Fifteen years ago, almost to the day, scientist and later president of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam gave a speech about his visions for India. His speech included:
If we are not free, no one will respect us.
(With apologies for misusing this quote), professional photographers should remember the opposite:
“No one will respect us if we are free.”
Two months ago, a friend and fellow photographer contacted one of his regular clients here in Toronto about a (then) upcoming assignment in Europe. The client was thrilled the photographer was available to go. But after consulting head office, the client found out that they didn’t have a budget to send a photographer. Instead, they were going to hire a local freelancer in Europe.
Shortly after this, it turned out, another Canadian photographer contacted this same client and offered to cover the same event. This second photographer was told the same thing: there’s no budget to send a photographer and a local freelancer in Europe was going to be hired.
This second photographer then said he would pay his own airfare, his own hotel costs and all other expenses, and would be happy to cover the event for the same pay as the local freelancer. The client refused this offer. By the way, the pay was equal to about half the airfare cost.
So, this second photographer essentially offered to work for free and to also lose a few thousand dollars in the process. Great business strategy.
The European event was not unique nor a chance of a lifetime. All the wire services and local newspapers covered the event. Resale value of the pictures would have been minimal, if anything at all.
All of this begs the question, “Are you crazy?!”
Why would any “professional” photographer offer to pay thousands of dollars to work for free?
The client was so surprised at the offer, they called my friend, the first photographer, and said, “Do you know what another photographer just offered to do?”
Even though some clients may expect photographers to work for free, many clients do not. Most worthwhile clients really do understand the value that a professional photographer brings and creates. Furthermore, these clients are shocked when a photographer offers to work for free or at a ridiculously cheap rate. When a photographer makes such a silly offer, the client’s opinion of that photographer falls through the floor.
If a photographer doesn’t value or respect their work, neither will the client.
you complain a lot about not being paid, about low budgets and so on. where do you get these stories from?
All stories are either firsthand information or, as in this post, come directly from the photographer involved. I happen to know a lot of photographers :-) .
For this particular post, I personally know the first photographer (who gave me all the details) and I have worked for the client involved, so I know her business ethics.
To add another example to this post: A Toronto photo editor told me that he will *not* hire any photographer who offers to work for free. If a photographer offers to work for free, it means they don’t know what they’re doing and this photo editor simply won’t hire photographers who don’t know what they’re doing.