Looking toward Xin Beitou station - an outtake shot during an assignment.
The debate on providing images for free is not a new one. John Harrington, photographer and author of Best Business Practices for Photographers (a book that is a must-have for any professional or aspiring professional photographer), recently generated a large amount of discussion with his post at Blackstar entitled 12 Excuses for Shooting Photos for Free – And Why They’re Bogus. For the record, I pretty much agree with everything he mentioned in that post. You wouldn’t expect your doctor to work for free, or your mechanic, teacher, secretary, 7-11 clerk or anyone else. So why do people seem to think photographers should work for free?
Before we get into it, I want to remind you about Selina Maitreya’s The View From Here. Selina brings 3 decades of portfolio consultancy experience and wisdom to this MP3 series that’s a must-have for anyone either contemplating becoming a working photographer or professionals looking for a little extra inspiration. Normally $199, it’s available at a 50% discount using the code FOSCFI.
As a working photographer, first and foremost, I need to earn a living. Photography, particularly travel and cultural photography, is not the highest paying vocation in the first place, so expecting me to shoot for free is, quite frankly, insulting.
As a working photographer, I need to purchase professional grade equipment that is up to the task. Professional photographers shoot tens of thousands of images annually, and the camera equipment needs to be suitable for the job at hand.
As a working photographer, I need to market myself. Websites, portfolio books, promotional mailers etc all cost money.
As a working photographer, I need to invest in my own knowledge, skills and education. Workshops, books, seminars and training is essential to stay up to date.
As a working photographer, I need to keep my computer hardware and software upgraded. Lightroom, Photoshop, my Photoshelter archive, redundant data storage, professional-grade monitors and computers all cost money.
As a working photographer I need to take care of all the other expenses that come with running a business. Rent, office equipment, utilities, postage, courier fees, insurance, tax, travel and transport expenses all need to be paid.
So I ask again, why do people seem to think that photographers should work for free?
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