Everyone is familiar with it, but you still have to pay for taking pictures with me!

Some people may just take photos out of hobbies (like Uncle K), but more people regard photography as a career and a way to earn money to support their families.

Maybe you will often encounter this situation. When you get a job, your clients want you to take pictures of them for free. They will tell you that you can take photos for me and I will promote them for you, so that you can get more "exposure" and you can make money with future guests ~ ~

But ... .

Why? ! !

I have to support my family by this! ! !

Ema Suvajac, a photographer from America, complained online before.

{Why are photographers required to provide free services? }

I believe that every photographer who takes pictures for a living will have such complaints. Because this wonderful customer is too ordinary.

Photographers are not born to take pictures. They have to practice hard for a long time to accumulate enough experience.

In order to shoot better results, they will spend a lot of money to upgrade the equipment, and then quietly watch these equipment depreciate.

It is undeniable that the threshold for photography is really low now. Some photographers don't even know the reciprocal rate, so they make money by taking pictures with good cameras, because now they are all handed over to the processor of digital cameras, and they don't need to know anything about photography at all. Kaka's crazy shutter took some studio-style photos and then retouched them. I don't even know the model mother, but I can sell them at a big price.

And in many cases, it doesn't matter whether your photos are good or not. Customers may not like the works you think are satisfactory, but they may like the photos you think are vulgar and substandard.

Some customers will think that you have taken pictures of me for two hours, so I should pay you two hours' hourly salary, but they don't know that the time cost is not included at all. It may only take a little time to take pictures, but what about other time?

This reminds Uncle K of a question that photographers often hear but don't want to answer: Your photos are really nice. What camera did you take it with?

How to answer this? ! !

What is the answer? ! !

The camera is very important, but it is not the whole of photography. Earlier, photographer Jeremy Cowart posted a photo on Facebook, showing the photographer's work ratio. I think this picture is very simple, but it can completely answer this question.

In the process of taking pictures, the photographer pays the most. The camera is just a tool, which can't replace the photographer's conception, walking, composition, scene arrangement and more creation in the later period.

Regarding the later period, did you do these things in the previous article "Want to be a master photographer"? ",uncle k said.

The camera comes out directly, just giving all the work to the camera, which is no different from the automatic gear. Later, it is also a part of creation.

Of course, there must be strict restrictions in the later stage. What you can do is to make the photos closer to the truth in your eyes.

On the latter question, Uncle K will write an article to discuss with you.

It is necessary for everyone to show this picture to your customers so that they can understand the photographer's sadness.

If you are a novice, but you have the motivation to become a commercial photographer, don't easily work for others for free. What they call increasing your exposure is actually just

Word of mouth brings you more opportunities for "free work"

Let's talk about a commercial. Who cares who took this photo?

And these customers who want you to take their photos for free because they don't have a budget, once they really have a budget, they will only pay better photographers than you.

Too many free jobs will ruin your career prospects.

Of course, you have to pay the price to get what you want

If you have no confidence in your level, really want more photo opportunities, and are too embarrassed to charge, then you can use some other methods, such as skill exchange, such as the right of signature, or something else.

As for the level, it is actually difficult to quantify. The absurdity of this world is that those who usually think they are too good may actually have no level, while those who think they are insufficient will be better.

The important thing is that you must have confidence in yourself and constantly improve your technical level, so that you can be more confident to ask for the reward you deserve.

The photographer's work in the eyes of customers is just an iceberg on the water.

The photographer's job is not just to press the shutter.

Although you are handsome and charming, you still have to pay me to take your picture!