Friends wanting free pics?

Mole · Mar 2, 2007

How do you deal with friends that just expect to get pics for free from you?

Here's my example: This last weekend I took a bunch of shots of my friends and their family riding quads and stuff at the sand dunes. When a few of them saw the pics they offered to buy some prints, I said no prob. Then others came up to me later and asked for me to just burn them a cd of all the images I made for free. Then a couple just want me to email them pics. The main question is how do you deal with the people that just expect you to give them free images. Remember these are your friends not clients. Also how do you charge one person and not another? How do you not offend the ones that just feel you should give them free pics, or do you just not worry about offending them?

I feel like some of them put me in a bad position. I don't want to be greedy but I don't want to get Scre*** either.

dewey · Mar 2, 2007

Are you trying to start a business? If so email them a link to small 72dpi pix on a website and post your prices. If you are not planning on getting into a business it makes it more difficult to charge friends randomly... I can see where you would make some of them angry.

In the end though they're your pictures so it's up to you.

brighteyesphotos · Mar 2, 2007

Hard saying. The ones that offered to buy probably know that there are costs involved in printing. The ones that asked for a disc probably figured you have plenty of them lying around. I buy discs in bulk for various reasons. Since you were taking pictures of them playing around, not there as a hired photographer but as a friend, they probably figured you were just snapping for the sake of snapping. If it was a wedding or some other shoot where you were the only/main photographer and there only to take pictures, then I'd say you can tell the ones that asked for the files for free sorry, your services are not free.

It wasn't a competition or an event, right? You weren't hired nor were you there only to take pictures, were you? I'm assuming that at some point, you were riding as well. For the ones that offered to pay, I'd take them up on it. The ones that wanted a disc, I'd make one with just a select few on it. The ones that wanted an email, I'd reduce the file size and email one or 2.

Stevedevil · Mar 2, 2007

You will have too watch out more and more as your Photography progresses,

I have been lined up ( By my Lovely Wife ) to shoot the pictures at Christenings for both of her Sisters Children..

I was quite keen on the idea until I had this Thought......

I have spent over £2,000 on Camera equipment over the past year, and they are getting a Photographer for FREE, and reading your thread I think now the same problem will arise ( after sitting in Photoshop for around a week too!! )

My advise would be that if they used your car, they would put fuel in it, so if they are using your pictures then I think that a small payment towards your costs would be perfectly acceptable..

The other options would be to Water Mark them and store in lower ppi so they will not benefit from " Enlarging "

Cheers

Steve

Mike_E · Mar 2, 2007

Tell them you'll bring the cds over and what are you having for dinner. If they won't feed you a nice meal, wait till they will.

mike

MPowerM3 · Mar 2, 2007

Yeah tricky call, personally, im not that good yet, but when some friends and I are out taking pictures of there car(s) I usally get dinner/coffee/drinks for doing it. I do spend the time, but this is a hobby for me, so for all the time I spend doing it I really want to be doing it to get better. Just tell the friends that want to buy pictures that your not doing that, and give them a cd or memory card or email with them on there and finsh up. Or offer to do it if your going to the print shop anyways, and just have them pay you actual costs, they'll probably toss you a few dollars for doing it, leg work what not. Or just stop being friends with the cheapos.

emogirl · Mar 2, 2007

Were you asked to take their pictures? Or did you go out and shoot, as a photographic opportunity presented itself and to spend time with friends? If its the latter, than No, i dont think you make them pay for them....these are your friends...if they want hard copies....ask them to pay cost, that is reasonable, if they want them on disk, ask them to bring you a disk .... i know the cost of a disc isnt much, but doing this constantly, as I do too, it adds up....if they want the pics, they wont begrudge you for asking to pay cost.

Its no different if you have a friend who does plumbing or a mechanic etc..they dont charge you, just ask you to pay for parts.

Now...different story when friends ask you to take pics for an event etc...I have made it known for years with family and friends, that you will pay....now i use my discretion depending on how close they are to me and, depending on the event....if its a wedding - well, that's my job, and you will pay my fee, but usually i give them a deal on reprints/enlargements orders after. Everyone respects that, its my job. You have to draw your own line and stick to it.

but honestly, in this case, give them a cd, or ask them to pay cost on prints....that's what friends do for each other!

Christie Photo · Mar 2, 2007

Mike_E said:
Tell them you'll bring the cds over and what are you having for dinner. If they won't feed you a nice meal, wait till they will. mike

Well ya know... I was gonna ask for a definition of friends. We all have LOTS of "friends," but just how close are they? One measure I often use is whether they've been to my home for dinner or I to theirs. One step down for that is if my grandma dies, would the come to the funeral?

If your "friends" fall into this category, I offer a standard discount (20%) if they come to me for work. On something like your outing, where I made some images and they ask for copies, I think I'd do it differently. I might just make each of them a small (4x6) print and give it to them. If they want larger prints, then they get the 20% off. I've never been asked for a CD, but I can hear myself saying, "Oooo... ya know... I never do that." Family gets everything for free, unless I spend more that $30 or so... then the pay my costs. Acquaintances are just customers I made through networking and pay full price.

Pete

PS I often use the line, "Buy me lunch" and give away a print rather than discounting.

Stevedevil · Mar 2, 2007

Its no different if you have a friend who does plumbing or a mechanic etc..they dont charge you, just ask you to pay for parts.

Now...different story when friends ask you to take pics for an event etc...I have made it known for years with family and friends, that you will pay....now i use my discretion depending on how close they are to me and, depending on the event....if its a wedding - well, that's my job, and you will pay my fee, but usually i give them a deal on reprints/enlargements orders after. Everyone respects that, its my job. You have to draw your own line and stick to it.

I think there is a little something wrong here, as Im an Electrician, Its My Job, so when asked to do something for a friend then why cant I charge!

Your saying because its your Job then you can charge, so why cant a Plumber or Sparks

Sw1tchFX · Mar 2, 2007

I just explain the costs associated with what I did and in a round about way, tell them they need to compensate.

darich · Mar 2, 2007

i once had a mate ask me for the digital file so he could arrange a print and give as gift to a girl he was interested in. I told him that he wasn't getting the original file - for two reasons

I have no idea where that file will end up or with who
He could take numerous prints and sell them on as his own

He wasn't pleased but i told him no photographer would give away the original negative or digital image. he wasn't pleased and made do with a low res 72dpi version i sent him at approx 800 x 600.
I normally charge family and friends cost plus a nominal fee for prints.

So far, no one has asked me to take images as a job and then provide a CD but i think i'd be looking for some kind of payment even if it was purely my time. My family know how much my gear cost and i don't think it would be unreasonable to expect some kind of payment in return for them getting a fairly experienced photographer and top quality equipment to take their photos.

fmw · Mar 2, 2007

If you make your living from photography and they know that and expect free photography then they aren't really friends.

If you aren't a pro then give them the CD. What are friends for? They didn't hire you did they?

LaFoto · Mar 2, 2007

Well, I am not sure about "just give them the CD".
Friends or family or strangers ... there are costs involved - and time - for having a couple of good photos taken.
And I have taken way too many by now and given away for nothing or a pittance, I have made an inward decision that I won't do that anymore.
Never will they get my data. Never.
All I will ever give them is prints. The data to those prints is mine like my negatives in film times have always and invariably remained mine. Further orders only through me.
So far, however, I have only ever just charged what the prints costed me plus maybe 30% more for the print. Which ends in NOTHING really, given the time, material and more time spent on taking the photos.
Since I don't run a business I always thought I MUST NOT charge anything other than my own expenses.
I am in the process of changing my mind.

And the last thing I would do, ever, is give them my data!

Stevedevil · Mar 2, 2007

Lets look at this from a Different Angle

Piracy

I paid £400 for my Photoshop CS2, I could have got it on the net for £10

This would not have taken into account the " BRILLIANT " people who made this program, but would cover the cost of the CD it was copied on.

They are your Photo's so keep them yours and if People want to buy them, then friend or Foe, charge them...

You wont see them handing you £500 when your camera needs upgrading / repairs.

If they want a Photo taken of them, then ask to use THEIR camera, a 2megpixel point and Click..

gizmo2071 · Mar 2, 2007

Personally.
I'd get them to give me a disc and I'd give them the files at 800x600 at 72dpi with my name/websire written in the corner. So if they decide to show them on the internet, at least people will know who took them. I'd kinda see it as a free advertisment.