It always starts innocently enough: you buy a new camera and start taking pictures. Then someone you know asks you for a favor and you are only too happy to oblige them with all the photos you can take. Fast forward just a little while later and you realize, with great sadness, that this giveaway phase has no end.
Fear not, there are actually good reasons to volunteer, but they are not obvious. And with the industry’s general disdain for free work (well deserved I might add), few people openly want to talk about the positive side of it. Let’s dig.
For the most part, these apply to those who charge for their skills, but overall the thinking process here is to think long term. Also, if you are just starting out and are still in the early stages of learning, it is safe to say that you are going to shoot a lot for free. It’s just a necessary part of growing and gaining experience before people are ready to part with money in exchange for your talents.
1. First of all, there is always a need
From charities to loved ones in need, the world needs photography and can’t always pay the price. But when the needs far outweigh the finances, this is a great opportunity to build a street reputation and do good at the same time.
Example one is a group of friends of mine who literally watched their apartment burn down as the NYFD tried to put out the flames. One of them is another actor, so I offered to update his portraits and documents when he was able to get his affairs in order. The title image of this article comes from this shoot. Did that make the experience less traumatic for him? No, but that’s not the point. I did what I could to help him move past this shitty time.
Example two is a local church in New York City that has provided 1,500 meals every Sunday for over a decade. Yes, 1,500 meals to the needy every Sunday. As if that wasn’t enough to help them, they’ve launched a new program that offers therapy and coaching to anyone who wants to deal with trauma from the past. The program has stages of progression and they can graduate after achieving certain personal goals over the course of weeks or even months of effort. They wanted to promote the program to more people and also seek funding. So I was more than happy to provide them with photo and video services.
1.5. The effect it has on you
I was going to put that aside but, after thinking about it, I think this is its own entry. Working with my friend after the fire allowed me to connect with him on a deeper level because he was so vulnerable. Take that experience and multiply it by 100 when I was working with the church, because I was interviewing the graduates of the program. Nothing is more humiliating than listening to someone tell about their drug use, time in prison, abuse, homelessness, and then being grateful for where they are in life because they went through it all. Seeing this transformation in multiple instances gives me a sense of renewed purpose as an artist. Both of these were personally rewarding and cannot be counted on an invoice.
2. Exchange of services
This one is a slippery slope and may take trial and error to find out when it’s really worth working on a professional project with little to no budget. The simplest litmus test is whether the exchange gives you tangible or measurable return. The keywords or phrases for turning around and running the other way are exposure, engagement (likes and comments), and a portfolio builder. If at any time there is a denunciation of your jurisdiction, it is time to withdraw. If a friend can take these photos for free, you can just use your phone, you don’t need any fancy touch-ups or excuses to devalue your creative skills, it’s not worth your time.
Before going into the examples, it is important to take stock of your level of know-how before trying to barter services. Wanting to work with someone who has 10 or more years of experience in their field when you have 1-2 is not a beginner. Don’t commit the sin of underestimating someone else’s creative talents in pursuit of your own ends.
So what are the times when it’s worth it? Trading professional services on a 1 to 1 basis can be a huge win because we cannot be experts in everything. It can be a lot simpler than you think, too. If you need a website, look for a web designer who needs images. There may be a local store with clothes, services, food, etc. You may be able to trade services. I strongly encourage you to stay away from big business, because unless you have a serious audience to bring them more notoriety, they are not interested in a collaboration.
If you want to build a career, think about how you can forge new relationships with people in key positions. Research who runs the business or agency you want to connect with and find a way to approach them with a free session that matches their look. I once took photos for the manager of a crazy beautiful hotel in Williamsburg and ended up with a free weekend in a suite.
3. Build your own body of work
This one might seem the most obvious, but it can have the biggest impact and it’s important to remember that we all work for free at first just to learn the craft. Later, however, you will be able to use this knowledge and create a set of works that will be entirely yours based on your experienced creative vision. Many photographers thus create their first published work or embark on a new genre of photography.
Joey L used his income from commercial concerts to pay for his trips to Kurdistan and to document the freedom fighters there. “We Came From Fire” is now in print and has been exhibited in numerous galleries across Europe to promote peace and raise awareness in war-torn countries. He also made a multi-part documentary about the experience.
Before COVID, I wanted to see if boudoir photography was something I would like to invest my time in, so I reached out to a handful of women I know and set up photo shoots. By the time the world caught fire I had the start of a new portfolio but decided it wasn’t for me. I wouldn’t have known it if I hadn’t used what I know now and ventured into uncharted territory.
Free is a four letter word, literally and figuratively, in the creative world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it for a positive outcome. The key is to determine if someone wants it for free because they don’t enjoy the job and therefore aren’t willing to pay for it. Knowing this will save you a ton of stress and blame you for saying yes, again.
As always, this is my experience and aims to inform and inspire. Good shot.