Career

I feel weird charging my friends for photography

🐦BrightSparrow144Helpful Perspectives Given: 0Member since Recently

Perspective requested:Creatives or freelancers

I started doing photography as a hobby during college, mostly portraits and graduation pictures. Recently people have started asking me to shoot events or engagement photos. Strangers pay my rate without making it weird. Friends are different. Last weekend a friend asked if I could shoot her engagement party “as my gift.” It would be four hours, plus editing. I said I would think about it, but I already feel guilty asking for money. Part of me thinks friends should support your work by paying you. Another part of me thinks maybe I am being too transactional with people I care about. I am not trying to get rich off my friends. I just do not want my weekends to become free labor because I happen to own a camera.

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3 Perspectives Received

Help the poster see their situation more clearly. Share personal perspective, not professional advice.

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Creative PerspectiveChanged 1 perspective

🐦 BrightSparrow144

Four hours plus editing is not a gift, it is a job. Maybe you give a discount because she is a friend, but doing it completely free sets a precedent you will hate later. Also editing always takes longer than people think. Always.

Professional ExperienceChanged 1 perspective

🕯️ QuietLantern482

You can say something like, “I would love to photograph it, but I cannot do a full event as a gift. I can either attend as a guest or send you my friend rate.” Awkward for 10 seconds, saves you 10 hours.

Different Viewpoint

🍃 GentleMaple331

I disagree slightly with “friends should always pay full price.” Friendships are not businesses. But if it is free, it should be because you freely offered, not because someone assumed your labor was available.

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