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Hypothetically speakingâ¦
A fulltime working professional photographer walks in to Starbucks, sees a very pretty young lady working behind the counter. Makes an order, while waiting hands the worker his card, and says if you ever want some photographs please feel free to give me a call⦠The questions is; Is it assumed that the photographer is offering the services for free, or will the worker have to pay for the photographs? Discuss⦠Apr 23 09 05:39 pm Link I think it can go both ways. I've handed people my card and they assume I'm asking them to shoot for free, while others will ask what my rates are.. Apr 23 09 05:42 pm Link i would guess it is for free Apr 23 09 05:42 pm Link Remember the worker is not a model and has never heard of TF**... Apr 23 09 05:47 pm Link I don't know when a real estate agent hands me a card it usually means they want me to buy something....i would assume the same out of a photographer...the whole point is to attract paying business Apr 23 09 05:49 pm Link I assumed the card advertised your first gallery show. Apr 23 09 05:52 pm Link I think it would assume a free shoot. I think it's quite presumptuous for any professional in any service industry to assume they desire your services! Unless there is some pre-conversation where she mentioned she needed those services it seems pretty rude to assume shed be interested in the services offered. Would a mechanic or a carpet cleaner offer their card based on someones exterior. Furthermore if the photographer is offering his paid service, why not offer the card to anyone, pretty or ugly, male or female! Apr 23 09 05:54 pm Link Ron Casas Photography wrote: Thats a no-brainer for anyone in business for more than a week. Handing your card and OFFERING ("if you ever WANT") means you shoot.. at least once.. for free. Handing your card and ASKING if she would like your services, assumes she would have to pay. Apr 23 09 05:59 pm Link RMT Photography wrote: Uh yeah a mechanic or a capet cleaner would offer their card if they felt that you needed thier services...thats the whole point. How else do you expect to attract business, when you pass out a card your advertising yourself as a business. Apr 23 09 05:59 pm Link It's assumed there's a catch. There's always a catch. Apr 23 09 05:59 pm Link Forbidden Touch Images wrote: +1 Apr 23 09 06:01 pm Link RMT Photography wrote: So what you are saying is you should not hand out your card unless it is offering a free service? Apr 23 09 06:02 pm Link Laurence Moan wrote: Yeah I like your way of thinking... Apr 23 09 06:05 pm Link Unless you mention something about wanting to improve your portfolio, I would imagine that most people would think that you are simply advertising your services, or. Others may at least be in sufficient doubt as to whether you are looking for payment as to refrain from calling you, if they are not willing to pay. Apr 23 09 06:05 pm Link I would assume it's a free shoot even if it's just a one time free shoot. This is my reasoning behind it- if a photographer contacts me I can safely assume he/she wants to work with me and depending on his/her work i will either offer tfp or quote rates BUT if I contact a photographer I want to work with him/her and they will either offer me tfp or quote their rates  ~Rachael Jeanne Apr 23 09 06:08 pm Link Ron Casas Photography wrote: Most women that are not involved in the industry, don't know about tfp....she would probably assume you were just marketing yourself for a paying shoot (that is you would want her to pay you). Apr 23 09 06:09 pm Link In your scenario a "professional" def:(participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs) gets paid for their work. Apr 23 09 06:20 pm Link Ron Casas Photography wrote: Personally if a photographer came up to me at work, id assume it was free. Based on the fact that the photographer was doing the approaching and its not like she is going "hey are you a photographer cuz I really need some pictures". Just my personal opinion though Apr 23 09 06:45 pm Link I would never approach someone and expect them to pay me for my services. I do go up to gals all the time. About 5 years ago I went up to a gal at the local Starbucks. I knew she had done some modeling for a local modeling agency and I asked her if she knew that Playboy was looking for models for the Girls of Starbucks feature. Guess what, she made the September 2003 issue. I didn't charge her a thing. Playboy paid her a bunch of money and she never modeled again and has a great tear sheet. But the very fact that you approach her, rather than she contacting you, is making me believe that you want to do something for her. I am all for marketing, and if you did a promotion in the mall or in some local clubs or gyms or wherever pretty girls gather, and from that promotional activity one of the gals picked up the phone and called you, then she has taken the first step to engage your services. Cha-ching, price list time. If any salesperson approaches me, I feel extremely distrustful when they cold call me. If I call them, then I expect to pay for products and services. Your comment, "Yeah I guess I should be in business to lose money not make money taking photographs" doesn't apply here. You should be in business working with customers who have seen your work and have inquired about hiring you to provide photographs. When you go up to someone who has NOT inquired about your work, you are intruding on their personal space and soliciting them without their permission. You shouldn't expect to make money under those circumstances. I think many threads have been written about the business model of trying to make money from models. very few have any success with that model and most get extremely frustrated and give up. Generally pretty young gals don't have enough money, nor the need, to hire photographers. Apr 23 09 06:51 pm Link well he did say "please feel free to call" right? his services are being offered for free, otherwise he is just a "in person" piece of spam Apr 23 09 06:54 pm Link Davepit wrote: I think this explains why a number of potential models did not call me back. I should have thought of it myself. Apr 23 09 07:01 pm Link If you want her to pay, why not ask the non-cute counter workers as well as all of the people in Starbucks? If she's cute and knows it, what is she to think of you only approaching her and not others? My business (money) knows no beauty... but my pleasure (TFCD) does! ; ) Apr 23 09 07:05 pm Link MinisterC wrote: I totaly agree with you on this, I just got my hair cut at a local Super Sports or what ever they call them selfs hair cutting place... Apr 23 09 07:18 pm Link Ron Casas Photography wrote: Right there is a difference there. The hypothetical that was given made it sound that the photography specifically targeted a female that he felt was attractive and would be good in his book. Apr 23 09 07:38 pm Link Ron Casas Photography wrote: After reading it again, the part in bold above is key. He offered something. He did not say "If you ever need a photographer for hire" he specifically said "If you ever want some photographs". I'm sticking with assumption of free or at least a great discount... and that is assuming she would first not assume he is hitting on her! Apr 23 09 07:40 pm Link If I invite someone to my place for dinner, I don't expect them to pay for their meal. When I invite someone to pose for me, that certainly means I do not plan on being paid. An "invitation" is just that, an invitation. Apr 23 09 07:43 pm Link I agree. If I hand my business card to someone and ask her/him to contact me, there must be something that will benefit me. Therefore, I would not expect anything money from them. If my cards are just laying on the table and someone picked it up, then that's a different story. glenn my name today wrote: Apr 23 09 07:44 pm Link WHAT IF, said photographer DID INDEED offer her a TF* shoot....with the idea that a "hottie" like that may hang around other hotties....and that if said photographer did a good job, the ever so hawt barista would probably show off these images to her hawt friends who may just want to have a shoot done themselves....and what if said photographer requested that the sexy barista told any and all friends she paid $475 for the shoot (just sayin...he COULD have made that part of their agreement...if he was a smart guy).... So, under this scenario where said photographer used the hawt barista as a loss leader and has booked 3 additional shoots from her friends at or near his normal prices...all the while shooting her for no monies...would you consider his marketing strategy good or bad....?? Apr 23 09 07:44 pm Link Bobby G wrote: Good, ya, good...ya, good....good,..good. Apr 23 09 07:47 pm Link In Hawaii they would think its for free. People here think all freelance photography is free for some reason. Maybe its the insane amount of MM photographers killing the market. Apr 23 09 07:50 pm Link Let's take this out of the context of photography. You're in a parking lot getting into your car. The car has obvious body damage but otherwise is pretty good looking. A guy walks up to you and hands you his card saying "Hey, I do body repairs, let me know if you're interested". Would you expect the body work to be free? Apr 23 09 07:55 pm Link No, you wouldn't. Handing someone your card is one of the oldest methods of advertising services. How many times has someone handed you a flyer, card or brochure? Does that mean that whatever he/she is offering is free? Apr 23 09 07:57 pm Link Ron Casas Photography wrote: It is assumed that the photographer is offering to pay me, just as if they approached me online. Apr 23 09 07:58 pm Link Raelyn Monstrosity wrote: LMAO....what color is the sky in your world... Apr 23 09 08:02 pm Link Bobby G wrote: Blue. Which is the color the sky was when I was approached and HIRED. Apr 23 09 08:03 pm Link Inner Vision Images wrote: Apr 23 09 08:05 pm Link Ron Casas Photography wrote: either way.... Apr 23 09 08:07 pm Link Raelyn Monstrosity wrote: Actually, what's interesting, the only time I've approached a girl I didn't know from somewhere else was for a paid shoot. She got paid, twice actually. I had seen her a few times, and finally got the courage to say "I know this is going to sound like the lamest pickup line; but are you a model?" Apr 23 09 08:13 pm Link I think in that scenario it can be assumed the photographer is offering his services for free or even willing to pay. Apr 24 09 03:37 am Link Wow⦠This has been an interesting read. To top it off no one has gotten out of hand. Hmmm Bobby, I like the idea of the person telling everyone that they paid, but I would be uncomfortable asking someone to out right lie. That is just me though. Thanks to for all of the insight. Apr 24 09 03:37 am Link |
