We as Artist.

[hawkeye]

I'm a graphic designer, so it's happened to me more times than I can count.. but as Hawkeye said, if it's a 'true' friend, it's not that big a deal to me. I don't mind doing a favor for someone I consider a true friend. It's when the people that I haven't seen or spoken to for a couple years come out of the woodwork that I get annoyed.

Yeah, I think computer guru's get it worse than photographers. I think the mindset with photography, for most people, is that they understand (or understand but dont care) that it involves field work, and post work etc etc. So they are more likely to see it as work than nothing. I'm not down playing photography at all, but I'm sure at a minimum, most people can see at least that. But as a computer guru, people think its nothing for you to offer advice or just fix something really quick.

For example, and these are the hardest people to say no to, or to tell them how much your services are really worth... OLD PEOPLE. My grandparents tells everyone I've got a degree in technology. So anytime one of my grandmothers canasta player friends computer gets ate up with 10,000 viruses from all the online cheesy video game sites, they call my grandparents and ask them when I will be in town and if I can look at it. If I can ever muster up the courage, they would probably spit their dentures out on the floor if I told them the 2 hour service I just provided them is really worth a couple hundred dollars. These are the same people that think nothing of giving someone 5 dollars to mow their 3 acre lawn with a push mower in July.

I hope I didnt offend anyone with that, I'm not trying to be mean to toward the elderly, I'm just stating fact. Some of them actually pay quite well

 

[hawkeye]

I've also worked in sales years ago, I could tell every single customer in the store even before they came up to me if they were going to buy something, or if they were just fishing for information and opinions, so they could then go buy somewhere else (or online).

Nothings more bothersome than spending 45 minutes with some jerk, and then they just say thanks and walk out of the store. I think to myself "I know you people dont give a damnn, but COMMISSION PEOPLE... I've got bills to pay to!

I'm so glad that stage of my life is over lol

 

[Aquarium Dreams]

It really only becomes a problem when you are a social butterfly and 10,000 so called "friends", and the vast lot of them just want to use you for their gain.

But in that case, social butterflies get something out of having so many "friends." So if the friendship in question is one of mutual use, one has to be honest in assessing whether they really do owe that person one for all the free drinks/day passes/rides/whatever it is that they're getting out of the friendship.

 

[Mijoh]

It's just the curse of having one of those really useful skills. Believe me it's not just photographers that people try to get free stuff off of. People are just cheap!

My Dad is a plumber and he can't walk in to anyone's home without someone asking him, "Hey I've got a leak...something's backed up...something's making a clanking..." and he has to leave the group and go check it out for half an hour and dish out free expertise. My dad is such a softie and has huge heart so he'll help anyone, but sometimes I want to scream, "Call and hire a plumber you idiot! Just let the man relax!"

My sister is a physical therapist and every single person she runs into has an ache, a pain, a popping sound in their joint, or a cramp that just won't go away and they need treatment right now! Fortunately for her she can just tell people she's not legally allowed to treat anyone outside of her practice, but still it's really annoying.

 

[hawkeye]

But in that case, social butterflies get something out of having so many "friends." So if the friendship in question is one of mutual use, one has to be honest in assessing whether they really do owe that person one for all the free drinks/day passes/rides/whatever it is that they're getting out of the friendship.

when assessing a friendship, one should never have to consider what they have gotten or what they owe.

 

[dpolston]

Carpenters (my real profession) get it too... "My closet doors doesn't shut all the way" or "How would you do this deck" or "Look at this; my window sill is rotted" or "I have this wet spot on my ceiling. What is it?" or "Do you think I need a new roof?"

I think it's all professions... what'cha gonna do?

 

[Atropine]

I got a slight blow to my artistic ego today. A friend of mine who had broken a club (for indoor bandy) wanted help photographing the broken bits to send to the manufacturer for a guarantee claim. Fairly familiar with product photography, I set it all up with lighting and background and took some photos with a nice dof in angles to make the carbon fibre edge of the break stick out. The photos came out good and she forwarded them by e-mail to the company. It all went well and the company agreed to send her a new club. They even mentioned that the nice and distinct photos she sent helped a lot. So far so good, but it was the way my friend thanked me afterwards that made me drop. She said something like "Thank you for the photos, you really must have a good camera!"... Sigh...

 

[chente922]

I'm kind of in the same boat. Only it's mostly with fixing computers, giving computer advice, tech support...

Everyone knows that I know it...so they assume I'm always ready to help them out. Well, wakey wakey. IT'S FRUSTRATING, and IS WORK!

I see it more in photography as well...but it's not as bad as computers.

It's like "oh, can you email me a copy of those?"

NO!

this annoys me so bad, the same happens to me about computers, everyone in the family or friend that have some kind of problem wants me to fix it for free, who said that having the knowledge makes it easy?? or if the person with the problem doesn't know I can fix it, there's always someone who tells them

 

[Alex_B]

She said something like "Thank you for the photos, you really must have a good camera!"... Sigh...

The most hated quote ever .. and a very common one as well

 

[Neuner]

.. and a very common one as well

YES it is.



If I were in your shoes, then I'd think about who my friends are and whether or not I want to know them anymore. I've done shots, artwork, and other things for friends always offering up my services for free but they still either pay me or give me a gift to show appreciation. I've also done the same in return. For my wedding we asked our friend to sing who did an amazing job. He said it was an honor and would do it for free but we still made sure to give him a gift that we hope was adequate. It's just common courtesy.

 

[Jbs]

Do you do this full time or on the side?

I think i would be offended if i was doing it full time, but otherwise, i would not think much of it because maybe they think you are someone who is really into her hobby or something

 

[Jon, The Elder]

For the last 2 or 3 years, I have been seeing more P&S at horse shows (my niche market). Last year I had a guy following me around with his new little Rebel, just full of questions for the "pro". I was uncomfortable and getting frustrated. Between classes I walked up to him and explained that Photography lessons were $50.00p/hr. and started with the next question.
He disappeared from sight.

 

[photo gal]

I got a slight blow to my artistic ego today. A friend of mine who had broken a club (for indoor bandy) wanted help photographing the broken bits to send to the manufacturer for a guarantee claim. Fairly familiar with product photography, I set it all up with lighting and background and took some photos with a nice dof in angles to make the carbon fibre edge of the break stick out. The photos came out good and she forwarded them by e-mail to the company. It all went well and the company agreed to send her a new club. They even mentioned that the nice and distinct photos she sent helped a lot. So far so good, but it was the way my friend thanked me afterwards that made me drop. She said something like "Thank you for the photos, you really must have a good camera!"... Sigh...

OUCH!! :hug::

 

[SnakeVnzl]

oh yes, happens in every prof. but the worst are computers, photos and cooking.

if people know you do one of those things, will eventually ask for free stuf. computers is the worst. once a guy asked me for like an hour about his computer, things like "it have a LCD screen, it's a good pc?" you little son of a...

it was nice 5 years ago. now i just say "it's 50$/hour" or "yeah, you have some problems with the... er... rambus... that... erm... causes erm... heating... yeah, you have to lift your pc over your head and walk 30 minutes in the park, that will fix it".

with photos, whenever someone i barely know sees me with the camera, they start with the "hey, take me a photo"... with film was easy: sorry, this is b&w film" and they go like "oh, ok".

i still don't know what to say with digital..

and of course, you take a pic, they look nice, and they say "wow, what a nice camera you have".

you litlle son of a...

now on, i'll just say: "sorry, you are so ugly i'm afraid my camera explode".

sorry 'bout the english, im from venezuela.

 

[Stranger]

I go through the same thing with my girlfriend and her parents (sucks that its so close to me). Everytime we go out (to zoo or anywhere else) they want photos printed within two days. Personally, I refuse to hand out pprints with non processed photos because they represent my work as a photographer. Some reason they do not understand this and want 170 photos ready for print in 48 hours -_-. And the time i did not process them i got "why is the color like this? I thought that was good camera".

Just speak up, i now bring my Canon S3 along for them to use and they can get their prints as soon as we get back if they like.