Volunteered for event, what do I give them?

frotzky

So, I volunteered to shoot an event and they accepted. But they never told me any specifics like what types of photos they wanted or if they wanted a DVD afterwards, etc... Really NO communication.
I did the show and got great pics and they gave me a media pass and I got access that I normally would not have got, basically all access.
So, of course, they now want DVD's will all the hi-res photos.
Since I did this for free how should I handle this? Especially since none of this was worked out before the show. Mainly I am worried about handing them everything and then they go post it all over websites or magazines and I get zero credit.
Should I just ask that in return that IF they do use them to leave my watermark on the photo or give me credit for the shots.
My plan was to email them watermarked photos at 800x600 and maybe a couple hi-res shots.
Thoughts?
I know, I can hear it already. Don't do anything for free...But I am just getting started and this is a way for me to get great shots in my portfolio so I can charge next year!

jww

Ummmm... lesson learned? ..and sorry about your luck. You have to beat them up to get all this stuff clarified up front or you end up right where you are. What incentive do they have to give you money next year? They could find someone else to volunteer for free for that matter.

Really not sure how to help now, but who are "they" (or what type of organization) and what kind of event?

btw.. welcome to smugmug!

ian408

frotzky wrote: »

I know, I can hear it already. Don't do anything for free...But I am just getting started and this is a way for me to get great shots in my portfolio so I can charge next year!

If you give it away this year, how can you expect to charge next year?

Also, a media credential usually means you are shooting for someone else. If your arrangement was to shoot for them, then I guess you should give them a disc with photos. As for the low res, watermarked shots? What did you agree to give them when you volunteered?

dbveto

I have done the same thing and right or wrong here is what I did.
I had and agreement that they would provide me with all the access I needed and I would provide them with a CD with all of the shots for them to use in relation to the event( web site, brochures etc..)
and I retain the rights to use the pictures , for sale or in my portfolio.
I felt like it was a win win.
This year I did not do the event because there was a new person in charge and they wanted exclusive rightshuh The only way I give exclusive rights if I am paid.

Sam

:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash:bash

I know your new here so I apologize in advance. Why is it people always ask, after the fact what to do??? You are not the first and most likely won't be the last.

The time to discuss this is before, not after!!!

You volunteered, how does volunteer translate to charging after the fact? You say you shot for free. I would guess that "they" whoever they is might think that they gave you a valuable media pass that you couldn't have shot the event without. Hence you received value for your images.

You must have known they wanted images. You can not expect any payment now after the fact.

In my opinion the ethical thing to do is smile and give them unmarked high res images. If you think you got the short end of the stick it will hopefully motivate you to get the details worked BEFORE not AFTER.

Sam

Angelo

Frotsky - I'm sorry if you're feeling beat up.

I have a different take on this.

You didn't do anything to specify or prepare yourself prior to the shoot but then again neither did your client. Did they?

My response at this point would be: "thank you for the opportunity to participate in your event. I am forwarding a sampler of thumbnail photos for your review and limited use. Should additional images or high resolution files be needed for promotional or archival use they may be requested on an -as-needed basis with specifications regarding their use."

make the thumbnails lo-res with watermarks and go about your day. good luck

.

Glort

frotzky wrote: »

So, I volunteered to shoot an event and they accepted. But they never told me any specifics like what types of photos they wanted or if they wanted a DVD afterwards, etc... Really NO communication.

Hmm,

First 2 lines and I'm confused already.

How could YOU shoot the job WITHOUT asking what they wanted before hand?
Paid or otherwise, I grill all my clients as to what they want otherwise how the hell do I know what I'm trying to accomplish in the first place and what the target is?
You can't just go in trying to make pretty pictures. Shooting for promo for media and newsletters is a lot different to shots they may want to use for advertising or for the guests etc.

Also, how do you know what they really want the Pics to show? What the message is they want to run with the pics? What special parts of the event you need to get, special guests, speakers, presentations.... Commounication is a two way street so to me your seeming indignation should be directed at yourself unless you tried to speak to someone and got no reply at all. I have never had a client not commounicate when asked. they may not know a lot about what they want but I have always got some idea of what I'm trying to accomplish.

As for Volounteering, why did you do that without finding out where the pics would be used and making sure you got credit etc?
And as far as that goes, "Credit" seems to be severley over rate on forums. If people like the pics that much they want you for their job they are more likley to ask the people who " hired" you for your details than try to go chasing down your name ion the net or in the phone book.

I don't think your mistake was working for free, it was not asking questions and specifying the arrangements yourself. I have a charity I do a few shoots for and basicaly I do what ever they want and hand over the Full res images and I don't give a toss about credit or whatever.
I'm doing it for them not for me and I think this is where your real problem is.

You did this really for yourself, not them which to me is kind of a contradiction to Volounteering in my book but as it is basicaly a charitable endeavour, hand over the images as they have every right to expect and leave it to them to use them how they wish, with your name on them or not.

If you go plastering watermarks with logos etc I would fully expect they would ask for the images without them because a lot of media won't accept them like that simply because they would be running the pics as editorial not an advertisement for you.

As has been well said, the time for YOU to ask questions and commounicate is before the deal, not after.
Never mind, it's a mistake you won't ( hopefully) make again!

SamirD

Angelo wrote: »

My response at this point would be: "thank you for the opportunity to participate in your event. I am forwarding a sampler of thumbnail photos for your review and limited use. Should additional images or high resolution files be needed for promotional or archival use they may be requested on an -as-needed basis with specifications regarding their use."

make the thumbnails lo-res with watermarks and go about your day. good luck

.

This is the approach I'd take. You're facing a win-lose situation (where you're on the losing end), and you want to attempt to make it win-win versus lose-win (where you win and they lose). It's always hard to do this after the fact, but lesson learned, right? I always think about the win-win from the get-go and it saves a lot of grief. Good luck!

deb22

I 100% agree with Angelo, If they ask for more you simply state this what you do for all volunteer gigs and you assumed they understood this fact. It may not get you paid anything but it will allow you to negotiate further if only to get credit.