A Rant

Why, why, why does charity and generosity always backfire?!

One (likely ex) client got me all sorts of fired up, but this isn't close to the first time this sort of thing has happened.

I'm very busy right now, getting orders shipped and ready for the holidays, and also doing holiday card shoots...

In the middle of all this, after I've bent over backwards for a person, donating images towards a GOOD cause, it comes back to bite me in the ass.

Why do some people think they can get everything for free? Especially after I've already donated more than 25 hours of my time and $1K+ worth of images?!

One doesn't try to negotiate price with a lawyer, a doctor, the supermarket, a restaurant, the pool guy or a plumber, or worse, expect that service for free. You wouldn't dare ask for any of those things to be "on the house".

Understand that my career is FUN for me. I admit it, I absolutely LOVE my job! Guess what? I'd do every shoot pro bono if I could afford to. But does that mean I don't have bills to pay or mouths to feed? NO!

Photographs serve many purposes, all of them literally priceless. How many great images do you have of yourself? What if your beloved horse or pet or relative died (heaven forbid) tomorrow? How wonderful would your favorite equine publication be without those images that make you say "wow!" out loud? Do you think stallions would ever book a full season without a quality image?

Then why do some people think something so valuable is relatively worthless? It's becoming more and more apparent the further I go in my business. They see the benefit of wonderful imagery, but don't want to pay the price to get it.

SO many people want everything for free nowadays, or so it seems. It's pretty disheartening, to be honest...

On a similar note, this is a video from an amazing, prolific writer, Harlan Ellison, on being asked to give his work away for credit. Where have I heard that before? ;)



The language is a little rough, but I think he was feeling as I do tonight, so it's excusable. LOL

/ end rant
// thanks for reading :)