How to Respond to Requests for Free Images

Tue, Oct 11th, 2011 | Featured, Musings, Photography 11 Comments

From time to time, I get requests for free images. Actually…it happens a lot.

When I’m in a good mood, I write back and explain nicely why asking a photographer to give away images is like asking Toyota for a free car.

The thing is, sometimes I’m too busy to respond, or as is often the case, I receive an avalanche of requests at the same time, and I get overwhelmed.

When this happens, I end up prioritising other tasks and never get around to replying (for which I feel bad later), or worse, send back a snippy response (for which I feel really bad later).

Form letter for photographers to respond to requests for free images

I know that many fellow photographers face the same dilemma, because it’s a frequent topic of discussion whenever we get together, in person or online.

We lament the fact that we’re damned if we respond (it takes time to respond, and people who ask for free photos often take offence if we decline); and damned if we don’t respond (people probably think we’re rude, and most of us feel bad about not replying with a reasonable explanation).

I decided to do something about this, both for myself and as a service to my photographer friends, by drafting a standard response and posting it online: Template for photographers to respond to requests for free images.

If you’re a photographer and find yourself facing the same dilemma, please feel free use this text. I’ve posted it under a Creative Commons license (Attribution, Share Alike) for this purpose.

You can link to the web page, include a link to the URL in an email reply, copy-and-paste the text, amend it to suit your needs…whatever works for you. All I ask is that you somehow link back to/ acknowledge this URL: http://photoprofessionals.wordpress.com

Please also pass this information along to other photographers who might benefit.

I just posted the URL a few days ago, and I’ve already had a chance to use it a couple of times…with the desired result. I’ve received positive replies thanking me for the explanation, coupled with undertakings to get back to me should a budget become available.

If you’d like to add your name as a signatory (strength in numbers, etc.), please use the contact form to send your information. I’m administering the site with my friend Matthew Oldfield, and one of us will get back to you.

Tags: Photography

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http://www.oceanlight.com Phil Colla

Tony, thank you!
Laurie

Tony, this seems to happen in so many professions – the request for free services. Maybe I should switch the wording of the letter to reflect the medical profession and hand out fliers at social events when people ask medical questions!
http://www.tonywublog.com/ Tony Wu

Perhaps this is a bigger issue. I know it’s a plague in the photographic/ creative communities. Hearing some amazing (not in a good way) stories from other photographers
http://www.chrisgin.com Chris Gin

That’s a good template – fair and reasonable. The only I comment I disagree with is “asking a photographer to give away images is like asking Toyota for a free car”.

That’s not a good analogy as a car is a physical object – if Toyota give one away they can’t sell the same one again. I think a better analogy would be giving software or movies away for free.
http://www.tonywublog.com/ Tony Wu

Hi Chris,

I see what you’re saying. Just to elaborate…my intention with that analogy wasn’t so much to draw a parallel between physical goods and intellectual property, but to underscore the fact that in either case, it’s unreasonable and unacceptable to demand something for nothing.
Cheers,

Tony
David Barrio

The difference is that, at least, doctors are protected by law (you need to get a degree to work as a doctor etc…) whereas photographers are not, and there are thousands of amateurs and hobbyists willing to work for free and give away images decreasing the professionals´business opportunities.

Well done Tony! and thanks a lot!
Jonathan Francisco

Thank you Sir.

Jonathan Francisco
http://shimworld.wordpress.com/ Shimworld

Hi Tony and greetings from Brunei Darussalam. All that’s been said and done lately, I’m showing my support for this cause with a button on my site http://shimworld.wordpress.com/ Many thanks for starting this long overdue movement, and also for adding me to the signatory list. Strength in numbers it is!
http://www.tonywublog.com/ Tony Wu

Thank you Jan!

Cheers,

Tony
http://lechphoto.wordpress.com/ Lech Naumovich

Hi Tony,
This is my first visit to your blog and thanks for your work. I appreciate that you have written this well-thought out text and shared it openly – which seems ironic, in a funny way.
That said, you touch upon an important subject that eats away at many a professional photographer. The balance and art of volunteering time, equipment, expertise, and product. For many of us, it’s difficult saying no. We love what we do and want to share it. But what happens when people are asking for too much, too frequently. One small addition to your thoughts I’d consider is developing a “volunteer” policy. How much will you do, what do you expect in return, how do you assess whether you will volunteer, etc. Develop a form that the “requester” will complete and subsequently that you will decide whether to accept or reject. I often find that if you ask a requestor to complete an application/form, that will scare away those who are not worth your time. Then you can still assess and decide after that.
Basically, you’re making them fill out a grant application. Just a thought. I may blog about it later because I enjoy your lead-in.
Thanks,
Lech
http://www.lechphoto.com
http://www.tonywublog.com/ Tony Wu

Hi Lech,

Yeah, a few other people pointed out that funny bit of irony too

The interesting thing is, since posting this, I have received zero requests. This is the longest stretch that I can recall without receiving at least a couple of emails asking for free images. Maybe it’s just coincidence, or perhaps the point has gotten across. Time will tell.
The application form sounds like a good idea. I might incorporate something like that into a future site re-design. Thanks for the suggestion!
Cheers,

Tony