Being asked to work for free can be a frustrating experience for photographers who have invested years of hard work and dedication to master their craft. In a time where equipment and running costs are so high, it has never been so important to politely decline requests to work for free.

For many of us, photography is not just a hobby. It is our profession and one that deserves to be compensated appropriately, just like any other.  If my bath was leaking, I would not expect a plumber to repair it for free. I wouldn’t turn up at the airport looking for a free seat on the next flight to London, even though they are going there anyway.

Picture this: You receive an email with details of an exciting opportunity. The inquirer has scoured your website or social media accounts and thinks that you are the right photographer for their planned project. Sounds great, so you respond seeking more information. You email back and forth a few times, obtaining details to start building a picture of what your client is looking for and the conversation is going extremely well.  But wait, you have replied five or six emails so far and there has been no discussion of budget yet. You find yourself wondering when a good time would be to discuss that. Unfortunately, when that thought creeps in, you might just realize that you are being asked to donate your services and shoot for free.

There are so many occasions that photographers and artists are asked to work for free, and this request doesn’t only come at the beginning of your career.  Having offered professional photographic services for the last 15 years, I am not at the stage where I am looking for opportunity to build a portfolio; I very much require fair compensation for my work.  That’s not to say I never pick up the camera without a paycheck, but there are certain rules that I follow in this regard.

Some of the reasons that people have requested a free shoot have been quite comical over the years. I have been asked to shoot corporate events in return for all the free food and cocktails I want while I am there (did they want a drunk photographer?). I was asked to shoot a wedding for free because it was a really special small wedding on a speedboat, which would be great for my portfolio (see earlier comment about not needing to build a portfolio). I have been asked to shoot for product and fashion retailers to provide sales and marketing images. In return, I would receive exposure to their thousands of Instagram followers by being tagged in their social posts. Most of these requests come from cold callers, but one opportunity arose from an acquaintance who knew that I absolutely loved photography and invited me to their event saying that I was totally free to bring my camera along to capture the night and get some brilliant images for myself. Gee, thanks! There have been so many occasions, I could go on and on.

There are always indications and red flags where someone is asking you to work for free or well below a reasonable fee. There are a few tells which should raise alarm bells during initial communication and a sign that you should bring up the budget before continuing the conversation further.

There Is No Mention of Budget in the Initial Communication

This can just be an oversight, but sometimes, they will see how far the conversation can go without discussing money if they do not plan on proper compensation.  The reason behind this is to get you invested in their idea or product so that you will really want to do it no matter how small the compensation is. You should not go more than two or three emails without being asked for your rate or being advised of a set budget.

The Request Is Last-Minute

You have not been factored into the initial plans and therefore have not been considered within the budget. This is more often than not an indication that fair compensation is not on offer.

They Are Already Over Budget

Perhaps the most insulting response you can get as a photographer. When you ask what their budget is and they respond telling you that they are already over budget, that means that they have paid for other services, but they do not plan to pay you. Your services and your work that they reached out to you for are actually not valued at all.  This is where communication usually wraps up for me.

I’ll Pay You Next Time!

The lucrative promise of a larger paid shoot at a future date is often a carrot dangled in these scenarios. They just want to do a quick test of ideas first or to shoot a separate part one and plan another part of the shoot at a later date. That second shoot will not come, and you will be left scratching your head wondering once you realise that you have been bamboozled. Even worse, you might then see that they have gone ahead with your ideas but with another photographer and wonder if they too have donated their time, or if they were paid to bring your donated ideas to life.

The request may come with the promise of exposure, suggesting that the opportunity to have your work seen by a larger audience is enough compensation. However, exposure does not pay the bills or cover the time and resources invested. This will not lead to more work – other than more free work.

Why Does This Happen?

The nature of digital photography can be misunderstood, as some may not fully grasp the time, skill, training, and creativity required to produce quality images. The ease of sharing digital content may lead to the perception that digital photography is inherently less valuable than tangible products. Honing your skills as a photographer takes considerable investment of both your time and money. Whether you have a formal qualification in photography or not, equipment, storage, and insurance are just a few of the costs involved. 

What Is the Negative Impact of Working For Free?

Whilst many photographers might not see an issue with taking on the odd free assignment, there are some negative consequences for doing so.

Value

Its easy to discount your fee, but near impossible to raise it from zero. Your work and your time are valuable assets! Be assured that this client will likely never come back to you in a paying capacity once they have secured your services cost-free.

Self-Esteem

There is no feeling quite like being the only one in the room working for free. That lack of value seeps within, and it is a horrible feeling. This can lead to feelings of being exploited or taken advantage of, which can negatively impact your self-esteem and self-worth.

Regret

You will never regret refusing to work for free, but you are likely to encounter a scenario where you regret agreeing to shoot for free (or so cheap it might as well be free). Those jobs will always seem more demanding than clients who understand the value of your work, as they try and pack in as much as they can for free.

What You Can Do About It?

Set Your Standards and Stick to Them

Set standards of what you consider fair compensation for your work. By making a rule for yourself with an average daily, half-day, and hourly rate, you set boundaries for what you will accept. You can always offer discounts on this rate if there is a project that you want to work on that is just a bit below your rate, or if it’s for a cause you believe in.

When Should You Work for Free?

The answer to this could be “never” in certain circles of photography, however, there is no steadfast set of rules. It’s down to you as a photographer. As a general rule, if someone is using the images for profit, then you should absolutely be compensated for your work. I have offered photographic services at some fundraising events for causes close to my heart/ I’ve shot free portraits of a terminally ill child so that her family would have professional portraits as a lasting memory of her. I have shot portraits as a thank you from time to time and offer the classic 100% family discount on multiple occasions. There are other instances, but these examples give you an idea of what I personally find acceptable.

Is There an Alternative to Working for Free?

Sometimes, there will be opportunity for a trade in services, rather than being paid for your images. In this case, you will usually receive goods or services to the value of the session. A common practice for photographers building a portfolio is to shoot with new models in a trade usually referred to TFP, which stands for Time for Print. In this scenario, no one is paid, but both photographer and model (and makeup artist, stylist, hairdresser if you have a wider collaboration) all use the images for their portfolios. This is a desirable trade with value for all involved.

I once swapped a family photoshoot for car repairs. I allowed the editor of a bridal magazine to use my images in an article in exchange for a full page ad when they originally offered to just credit me. I have worked on numerous self-initiated personal projects, which have brought opportunities such as exhibitions, paid workshops, and talks. These are all examples of situations of more or equal value than monetary compensation.

How to Respond to Requests to Work for Free

Declining to take a job due to unfair compensation shouldn’t be something you feel awkward about. You are asking for a completely normal arrangement, and if it turns out that this is not what is on offer, there are many ways to say, “thanks, but no thanks.” Let them know that you are unable to take on any unpaid work at present, as you have to prioritize paid work. You shouldn’t have to remind them that you are running a business, but sometimes, the inquiry comes in such a way that it seems they don’t understand this. State how much you would normally charge for such a job, and communicate that you would be happy to proceed on a paid basis. You never know, you might be able to negotiate some compensation with a well-worded reply. If they need you, they will pay!

Have you been asked to shoot for free or been the only one in the room who was not getting paid? 

Poet Allen Ginsberg, known as a leading voice of the Beat Generation, didn’t just write. Throughout his life, he also practiced photography, once saying that “the poignancy of a photograph comes from looking back to a fleeting moment in a floating world.”

Now, some of his photos are on display at a new exhibition in Los Angeles. On view alongside them is poetry written not by Ginsberg himself, but by an artificial intelligence model trained on his work.

“Muses & Self: Photographs by Allen Ginsberg,” now open at the Fahey/Klein Gallery, features photos from two distinct periods in Ginsberg’s life: the 1950s and ’60s, then the 1980s and ’90s, according to a statement from the gallery. Per Guernica magazine’s Roslyn Bernstein, the poet photographed friends and fellow writers—like Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs—with a used Kodak Retina camera he bought for $13.

“The photographs included in this exhibition are joyful, often tender, sometimes profound while at other times humorous—and capture Ginsberg’s numerous meaningful relationships,” per the statement. “At his core, Allen Ginsberg was a witness and chronicler of the world.”

Ginsberg’s chronicling endures through poems like “America” and “Howl,” which lamented social and political decline in the wake of World War II. The New Jersey-born poet’s lesser-known photography is narrower in focus, displaying daily life “with deep reverence and admiration for his friends,” Peter Hale of the Allen Ginsberg Foundation tells Artnet’s Min Chen.

Alongside the photos, the exhibition features A.I.-generated poems based on Ginsberg’s writings and photographs. Billed as a “celebration of Ginsberg’s avowedly experimental impulses,” the project “[translates] his iconic vision of American counterculture” into poems that are “influenced … by Ginsberg’s own canon.” The gallery developed the project alongside theVERSEverse, a poetry collective, and Ross Goodwin, a code poet and creator of word.camera, which generates text based on images. The Allen Ginsberg Estate and the Tezos Foundation also supported the project.

Some photos on display include captions written in loopy cursive by Ginsberg himself. Below a 1953 portrait of a stoic Burroughs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for example, Ginsberg wrote, “William Burroughs with a brother sphinx.” Other portrait subjects include artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, writer Toni Morrison and musician Patti Smith.

New York City’s streets and venues were a common backdrop in Ginsberg’s photos. In the early 1950s, he moved to the Lower East Side, where he took buzzing portraits of the new literary vanguard. He later took more formal portraits of the same friends, “now battered by life or approaching death … as if he were trying to freeze his subjects’ faces and energies,” wrote the New York Times’ Holland Cotter in 2010.

In his final decades, Ginsberg returned to photography and acquired better equipment. “He basically went from taking a roll or two a year to a roll or two every week,” Hale tells Artnet. “This period through the late ’80s, I consider his richest, with almost every contact sheet producing something significant.”

Ginsberg continued writing and taking photos until his death in 1997, by which time he had won the National Book Award and the Robert Frost Medal, among other accolades.

“His profound admiration for the beauty of the vernacular, intense observation and celebration of the present moment guided his photography and poetry,” writes the gallery. “Ginsberg remains an enduring symbol of artistic rebellion and the search for individual and collective enlightenment.”

Many student athletes dream of playing collegiate sports one day, but one Key West student had different aspirations. Ella Hall, a 2023 graduate and athlete for multiple Conch sports, began to focus on a different set of skills during her sophomore year of school. 

Hall combined a tireless work ethic with a natural gift for photography, and the product of her labor began to be noticed by the players she photographed, as well as the Keys Weekly. Hall has been a regular photographer for Keys Weekly for the duration of the Sports Wrap. With a knack for catching the action shots and perfect timing, Hall has turned her hobby into a career path.

Ella left for Louisiana State University early this summer, where she was awarded a scholarship and the official title of Football Student Photographer. Just what does a role like that entail? 

“If I were to say there was a ‘typical day’ at LSU football, I would be lying. It’s either I’m doing photoshoots with incoming recruits, taking pictures of team practices, capturing whatever event Brian Kelly has planned (there are a lot), and upcoming games. It’s definitely not easy, but I live for the thrill of it all,” Hall explained. The job also includes perks such as traveling with the team, sending her all over the country to capture shots of the Tigers in action. 

When asked about her role models, there was a common theme – all are women. Hall rattled off her list of inspiring people, including her mom, sister and grandma as well as Cathy Fernandez, Nancy Cruz, Devan Bittner, Emma Scepkova, Teresa Gaitan, Valerie Thene, Mirdy Charles, Savannah Chadic, Kawana Staffney-Ashe, Suzanne Otto – and Taylor Swift. 

“Yes, the Taylor Swift,” she explained, “All these women are more than just people with day-to-day jobs; they’re fighters. They’ve taught me to never give up and show the world who Ella Hall is. I wouldn’t be who I am today without them.” 

Now that she is a few months into her role at LSU, Hall has no regrets. “They don’t lie when they say that LSU Football is like a family,” she said. “Being here is everything I’ve dreamed it would be and more.” 

Ella hopes to turn her part time job and now collegiate endeavor into a career. “In the future, I hope to become a creative content director for a National Football League team,” she said. And though she would be thrilled to work for any team in the NFL, she admits there is one that would be a dream come true. 

“I am a die-hard New York Jets fan.” 

If you are a current high school student and are interested in sports photography, feel free to contact the Keys Weekly Sports Wrap staff at [email protected] to learn more about opportunities for the 2023-24 school year. 

Fashion, music, photography? Here are a few art clubs at SDSU for campus creatives – The Daily Aztec

“A life changing event” by Michel Zoghzoghi (Lebanon). Overall Winner and Winner, Cat Category.
Alex and Max are two rescued kittens. Alex is the shy one. Max is the playful one. Together they form a lethally cute duo. I had more fun taking photos of these two than during my most adventurous wildlife photography trips.

After announcing the finalists last month, the Comedy Pet Photography Awards have revealed the winners of its 2023 contest. Michel Zoghzoghi from Lebanon was named the overall winner for a charming photo of his two rescue kittens.

As a professional wildlife photographer, Zoghzoghi spends a lot of time out in the field, seeking out big cats to photograph. But Alex and Max, his kittens, provide him just as much inspiration behind the lens. “Max and Alex form a lethally cute duo,” he shares. “I had more fun and surprises taking photos of these two characters, than during my most adventurous wildlife photography trips.” Prior to stumbling upon the competition, Zoghzoghi hadn’t ever considered pet photography, but enchanted by the photographs he was seeing, he decided to try his hand at it. The results speak for themselves.

Another winner thrilled with her victory is Darya Zelentsova, who won the All Other Creatures category with a cute photo of a tiny ferret out on its first walk. Zelentsova, who hails from Ukraine, is pleased that her win can shine a spotlight on what great pets ferrets make. “Ferrets almost never win anything in major international photo contests, and I’m glad to promote them as amazing pets and models,” she shares. “They are intelligent, cheerful, social little creatures with great personalities and overloading cuteness–when you have a ferret, you literally never stop smiling.”

Winning the category holds extra meaning for Zelentsova, who adds: “I’m also thrilled to become the first Ukrainian representing the U.S. in this wonderful photo contest. The world indeed needs more joyful and peaceful moments, and funny pet photographs are a great source of positive vibes, kindness, and love.”

See more of the winners, as well as photographs singled out as highly commended below. And then, if you’re inspired, start photographing your pet in anticipation of the 2024 contest, which will open early next year.

Here are the winners of the fourth annual Comedy Pet Photography Awards.

“The first outdoor walk” by Darya Zelentsova (United States). Winner, All Other Creatures Category.
Tiny happy ferret Boudicca (only 2,5 month old!) enjoys her first outdoor walk.

“Barking!” by Chris Porsz (United Kingdom). Winner, Dog Category & People’s Choice Award.
In March 2019 I was sat in the Union Square, New York dog run when I spotted a lady with a pink bag on her hand (to keep her hand clean) throwing a ball to her dog which was sat down facing her. The dog then launched itself and flipped in mid air to face me and snap! As you can see the lady with her hand on her head was as surprised as me and I think she is saying phew! I have searched in vain via the NY media to find the owner so that I can send her a copy. No joy so I am hoping this Pet Comedy competition can help me find the mystery woman and her leaping dog. You never know!

“Is it a seal or a dog?” by Monyque Macedo Dos Santos (Brazil). Winner, Junior Category.
There’s a hiding place under the sofa where Louis (the dog) likes to hide, that day I took his tennis ball from “his place”, he got angry and put his head out through the hole barking asking for his ball back, that’s when he turned into this angry seal, and I decided to register the moment.

“The Big Boss” by Kenichi Morinaga (Japan). Highly Commended.
Big Boss is the Boss around here. He is gentle and kindness just big.

“Keep your eye on the ball” by Gill Woodcock (United Kingdom). Highly Commended.
Bumble puts his heart and soul into everything…it just doesn’t always work out.

“Zorro reborn” by Karl Goldhamer (Germany). Highly Commended.
The avenger of the poor is back, but this time as a dog and not on a horse, but in a car! The obligatory black mask is a must, of course.

“The three Greys” by Klaus-Peter Selzer (Germany). Winner, Pets Who Look Like Their Owner’s Category.
Karin and her two dogs. Don’t they all look almost the same?

“Victory” by Kazutoshi Ono (Japan). Highly Commended.
Perfect landing pose, right?

“When digging a hole gets serious” by Sophie Boynton (United Kingdom). Highly Commended.
Shadow was digging holes as normal at the beach, when all of a sudden he was showing off his new technique! Luckily the camera was at the ready for this crazy position!

“Football free kick” by Kenichi Morinaga (Japan). Highly Commended.
Football and waiting for free kick.

Comedy Pet Photography Awards: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Comedy Pet Photography Awards.

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Of course, we all think our beloved pets are works of art, but now Fotografiska New York, the contemporary photography museum in Gramercy Park, is happily agreeing with us. 

This fall, the museum will stage “Best in Show: Pets in Contemporary Photography,” a sprawling art exhibition exploring “the role our furry (and feathered) friends have played in culture and how they stand in as representations of status, power, loyalty, compassion and companionship.”

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The exhibit, on view from September 22, 2023, through January 2024, will feature more than 130 photographs—both artfully arranged portraits and amusing candid snaps—and video installations from 24 global artists across two museum floors. Some of the featured works include those from William Wegman, known for fashionable shots of his pair of Weimaraner dogs, and Walter Chandoha, the world’s first professional cat photographer.  

“During the pandemic, when this exhibition was conceived, pet ownership grew exponentially,” said Sophie Wright, Executive Director of Fotografiska New York. “It’s now rare to walk down a pavement in New York or any big city without passing several dogs and their devoted owners. And that’s not to mention most people’s daily dose of animal videos online—a soothing and often comedic counterpoint to the news cycle. Our mutual dependence leads to the question, who owns whom? This exhibition brings together celebrated New Yorkers such as William Wegman and Elliott Erwitt along with an international roster of contemporary practitioners to explore our relationship to our pets, in all its complexity.”

• The annual Comedy Pet Photography Awards determine the funniest pet photos of the year.
• Michel Zoghzoghi won this year’s contest with his photo titled “A Life-Changing Event.”
• The picture shows one of his kittens preparing to pounce on the other.

Michel Zoghzoghi’s photo showing one of his kittens preparing to pounce on the other took first place in the 2023 Comedy Pet Photography Awards.

After the finalists were announced in July, a panel of judges including photographers, comedians, and veterinarians determined the winning image. Zoghzoghi, a wildlife photographer based in Lebanon, earned the top prize in both the cat category and the overall competition with his image, “A Life-Changing Event.”

Zoghzoghi usually photographs larger cats like lions, jaguars, and cheetahs in the wild, but he wrote in the caption of his award-winning photo that kittens Max and Alex form a “lethally cute duo.”

“I had more fun and surprises taking photos of these two characters than during my most adventurous wildlife photography trips,” he wrote in the caption of the image, taken at his home in Lebanon.

Zoghzoghi told Insider that he fostered Max and Alex for a few months in 2020, “despite the strong and vocal objections of Gomez and Huguette, my two resident cats.” The kittens were then adopted by a family who saw photos that he’d posted on social media.

“I am not sure if they heard the news of their fame yet, as the family left Lebanon and permanently relocated abroad,” he said of the kittens in the award-winning photo. “All I know is that they were very happy the last time I saw them.”

As the winner of the 2023 contest, Zoghzoghi won a cash prize of £500, or about $636, a camera bag from ThinkTank, and a trophy.

“As a wildlife photographer, I never really considered sending photos to a pet competition until I discovered Comedy Pets,” he said in a statement released by the competition. “It’s witty, it’s fun, and the photos are hilarious. I am extremely happy and proud to have won it as all the finalists were really outstanding and some of them made me laugh to tears. Pets are a very, very important part of our families and should be celebrated.”

You can see all the winners of the Comedy Pet Photography Awards here.