Hello, it is I, your slightly awkward but genuine local photographer pal. If you don’t know me personally, I really enjoy photography. I have for years and I’ve been doing it semi-professional for about the past twoish years. Now don’t get me wrong, I love taking photos, especially of my friends and I enjoy incorporating them in my creative shoot. However, there are lines and let me tell you that those lines have been crossed. So here I am, reminding you that if you have a photographer friend please respect them and their skill because we’re honestly trying our best. That being said here’s some things to be aware of next time your friend is generous enough to take some bomb photos of you.
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Make it fair.
If your friend is generous enough to take photos of you or agreed to do a shoot for free, then make sure you’re making it even. Whenever I shoot with friends for a discounted price or for free I always make sure it’s fair in some way whether it’s a free coffee or a lunch date on them. That way you and your photography friend are both giving.
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Don’t assume that just because you know the person that you won’t get charged for a shoot.
Personally this happens to me quite often. If your friend has set prices for their photos then please respect that. I’ve put a lot of thought into my photo prices and making sure they’re affordable but still fair to me and the amount of money i’ve put into my equipment. Remember, you pay for what you get! Now don’t get me wrong I hand out a fair amount of free shoots, especially to my friends, but never assume that you won’t have to pay even if your friend also gives out a handful for free shoots.
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Don’t invite them places with the intention of them taking photos.
This one hurts not going to lie. It really stinks when you’ve been invited somewhere and you think you’ll be able to attend as a carefree guest but then it turns out you’re expected to take photos and oftentimes for free. Although photography is a beloved hobby, it’s hard and sometimes it feels like a job. Take into consideration that sometimes your photography friends want to hang out without having their camera nearby.
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Don’t edit over their photos.
Last but certainly not least, the editing of your photographer friends already edited photos. I suppose I can’t speak for all and maybe your friend does let you edit as you please but always make sure you ask first just in case. Personally I’ve spent a lot of money and I put a lot of time into editing the photos for my friends. I want them to look they’re best and look like they were taken by me. The minute someone slaps a cheap filter over my work it discredits not only my work but the time I’ve put into it. If you’re not sure where your friend stands on this one, it never hurts to ask.