Episode 63: The Ins & Outs of Working for Free

No matter how long you've been in business as a photographer, it's a guarantee that you will be asked to work for free at some point. Whether it's a friend or family member looking for a hook up, a wedding vendor looking for photos of their product and offering "exposure" in return, or a charity looking for a donation, we're constantly bombarded with opportunities to give away our time & photos for free. Local photographer Cavin Elizabeth (Cavin Elizabeth Photography) knows this struggle well! In fact, in 2015 she calculated that she gave away thousands of dollars in free photography services. This is obviously a crippling amount. She learned a lot of lessons about working for free in this year, and she's on the show to chat with us about what she learned! Photo Credit: Arielle Levy Key Takeaways

1. How could working for free HELP your business? Make sure the job you are taking benefits YOU. Figure out criteria to help judge these jobs, and run every potential free shoot through your criteria before saying yes. Is there a possibility to make money from this experience (whether directly, in the future, or via referrals)? Is it an opportunity you could benefit from? Maybe it's a unique venue you want to shoot, or a florist you want to network with. Make sure it's an experience you can benefit from as well, and you'll prevent burning out by working for free.
2. How could working for free HURT your business? Well, if you're doing a free shoot, you are blocking out time on your calendar that could be used for paying clients. So if you do that too often, you'll be hurting your business by not making money. Also, some people who search out photographers for free work are looking to take advantage of them. Working with these people repeatedly will drain your energy. Cavin noted that many vendors she provided free images to in the past didn't even write her a thank you email. The lack of communication in turn made her self conscious & question her work, which is emotionally draining in itself!
3. What are some alternatives to working for free? We've spoken about this on the show before, but we LOVE offering trades in lieu of working for free. Ashley trades for all sorts of things... fitness memberships, hotel rooms, even her dog's recent eye surgery! Trades are an amazing way to show the person you'll be working with that you value your time, but you still want to work with them. Plus, you'll be less likely to burn out if you are getting something from the deal also!

Cavin is seriously a plethora of knowledge on this topic and was such a great guest! We loved her energy in studio, and she made so many great points about working for free! Be sure to tune in! Relavent Links:

• Cavin Elizabeth Photography 
• PhotoSpark on Facebook

Photo Credit: Arielle Levy Download from iTunes Here Download from iTunes Here