Free Senior Pictures

[scottalanphoto]

I posted about doing free senior pictures for kids who cannot afford them. I got very good feedback from you all on here... Here is the myspace link... If you would please add this to your myspace...

www.myspace.com/focalpoint08

Thanks
Scott
www.myspace.com/scottalanphoto

[Wes]

Dude - how many forums are you going to post this in? Saw the same post in the Equipment forum, and in the Business Talk forum.

[scottalanphoto]

if you feel led to donoate we will accept anything from financial to props to a best wishes!!! just trying to get the word out!!!

[Wes]

Appreciate what you're trying to do (noble cause), but spamming is kind of bad form here. Just an FYI.

[HutchPhoto]

Although I like to give back to my public I don't want to be known as the photographer that give's out FREE photos, I would play hell trying to sell anything too the rest of the public..

I give back to our Troops and their family's @ oplove.org ...



.

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by scottalanphoto

if you feel led to donoate we will accept anything from financial to props to a best wishes!!! just trying to get the word out!!!

Your taking food off of my table and you want me to donate (spelled correctly) to your cause. Now I am a generous man, but that is asking a bit too much.

[Jenny Z]

Sounds like he was just trying to do something nice for seniors who don't have the money... kind of a harsh response.

I can sympathize, I don't have any senior pictures, couldn't afford 'em. Kinda wish I did.

[andyz]

I can see both sides. The question is, if a photo is done for free, would it have been done if it wasn't offered for free? I'm going to take my first stab at an engagement shoot this evening. This is a young couple who are just starting out. She works minimum wage at day, he works for just a little more at night. They do this so they have no sitter costs for their 1 year old, and they share their used car. They live in a rented trailer for lower costs and don't splurge on things like cable TV. So they're giving me a chance to expand my range, and they'll get some photos. If it wasn't done for free, it wouldn't be done as they have nobody picking up their slack.

Some folks will go for the freebie who could afford to go to a pro. This takes away from the pros livelihood. If the shoots/customers are "qualified" I'd feel better about it. But I don't want someone to give for free, what I charge for to make my living.

In the case of my shoot today, I'm sure it will be a case of you get what you pay for. SO they know what I do won't be what a pro would do. That is the trade off. But if I were more competent, I wouldn't want to give my work away.

[darrenwilson]

Scott, thanks for posting this. I have been thinking about doing something like this for quite some time. I live in Irving and come across a lot of lower income high school students who would benefit from a service like this. I'm glad to see that you have started it. Good luck to you. I'll be watching for you to post some portraits.

"Don't withold good from those who deserve it, when it's in your power to act. Proverbs 3:27" ...that's what its all about.

[alamoshutterbug]

Originally Posted by bondarnes

Your taking food off of my table and you want me to donate (spelled correctly) to your cause. Now I am a generous man, but that is asking a bit too much.

Sounds like you just put yourself squarely on the pro side of YOUR OWN sig line, don't sink.

[bluman95]

I don't see this as spam, I see this as an opportunity to setup a network of photographers across Texas. I think if we all helped out with something like this from time to time, we could really make a difference in alot of kids lifes. Anyone interested in forming a statewide group?

[dcnctx]

I once worked at a sizeable business where there was a vending machine. Everyone used the vending machine regularly and often folks would buy something for someone that didn't have any funds on a given day and vice versa. One day someone happened to push a button without putting in the coins and the item fell to the tray. That person mentioned the condition of the machine to another employee passing by. I passed through the corridor where the machine stood 10 minutes later and the path was blocked with a crowd of well paid employees and the vending machine was completely empty except for one bag of chips that was stuck on its rack. (They even wanted that last bag.) The machine stayed empty for days after that, of no benefit to anyone.

Human nature seems to be that when you indicate the location of items that are free for the taking, that is exactly what will occur. A great amount of society will presume upon the opportunity to avail themselves of the product regardless of their ability to pay for the item and even though they are capable of doing so. If you have the ability to pay and don't, someone that can't pay inevitably misses out.

As a kid, if I wanted a candy bar and a coke and was without money, I collected coke bottles from the side of the road until I had enough to collect the deposit and trade it for a coke and a candy bar.

Giving is a notable thing. That said, presuming people should give something to you or that others should finance your kind act is an inappropriate way to view individuals with the means to make contributions if they so chose.

In light of seniors needing photos for lack of funds, is this a true statement? Can they go to movies, eat at the local restaurant, pay for gas to cruise the strip, etc., etc., etc... If the answer is yes, then the need is not genuine.

Where genuine need exists, many photographers regularly give of themselves to causes of every sort.

If you make the need known, if you are expending your entire being on seeing the problem corrected, if you depleat all of your resources for what you believe in, then yes, I'm sure others that see your vision will gladly contribute to such a cause.

Otherwise, I believe that seniors could, in effect, pick up a few bottles and trade them in for something that they truly desire.

Just my opinion.

[picman]

From this months PPA Professional Photographer magazine

http://www.ppmag.com/current_issue/p...5_wish_web.pdf

[Jeff_Green]

Originally Posted by dcnctx

Where genuine need exists, many photographers regularly give of themselves to causes of every sort.

Great sentence! When I worked in a high school I saw the kids who couldn't afford senior pictures. They were the kids who wore new shoes all the time... not the cheap Walmart kind, but the Nike or Adidas shoes that the pro's endorse. They go to concerts and movies. They got money for brand new clothes. But when it came time for Senior pictures they didn't have money... or had money for the "important" things.

That isn't to say that everyone is like that. There are those who truly don't have the money. Mom and dad working just to pay the bills or a single mom or dad working 2 jobs... and they are barely making ends meet. Those do happen but it should be up to each photographer to weigh the necessity. Having a network that offers this to "those who don't have the money" is opening up a photographers welfare system... waiting to be abused.

JMO

[jagphoto]

There is an easy way to find out who is really in need. Talk to the principal. There are only a few kids out there who really can't afford what the school already offers for pictures. One of my best friend is a principal in a low income school. It is very easy for them to talk to those kids privately. If you want to do something like this, I wouldn't advertise to the public. Talk to the schools first. It should be offered to a select group of kids. I do offer this, but only to the kids at the Boys and Girls Country in Waller. These kids have no parents to take care of them. They live on donations only that are given to the organization. It is something that I love to do, but it can easily taken advantage of if you are not careful.