By Hannah Freeland
Back in 2006 I owned and ran my own website and graphic design company.
I set it up, trained myself in running a business and hired a team to support me as I walked through the trenches.
I worked with wonderful clients on exciting projects and managed to travel to inspiring places around the UK.
While I was working alongside these clients I would offer my ‘Photography’ skills on the side. We would be building a website for a vet client and I would suggest we do a photo shoot for the imagery. I would offer my services, with my Canon DSLR, for £90!
Yup, you heard me right. £90.
I would include all of the images for this price, editing time and delivery.
Let me tell you my reasoning behind this price:-
It wasn’t because I didn’t think the images were worth more and it wasn’t because I didn’t value my time.
It was because I just LOVED photography to such an extent that I was just so happy if someone let me loose with their product or company and photograph their vision.
I was being paid to create the website, the graphic designs and the clients online structure. The photography was the part of the job where I felt it was my down time, and where I could really use my imagination. They were actually willing to pay me and extra £90 to work on my photography and hone my skills…in my head – that’s a win, win!
So, when I look back, it’s only with positivity.
The lessons I learnt for £90:-
- How to use my camera for product shots
- How to photograph products on different coloured backgrounds
- How to use lighting
- How to edit product images
- How to capture lifestyle shots with a commercial twist
- How to capture images that the client’s audience would engage with
- How to use natural light
- How to use my camera to its fullest
- How to use my editing software
- How to export images for websites
- How to create a bank of images clients can use for their touch points
- How to resize for print
- How to work with 6 different subjects for one photo shoot
The list goes on and on – but without diversifying this way in my other business, offering this service that I loved from the bottom of my heart, I would have never had the opportunity to develop my love for photography. I would have also had to work for FREE in order to gain this experience!
Whenever we do work for cheap or for free there HAS to be a reason. None of us can survive without getting paid. We can’t pay our mortgage with a shout-out in a magazine. We can’t pay our electricity bill with client testimonials.
What we can do, and you need to be strategic and clever with free or cheap work, is LEARN, GAIN EXPERIENCE and GROW.
Make sure you are grateful for each and every experience you take and remember not to miss any that will add to your knowledge.