 Susan E. Stayer |
To Charge or Not To Charge? I've become a somewhat serious amateur and would like to sell my photography if possible. My problem is that family and friends see my photography as a hobby. When I get the camera out at various functions these people ask me for prints of the images. (I have given framed photos as gifts on several occasions.) They also see work on my website and they want to download and print it at home. (As far as I know they're still asking for permission first!) Any tips for handling this kind of situation? At what point do I say "enough, no more freebies, it's time for you to pay"?
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
You need to start taking pictures of people who aren't your friends and family.
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Susan E. Stayer |
The photos they're asking for aren't of them. (I'm not much of a people photographer.) They're usually something they've seen on my website.
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Andy |
I am in a similar situation. Sometimes it's not the issue of money (I am embarassed to ask for a dollar or two for a couple of photos), I just don't have time to dig out the negatives/CD to get the reprints and send the pictures out. What I do is to upload the photos to ofoto.com (by Kodak, or any other site like Nikon) with resolution good up to 4x6 print only and have them order from those site. If they want something bigger, then I will charge for a fee.
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StoneHorseStudios.com - Eric Highfield Contact Eric Highfield Eric Highfield's Gallery |
It’s always tough, dealing with this situation. Ultimately, I think Gregory is right, you need to expand to a more lucrative market and target sales outside of your family. As far as family is concerned, I think there are several ways of dealing with it. In many cases, I consider these “freebies” to friends and family as part of my Marketing budget. Your friends and family can support you by showcasing your work in their homes and offices. When you give them away, include your name, contact & web information somewhere on the product (on the back of a print or frame, back of a photo card, on a T-shirt, etc.). Include a stack of business cards with it, and ask them to give one to anyone that inquires about the photo. Turn the cost into opportunity. Next I would recommend registering as a business and announce that you’ve done so to your family & friends “…great news, I’m going to pursue MY DREAM!!” To further this, start posting pricing or ordering information for the general public on your website. Once friends and family see what these products actually cost the legitimate way, they'll be more reluctant to ask for them for free. If they STILL ask for free prints or whatever products you make, you can always respond something like this; "That's a great idea, I was wondering about birthday ideas for you!" A signed, matted and framed print is a very personalized gift that they’ll treasure, and since you likely have to get them a present anyway, it works out in a wash out of pocket (..and you can claim the materials as a business expense & get free advertising too!). Bottom line to all of this is; when you start treating your photography as a business, they will too. Best of Luck! Regards, Eric.
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