Valuing Photography: A Friendly Request for Fair Compensation and Recognition

• Looking for complimentary photography services for your nonprofit? Let's take a moment to address some important considerations together. It's vital to recognize that when photographers, like us, undertake significant projects without compensation, it can impact our businesses. Costs for editing software and camera maintenance require financial investment, not to mention that our equipment itself is very expensive, often reaching thousands of dollars. Although we may not use film anymore, cameras still have a limited number of shutter clicks. Time holds great value, and providing free services often means that someone within our network, who has already received free photos, may not consider hiring us for paid services like headshots. This can ultimately impact our businesses.
• Drawing from our shared experiences, offering free or heavily discounted services can sometimes devalue the quality of our portraits. Furthermore, beneficiaries often expect to pay significantly less than the true worth of our services.
• We kindly request that you consider including photography in your budget when planning events. It stands as one of the most vital elements to visually document and tell your story. Remarkably, photographers are frequently overlooked when allocating event budgets, while other vendors receive appropriate funding. It's important to keep in mind that our work extends well beyond the event itself, as we invest considerable time sorting and editing the photos—a labor-intensive process.
• We deeply appreciate your understanding of the challenges we face as photographers and respectfully ask that you honor our request.