Non-Profit Work

deludel · 07-31-2009, 11:38 AM

Hi all,

I'm trying to get my name "out there" and it's been suggested a good way it to get involved with a non-profit and offer my services. To see what their need is, and figure how my camera can help. Example: Humane Society .. photograph the animals with their adoptive families to show the happy ending.

Anyone ever do this? It's been suggested I should not do it totally for free, but I don't know how to approach a non-profit, say I want to HELP them, then ask for money ...??

Thoughts?

*Wombat* · 07-31-2009, 10:55 PM

I'm in a similar position to you, Lori, but I'm going down the more traditional path of finding a way to have an exhibition. I couldn't bring myself to charge an organization like the Humane Society and I can't honestly see how that would help to get your name out there. I've asked around a bit and various people whose opinions I respect have suggested:

join an artists group and piggy back on them when they have exhibitions. I did that a few months ago and I've got my first exhibition coming up in October.
start getting together a website of stock photos
join a site like Zoetrope Virtual Studio
make friends with a writers group and offer your services for book illustrations/dust cover photos etc.
enter lots of competitions, espec. those in the better photo magazines
send your very best to National Geographic (what have you got to lose?)
check out your local galleries for an exhibition

I'm sure some of the pros here will have loads of better advice, but there's my 2c, if it's of any use to you. Best of luck mate!

*Ash* · 07-31-2009, 11:08 PM

I'm not sure asking to 'help' a potential client, then ask for money is the right approach.
The above suggestions are very good, and agree that a public show of work, whether on the internet or a physical display, promotes a name very well.

**Damn Brit** · 07-31-2009, 11:44 PM

Lori, taking pictures for Humane Society although worthy, isn't going to get your name out there.
Look for local charities (or local chapters of larger charities preferably) that have websites. You should be looking for any events they are having, fundraisers, concerts, stuff like that. Offer to take pictures for them on the understanding that any used on their website, give you a credit.
Have some business cards made up so that you can take them with you to the event and hand them out. Work out before hand prices for prints in case anyone there that you take a picture of wants a copy for them self.

I also whole heartedly agree with all of Wombats suggestions above.

flyer · 08-02-2009, 11:43 AM

One thing you have to remember is the fact that if you are doing "freebies", the word will get around, and everybody is going to ask you for a "freebie". Don't ask how I know that. I'll never do that mistake again. Beside, if people can't get a "freebie" from you, they are likely going to hire somebody to do the job. In my book, it is better to give a good discount than doing work for free. Good luck.

MJB DIGITAL · 08-02-2009, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by deludel

Hi all,

I'm trying to get my name "out there" and it's been suggested a good way it to get involved with a non-profit and offer my services. To see what their need is, and figure how my camera can help. Example: Humane Society .. photograph the animals with their adoptive families to show the happy ending.

Anyone ever do this? It's been suggested I should not do it totally for free, but I don't know how to approach a non-profit, say I want to HELP them, then ask for money ...??

Thoughts?

I think you are looking for some marketing.
Why dont you just get some business cards that say
Name
Photographer
Contact

hand em out, generate word of mouth. shoot a couple of jobs, make a logo and drop it on some pictures...

the above is something i did as a trade of services. i shot for a magazine in trade for ad space

Get out there and impress people. That's how to get your name out there. If you have money (like I dont), pay for some marketing materials

Arpe · 08-02-2009, 06:07 PM

Some good advice I received, relating to all business done free, is send out an account, so they know what it's worth, then give a 100% discount.

Eigengrau · 08-02-2009, 06:17 PM

I know a guy that worked as the personal photographer for John Elway and Mike Shanahan (QB and Coach for the Denver Broncos).

He got that gig by doing free shots for the special olympics. He retired from photography to pursue another career, but he was pulling in over $4k per wedding when he was doing it.

Find the right cause - one that people can appreciate, one that gets good exposure, and perhaps one where you can commit to it being your only "pro-bono" event.

It could pay you back several times over.

deludel · 08-03-2009, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by Damn Brit

Lori, taking pictures for Humane Society although worthy, isn't going to get your name out there.
Look for local charities (or local chapters of larger charities preferably) that have websites. You should be looking for any events they are having, fundraisers, concerts, stuff like that. Offer to take pictures for them on the understanding that any used on their website, give you a credit.
Have some business cards made up so that you can take them with you to the event and hand them out. Work out before hand prices for prints in case anyone there that you take a picture of wants a copy for them self.

Thanks for the honest advice, everyone. Good points all around, but I will spare you the individual quotes.

I like Damn Brit's suggestion, mostly because I do actually go to several fundraising events anyway, and this is a good way to use my camera while there. (I am going to a mud-volleyball event for the Epilepsy Foundation next weekend!)

Thanks again, all.

*brecklundin* · 08-03-2009, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by deludel

Thanks for the honest advice, everyone. Good points all around, but I will spare you the individual quotes.

I like Damn Brit's suggestion, mostly because I do actually go to several fundraising events anyway, and this is a good way to use my camera while there. (I am going to a mud-volleyball event for the Epilepsy Foundation next weekend!)

Thanks again, all.

I will backup what that Damn Brit sed...I have helped run a cat sanctuary in our area. And I know my help was appreciated but never had anyone ask me to do work for them. I suspect it might be because people tend to assume volunteers have money to allow them to volunteer. I ran their thrift shop (the staff she had was robbing her BLIND), was vice president and tried to help manage the accounts as well as published the monthly newsletter, took the pics, wrote the articles and all that sort of thing.

I LOVED doing it because my friend who ran it for 40+ years was like family to me and knew me since I was about 8ish...she was 84 and lived through things people should never have had to experience in Poland during WWII, and she needed the help. But if you are going to do non-profit work, know it is not likely to bring in money so do it only because you want to help. Something else, if there are expenses, speak up and let them know...that is WHY they get donations, to cover expenses.

BTW, I am NOT a cat person at all...but this place took in only special needs kitties, including kitty AIDS critters...they were given a beautiful place to live and were well cared for...some were really sad to see but they were always happy to see people they knew...and boy were they camera hams!! hehehehe....

Frogroast · 08-03-2009, 06:00 PM

I agree with Damn Brit, Arpe, MJB, and Eigengrau.

Doing this kind of work can get you far and can certainly be mutually beneficial, both for you and the agency/cause you support.

Just keep in mind that doing this kind of free work can be a double-edged sword - don't just donate your time. You need to put a value on your work and donate that as a known amount/effort.

For example, every year I donate photo sessions, prints, and related services to the local hospital and the local cancer benefit for us in their fundraising auctions and with my donation, they get a "bill" that states the value of the donation.

Not only does it add value to your services and lets everyone participating in the auction that they are getting a valuable product, it also becomes a valid business tax deduction.

kerrowdown · 08-04-2009, 02:29 PM

No matter how good your intentions are or how good the cause maybe, I'm afraid that "Free Work" is not the way forward, as it only leads to more "Free Work"

By definition "Free Work" is not free, it still has associated costs to you, if only in terms of your time, it also does not pay the bills.

Demonstrate what you can do by way of showing prospective folk / clients your portfolio and go forward from there, your Zenfolio site has plenty of strong images on it.

Don't under sell yourself, good luck.

*brecklundin* · 08-04-2009, 02:38 PM

Something also to consider is that these days there are pretty much no true charity orgs as we might expect them to exist. Those who run the orgs are almost always compensated somehow via the funds given to the 'charity'.

In the US I am not sure of the current requirements, but the lower limit for overhead is only 10% needs to actually go to do the work intended by the charter of the the charity in order to retain their IRS 501(c)(3) status. So, while it makes one feel really good to donate our time to a charity, and I LOVE doing so, do it knowing that not all who are there are uncompensated. So, it's always wise to place limits to how far you are willing to go in terms of "donating" your time and/or services.

*Wheatfield* · 08-05-2009, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by flyer

One thing you have to remember is the fact that if you are doing "freebies", the word will get around, and everybody is going to ask you for a "freebie". Don't ask how I know that. I'll never do that mistake again. Beside, if people can't get a "freebie" from you, they are likely going to hire somebody to do the job. In my book, it is better to give a good discount than doing work for free. Good luck.

Gotta disagree on this with you, Yves.
If it is a charitable organization, you can ask for a receipt and write it off as a charitable donation.
This allows you to assuage your social conscience, while at the same time not actually losing any money, and it's a great way to make contacts with paying customers.
Not everyone can issue a charitable donation receipt, so keep your freebies to those who can.
OTOH, if you discount, you will end up only doing discount work. Most of your business is from word of mouth advertising, so the person you gave the discount to is going to blab not only about what a good camera you have, they are going to carry on about what a cheap price you charged with the discount.
Late in my wedding career, I made the mistake of letting myself get talked into discounting a wedding.
The next year I got calls from a couple of people, one a sister of the bride, the other was one of the wedding party, both wanting to hire me but they wanted "the same discount" that I gave to their friends.
I don't know who shot their weddings.
I just saw a vicious cycle starting with a moment of foolishness going from one discounted wedding to two, to four the next year, eight the year after that until I wouldn't be able to ask for an honest wage for a days work.
I saw it happen to the guy I mentored with. I decided to not let it happen to me.

deludel · 08-06-2009, 05:10 AM

Originally Posted by Wheatfield

This allows you to assuage your social conscience, while at the same time not actually losing any money, and it's a great way to make contacts with paying customers.
Not everyone can issue a charitable donation receipt, so keep your freebies to those who can.

I think I needed to hear this. I'm on a Social Responsibility Committee at church, and this rang true with me. In the end, after reading everyone's feedback, I think it's about finding balance. The day I turn down a full-time paying gig to shoot work for charity is the day I have to think about how well I am balancing all this!