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Working for free.

idiotabroadidiotabroad Registered Users Posts: 246 Major grins
edited October 25, 2011 in Mind Your Own Business
I know not normally a good idea. However I had a client call about photos with her family because her son is about to be deployed to a war zone. Knowing that he might not come home I just can't find it in me to discuss price with her. So the question here is how do I say to her I will do it for no charge without crossing the favor or emotional/personal line?
Mark

If you don't agree with me then your wrong.
I can't be held accountable for what I say, I'm bipolar.

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    AngeloAngelo Super Moderators Posts: 8,937 moderator
    edited October 8, 2011
    "I'd be very happy to take photos and in honor of your son's service there will be no charge"
    www.angelo.smugmug.com

    Moderator of: Location, Location, Location , Mind Your Own Business & Other Cool Shots
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    Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited October 8, 2011
    Angelo wrote: »
    "I'd be very happy to take photos and in honor of your son's service there will be no charge"

    This is very good.....
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

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    fredjclausfredjclaus Registered Users Posts: 759 Major grins
    edited October 8, 2011
    I'm glad you are doing this for her. What are you giving her as a finished product? Will it be a set number of prints or digital images?


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    KikopriceKikoprice Registered Users Posts: 153 Major grins
    edited October 9, 2011
    There is a charge, her sons service for all of us. Thank you posting this.
    Frank

    http://www.youatplay.com
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    GlortGlort Registered Users Posts: 1,015 Major grins
    edited October 9, 2011
    Another forum mentality is to encourage impractical prices to be charged for everything.
    Sometimes charging nothing IS exactly the right amount.

    I think I posted here a couple of years back about a family shoot I did for a woman with cancer who died a week after I took the shots.
    It was a job that got to me and one I wouldn't like to do again although I would because the upset it caused me is ridicilously insignificant to what the family went through.
    To charge for that to me would be just plain wrong and anyone that would suggest otherwise is a low life parasite.

    There are times in life when money really is evil and far bigger pictures ( pun or not) need to be considered. In cases like this you have life memories and the effect on the rest of peoples lives in your hand.

    It's the right thing to do to put money into the insignificance it deserves and put doing something decent for your fellow human being into the priority that is the right and just thing and show some kindness that is all too lacking in this mucked up world.
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    mrcoonsmrcoons Registered Users Posts: 653 Major grins
    edited October 9, 2011
    Angelo wrote: »
    "I'd be very happy to take photos and in honor of your son's service there will be no charge"

    Excellent, well said. bowdown.gif (as a parent of a soldier who will be deployed in 2012 I hope to be able to do something similar for other families at some point.)
    Mark
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    WachelWachel Registered Users Posts: 448 Major grins
    edited October 9, 2011
    I do lots of work for oplove.org so I am always doing free work for the military here in Alaska. With that said...

    It depends on what type of session the person wants. If they are happy with what Oplove offers then I do it for free. If they want more than what Oplove offers then I charge them. Perhaps I am a lowlife parasite? I don't think so.

    If you aren't asked to do this type of thing all the time then doing it this time for free is a great opportunity to give back to the community. Good on ya.
    Michael

    <Insert some profound quote here to try and seem like a deep thinker>

    Michael Wachel Photography

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    WachelWachel Registered Users Posts: 448 Major grins
    edited October 9, 2011
    mrcoons wrote: »
    Excellent, well said. bowdown.gif (as a parent of a soldier who will be deployed in 2012 I hope to be able to do something similar for other families at some point.)

    oplove.org will help you do just that! ;)
    Michael

    <Insert some profound quote here to try and seem like a deep thinker>

    Michael Wachel Photography

    Facebook
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    idiotabroadidiotabroad Registered Users Posts: 246 Major grins
    edited October 10, 2011
    Photos will be at cost from Bay Photo. AND I will better about myself.
    Mark

    If you don't agree with me then your wrong.
    I can't be held accountable for what I say, I'm bipolar.
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    JamforeJamfore Registered Users Posts: 55 Big grins
    edited October 20, 2011
    Free is never a bad thing. Of course we can't do everything for free but some if fine. You make your customer happy and this can lead to more paying jobs. Word of mouth is very powerful.
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    idiotabroadidiotabroad Registered Users Posts: 246 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2011
    oplove, i just sent in an application for it.
    Mark

    If you don't agree with me then your wrong.
    I can't be held accountable for what I say, I'm bipolar.
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    WachelWachel Registered Users Posts: 448 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2011
    idiotabroad wrote: »
    oplove, i just sent in an application for it.


    Good for you! It is a great organization.
    Michael

    <Insert some profound quote here to try and seem like a deep thinker>

    Michael Wachel Photography

    Facebook
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