is Free bad?

[paigegreen916]

ok, first off i TOTALLY changed my site's look, please (please) let me know what you think and if any changes would be good

second of all: i want to build a portfolio, and i'm in a photography class, so i thought i could take some free images, offer some freee sessions and kill two birds with one stone. but i've been hearing some not so great things about offering free sessions. is this just hearsay or is there validity to it?

 

[Big Mike]

You want to avoid doing work for free...but if you are offering to do portraits in exchange for having someone model for you...that's not really free. Go for it.

 

[SpeedTrap]

Many photographers start out by trading services, you do some portraits for someone and in exchange you get to use them on your site. The key here is to get a model release and make it very clearly stated that you intend to use them on your site and you own the photos.

There was a thread a while back where someone did something similar, but a few months later the person wanted the pics down, it was a verbal agreement so there is nothing that could be done except take the images down.
Be sure to get it in writing.

If you search in the forum or on Google you will find examples of a model release you can use.

 

[joecoulsonphotography]

Have a look on Craigs list and you should find a few opportunities to trade services with a model. (wink wink...........j/k)

 

[chrisburke]

ok, first off i TOTALLY changed my site's look, please (please) let me know what you think and if any changes would be good

second of all: i want to build a portfolio, and i'm in a photography class, so i thought i could take some free images, offer some freee sessions and kill two birds with one stone. but i've been hearing some not so great things about offering free sessions. is this just hearsay or is there validity to it?

I'm not a huge fan of the site.. but its because i think there is a time and place for a blog type look.. and i dont think a photography site is one of them.. but thats just a personal preference... i've under some major redesigning for my site, i'm going flash.. but like i said, its personal preference.

as for free.. i dont like it, but I did some free stuff to build up my portfolio.. the reason I didnt like it is because the first thing I did was a wedding, and my pictures ended up better then the paid photographers.. but, mind you as a result of that wedding, i've gotten lots of other bookings, so maybe it was worth it.. as for it being ok to offer free stuff. I guess it depends on what your doing for free... if its sometihng that is going to make money for someone else (advertising or something) dont do it, because if they are getting paid because of your images, you should be getting paid.. but if its just like a random person modeling for you, thats ok... even model headshots arent so great, because the model is going to get paid because of your work..

 

[manaheim]

I'm struggling with this one too... I want to branch into a new area of pro photography, but I need a bit of a portfolio to sell it. This means I need to go out and do some unproven work somehow or another.

The plan I have currently is to do free work for people I know, because I know they won't try to take advantage of me, and no one is going to know that all those houses and portraits are actually cousins and my in-laws and good friends at work, right?

Something to consider.