Once a Photographer, Always a Photographer

Yet another posting that doesn't have much to do with the technical merits of photography. I'll get to those later.

Any who, this weekend I was invited to a "co-ed" baby shower for a friend of a friend. This wasn't a normal baby shower. This baby shower involved alcohol and strip club employees. Good people, no matter what visions you may now have in your head.

I got there a little late, like an hour late. I just finished rapping up a marathon recording session of over fourteen hours, twelve of those being in one day. So I trudged in, tired and cranky with beer in hand (The new Magic Hat seasonal brew has too many hops in it, by the way). I sat down and after a smoke break for several people, the fun commenced. Out came the games and the disposable film cameras. Of course,the friend who invited me knows that I keep my camera with me most of the time and the first thing I hear after sitting down is "Will! Go get your camera and take pictures for us".

Of course I obliged and retrieved my camera from my car and snapped off a couple of shots for the mom to be. Such a burden I care. This is something that's starting to happen more and more often. I didn't mind as it was for a friend and was not a formal event or anything like that.

But at one point in the evening I was wondering when they would be taking the photographer for granted. I'm leaning more and more towards working on technique so I feel comfortable charging people for photos and portraits. I've also received two job offers that I've accepted: one is a photo shoot for a local tattoo shop's crew and another for the album artwork of an artist that records at my studio (shameless self promotion: 1080 FCS). I figure if I keep going, the job offers will keep coming in and I may actually make something out of this.

This leaves a dilema. When I'm hitting the big leagues (in my mind anyways) and making $100 an hour to do events or whatever else, when do I say no for favors? I wouldn't charge my friends for something like the baby shower or party pictures as I like photography. It's not 100% a business for me and I hope it never becomes that way. But when other people want to ask for favors in the futures, I'll have it in the back of my mind that they're getting a hell of a deal.


Today's post is poorly written. I'd like to say I'm still up after 24 hours and typing by the power of coffee and cigarettes, but it's Monday morning. The coffee is all gone by the time I get to work, I don't smoke cigarettes, and I did wake up about 2 hours ago. I'm just tired. No more staying up late and drinking on workdays.