that was predominantly occupied by people who had money to spend.

So I said yes.

I found hair and makeup to test with as well, we all got together, and we did the session.

It took me a little bit to process the images after the session, but when I finally posted them to Facebook, 24 hours later I had 2 inquiries for senior portrait sessions.

They both booked as senior models, which mean they were getting their session complimentary, but they paid me a non-refundable retainer that covered the cost of my MUA for their session, and I then applied that amount towards product credits.

This time around I was priced the way I should have been in the first place, and so that product credit, pretty much guaranteed sales, because any of the "big ticket items" was not at all covered by that amount of product credit they had coming to them.

My first senior client dropped $1,500 in product.

The second one dropped $600, but I have a feeling the reason they didn't spend more, is because this girl is an aspiring model and already has A MILLION of professionally done photos of her, so they probably didn't value senior portraits as high as my first client did.

My first client also sent me a referral who ended up being my 3rd client. They paid my session fee (she was not a senior model), and I'm currently working with them on product, but they've already expressed that they want the biggest (most expensive) album I offer, and they want something MORE FANCY than I offer for wall portraits, which means an increase in pricing for custom prints and framing that they are more than willing to pay for.

This brings us to 2014...

I had NO IDEA what I was going to do for this year. My senior sessions for 2013 happened late, because my "free shoot" with the first girl didn't happen until the summer-time, when I should have been well into senior season. But THIS YEAR I want to start marketing on time...

So this brings us back to, "So am I gonna shoot for free since that worked the first time?"

No.

I took that because it was an opportunity that I had presented to me at the time, that I wasn't even sure was going to work.

I sat long and hard and thought about HOW I was going to get the momentum moving for this year... and I decided, along with sharing my existing clients' images, I was going to do something to get my clients talking to me about their friends.

Just tonight, I got done designing Mini Accordion albums that I am sending to my clients as gifts.

They have no idea these things are coming. I'm sending each client 3 mini albums that will have my logo and website on the back, along with a letter thanking them for being a client, letting them know what I have in the works for 2014, letting them know that I now have an e-mail list they can sign up for, and THEN... most importantly... I am going to ASK THEM for referrals.

I am planning on including 5 referral cards that they can give to their friends and family that may want to book a session with me.

It's said in sales all the time... "Don't be afraid to *ask for the sale*"

It's the same idea. You need referrals... you're clients have the power to refer you... they were happy with you... so ASK FOR THE REFERRALS. Haha.

So that's my plan. I plan on sending these out, and continuing to try to market online like I have been, and we'll see what happens.

Will it work? Who the hell knows, but it COULD...

I honestly didn't expect that test shoot to work in my favor and I ended up with 3 clients out of it (plus that first senior client, not only sent me a referral, but booked me for a second session for head shots, haha), so this very well COULD work.

So if you feel like you need to shoot for free to rebuild your portfolio... do it. But make sure you do it under YOUR terms.

Don't just put out a FB call for volunteers.

Personally seek out a model... or a family... or whatever it is you're wanting to shoot. Offer to do a test shoot. Offer a few files in exchange for their time. Market with those images and make sure you're pricing and everything is set for the first inquiry.

Don't be afraid to turn people away who try to talk down your pricing (I turned a lot of people away in 2013. I could have shot everyone and their mother, but it would have cheapened my brand and it would have resulted in a jaded, bitter me, because I would have been working way too much for way not enough money).

Once you learn to say no a few times, it gets much easier.

You have to learn to be able to tell the difference between something that will benefit you, (Like doing a test shoot with an aspiring high school model from a wealthy high school where your target clientele lives), and something that won't (like shooting a random children's runway fashion show, giving all your images away for free to the organization who is then going to turn around and sell them to the parents, making money off your work, and THEN asks you to photograph the winner of the runway show, including free photos with that as well).

I rambled a lot... maybe this isn't exactly the info you were looking for... but if you know you're worth it, hold onto that.

Charge what you're worth, don't be afraid to hold onto that, don't be afraid to say no, and don't be afraid to take a few risks if you think it will help you in the end.

If you ever wanna chat, feel free to PM me.

 

[e.rose]

I want to shoot mostly families, laid back portraits, would models really help that? I have a few model shoots already I can add to my port if it would, I just assumed I should stay in my "niche". And models wont really be great word of mouth to help build the business, right?

Shooting anyone for free won't necessarily help your word of mouth.

You have to ask yourself what you're doing here:

Are you trying to build your portfolio, or are you trying to find quality leads?

If you're trying to build your portfolio, approach someone personally that you want to photograph - A family, someone you would like to have in your portfolio of laid-back portraits, anything like that.

Models will be good for the portrait genre, and you'll just have to find a family to photograph for your family genre.

If you're trying to find quality leads... those people aren't going to help you do that, but they WILL help you pad your portfolio so that when you start marketing and networking TO FIND those quality leads, you will have something pretty for them to look at. :sillysmi:

So if your portfolio is severely lacking, work on building that and then think more about finding leads once you have a good handle on your portfolio.

 

[e.rose]

A model doesn't necessarily mean scantily clothed, full makeup and pouting!

Exactly.

Find people, either through Model Mayhem, or coworkers, or friends, or whomever... to pose and model the way you want your portfolio to look.

You control the styling, the posing, the whatever. The goal is to have material for you to use, so make sure you have control of everything that goes on and it's something you'll want to show.

 

[e.rose]

Thanks everyone

Keith, Im not sure why it wouldn't be sustainable, its not every photographers goal to work full time.

You're fine.

I know a lot of photographers that are highly successful with their PT photography business.

Everyone has different reasons for wanting to go FT or PT.

Going PT just means you don't shoot as often, because you have other priorities, like another job, or wanting to spend more time with your family, or what have you.

It doesn't mean you market any less, it just means you limit the amount of sessions you take per month.

This works especially well if you're not depending on JUST your photography business for income. :sillysmi:

 

[e.rose]

I do a lot of shooting for free. I do a LOT of work for a local animal charity, and if I have an idea or a concept that I want to try, or maybe a lighting idea, I'll grab someone from MM and do a TF* shoot. The model gets images, and I get to try out my idea.

I did lots of TF models before I realized that that wasn't really my favorite stuff to shoot. I excel at unposed/ candid family stuff, which is where I'm at a bit of an impasse, its not something MM can really provide, although I did place a ad thing up for one.

That said, I have another question, I got a bite asking me how much I charged, I replied back. Now its been almost 2 days, would it be weird if I contacted her back and offered to barter for exchange of enhancing my portfolio or should I wait a bit longer to see if shes interested in paying my fee?

Nope. Don't do that.

Find someone else to shoot.

Doing that makes you seem desperate and is going to give you a bad rap, because people will start to get the idea that if they simply don't book you, you'll come running with a cheaper or free option.

You gave her your rate... ball is in her court.

 

[Bossy]

I may have a tiny girl crush on you E thank you so much for all your thought!!

 

[e.rose]

I may have a tiny girl crush on you E thank you so much for all your thought!!

D'awwww

You're welcome! :sillysmi:

Sent from my iPhone using PhotoForum

 

[12sndsgood]

See E.Rose you shot one girl free and have almost gotten 3k in work from that single shoot. that to me sounds like a win. I think the difference for a lot of people is there is a difference in shooting for free and shooting something for free to help your business. I used to shoot for free in the past, still do Mainly for test shots and trying new things out. but I have learned to be selective in who I am shooting and what I am shooting. I don't have people coming up to me asking for free shoots because I try and keep it quiet about who I shoot for free. and those that I do shoot help push my business and send people my way. If you want to shoot seniors that's great don't just pick someone random, do like E.rose did and pick that pretty senior girl who has 3000 high school friends in her friends list. You can shoot free and turn it into work, you just have be careful with who you choose or what you choose to shoot.

 

[12sndsgood]

I do a lot of shooting for free. I do a LOT of work for a local animal charity, and if I have an idea or a concept that I want to try, or maybe a lighting idea, I'll grab someone from MM and do a TF* shoot. The model gets images, and I get to try out my idea.

I did lots of TF models before I realized that that wasn't really my favorite stuff to shoot. I excel at unposed/ candid family stuff, which is where I'm at a bit of an impasse, its not something MM can really provide, although I did place a ad thing up for one.

That said, I have another question, I got a bite asking me how much I charged, I replied back. Now its been almost 2 days, would it be weird if I contacted her back and offered to barter for exchange of enhancing my portfolio or should I wait a bit longer to see if shes interested in paying my fee?

Nope. Don't do that.

Find someone else to shoot.

Doing that makes you seem desperate and is going to give you a bad rap, because people will start to get the idea that if they simply don't book you, you'll come running with a cheaper or free option.

You gave her your rate... ball is in her court.

I also agree with this, you gave a price so stick with it, Have to learn to walk away from sales at times. I got in the habit of discounting my work too much. Hearing someone say that my full price wasn't bad made me realize I need to just go with the prices I set and stop assuming someone won't pay the price.