Imagine seeing a group of construction workers building a house and coming up to them to ask them to build one for you, too. They’re already there, so why not?
While this is an exaggeration, that is pretty much the situation this photographer found herself in. While working with a couple who paid for a private session, she was approached by a woman, asking her to snap a couple of pics for her, while she’s at it. “You’re already shooting, so what’s the harm?,” she said.
Some people don’t realize that professional services are not free
Image credits: zamrznutitonovi/Envato (not the actual photo)
This woman told a professional photographer that taking a few pictures “costs her nothing”
Image credits: mauriciotoro10/Envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Anilabattle_321
Some professionals might be exploited more just because they love what they do
For some reason, certain jobs are viewed differently than others, even if they, too, require time, skill, and equipment. That’s why some people might not expect someone to fix their plumbing for free, but they will see no problem asking for pictures from a professional photographer, as was the case with the women in the redditor’s story.
Unfortunately, such situations are not that rare of an occurrence. According to Fstoppers, an online community dedicated to educating and inspiring photographers and other creative professionals, representatives of the field are constantly asked to work for a reduced price or free of charge altogether. And one likely reason for that, according to the source, is the fact that they love their job.
Research from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business found that the idea that people love what they do tends to make others feel more comfortable exploiting them. Known as “passion exploitation,” it reportedly arises from two beliefs: the idea that for passionate professionals, work is its own reward, and the assumption that they would have volunteered anyway. According to the researchers behind the study, that is an example of compensatory justifications.
“We want to see the world as fair and just,” said Professor Aaron Kay, the senior author on the study. “When we are confronted with injustice, rather than fix it, sometimes our minds tend to compensate instead. We rationalize the situation in a way that seems fair, and assume the victims of injustice must benefit in some other way.”
Data suggests that photographers seem to be quite happy with their career choice
While being happy with your career choice should never be a reason to be undervalued or exploited, photographers seem to be quite content with what they do. According to Career Explorer, representatives of this particular profession (in the US, at least) rate their career happiness 3.9 out of 5 stars, which reportedly puts them in the top 12% of careers.
While they’re not entirely happy with their salary, giving it 2.6 out of 5 stars, they score much higher when it comes to their personality fitting with their work (4.1 out of 5 stars), enjoying their work environment (giving it a 4), making the best use of their abilities (3.7), and finding meaning in what they do (3.6).
As of 2022, the photographers’ workforce was 114,773 strong, divided almost equally between men and women (54% vs 46% respectively). It’s safe to assume that many of them are happy with their jobs. It’s also safe to assume that at least some of them have been asked to take pictures for free in the past, as, after all, it “costs them nothing,” right?
Well, the OP made sure to let the woman in the park know that, no, that is not the case. She made it clear that it costs her time, energy, editing, storage, and equipment wear. Needless to say, fellow netizens sided with the redditor, applauding her for standing her ground.
Fellow netizens shared their thoughts in the comments, the OP replied to some of them
Some people have seemingly gone through similar situations themselves
