Do something useful - DPChallenge Forums

11/08/2007 10:28:29 AM · #1

Here's an idea for a side challenge. Do something for free with your photography. Give it away and see what happens. I do this on occasion and pretty much every time something good comes back to me from a simple gesture, done without expectation.

You don't have to be saving the world, just taking pictures. Instead of putting the shots up on the internet for people to vote and comment on, try giving a print away or letting someone use it for free. You might connect to someone you wouldn't ordinarily talk to. Or just make someone smile.

It doesn't need to be a grand gesture, helping famine victims in Africa, it could just be sending a picture of a kid to a grandmother or shooting some family pictures for a soldier overseas. You might find a non-profit that needs photographs, maybe an animal shelter that could do with good pictures of the animals, to help find them homes.

You might use it as a motivation to learn a new skill, maybe you just give your favourite current picture to someone who's helped you out in the past, or one of yours that they like. Maybe you need to learn how to print well or work more with people.

So the side challenge for December would be to do something like this, once, with no expectation of return. You'll learn some more about photography along the way, you'll maybe make someone's day better and you might find something you enjoy at the same time. Who knows what can happen.

There's a lot of people on the site, we could all do a little bit with our photography, rather than chasing virtual ribbons.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

11/08/2007 10:55:13 AM · #2

other ideas:

Offer to shoot someone's holiday photo

This doesn't have to wait until December to start either - you could aim to do this once before the end of the year and use the side challenge to report on progress, get ideas etc.

What would you like to do ?

Message edited by author 2007-11-08 10:55:25.

wickee_one

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

11/08/2007 11:00:37 AM · #3

What a great idea Gordon! I will definitely give this a try. It is nice to make someone smile.

emorgan49

Olympus E-5

Olympus 50mm f/1.8 MF Normal Zuiko

11/08/2007 11:16:39 AM · #4

A local group helping Sudanese refugees asked me to take pictures for their data base. I knew Nothing about portraits, but now I have a nice collection of faces shot in various livingrooms and back porches, not a studio shot among them. No money has changed hands but it makes me happy and really makes the kids happy. Don't assume you need a whole lot of experience, just offer.

//www.pbase.com/ellen_morgan/faces

can't seem to make the link work this morning

atupdate

Pentax K-R

Promaster 28-200mm f/3.8-5.6 XR IF

11/08/2007 12:00:45 PM · #5

I'm in the process of donating 12 images to the community blood bank to brighten up their screening rooms.

Tim

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

11/08/2007 12:29:48 PM · #6

Originally posted by emorgan49:

Those are great, Ellen. A good example too.

Bruce_the_Robert

Nikon D7000

11/08/2007 01:10:53 PM · #7

I've been trying to do this, too, including making contact with a local group that does nature conservation work, but it fell through in the end (my contact simply stopped responding just short of setting up my first shoot, and hasn't been heard from since). I'll keep trying (but probably with a new group of some kind or another).

I offered both to give them shots for publicity (their own website, publications, etc.) and to donate a series of shots taken at their conservation areas for their members to buy (if there was interest), all the money to go to them.

Definitely a good idea, Gordon.

Best,

Rob

Jib

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

11/08/2007 01:25:58 PM · #8

wel i am about to do a shoot virually for free... $60 plus cost of prints... so im kinda doing it lol

trevytrev

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

11/08/2007 01:30:32 PM · #9

I just donated 5 prints to a charity auction and they got over $700 for them. Since I rarely even print my photos it was nice that they could be used for something good.

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

11/08/2007 01:46:56 PM · #10

I'm doing a wedding this spring for the cost of gas to get there and two chocolate pound cakes. :)

Nikolai1024

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-4.0D

11/08/2007 02:15:57 PM · #11

I do it once in a while. I give prints away or charge only for printing cost.
I am volunteer photographer for Fort Wadsworth and have to pay $8 toll just to get there each time I go.

JenniferDavidGA

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

11/08/2007 02:37:10 PM · #12

A great organization to be part of if you want to give back is Operation Love. As a photographer you would offer a free session to military families getting ready to have a family member deployed.

Its a great organization to be part of.

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

11/08/2007 03:58:38 PM · #13

Originally posted by rheverly:

Sounds good Rob - I did something similar a couple of years ago with a local zoo. They've used the shots on their web site ever since. So many organisations could benefit from good images to market their mission.

rich

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

11/08/2007 04:26:25 PM · #14

This is an excellent suggestion. About a year ago I felt a void in my photography, and simultaneously felt a desire to give more back to the community. I decided to channel these two into something useful.

Most of my photography these days is volunteer work for the Richmond SPCA. The majority of the work is taking photos of animals that are waiting for adoption and used on the web site, but I also take photos at special events somethimes, and help out on side projects where I can.

The work is extremely rewarding, and is something I plan to continue for years.

Several of the albums on my PBase site are geared around these animal photos and events. There is a lot of stuff on my Flickr pages as well.

Nikon D200

11/08/2007 05:53:35 PM · #15

Hi Gordon! I'm in! :)

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

11/08/2007 08:42:47 PM · #16

Originally posted by rich:

The work is extremely rewarding, and is something I plan to continue for years.

Several of the albums on my PBase site are geared around these animal photos and events. There is a lot of stuff on my Flickr pages as well.

That's a whole lot of animals, Rich!

rich

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

11/08/2007 09:09:57 PM · #17

Originally posted by Gordon:

Originally posted by rich:
The work is extremely rewarding, and is something I plan to continue for years.

Several of the albums on my PBase site are geared around these animal photos and events. There is a lot of stuff on my Flickr pages as well.

That's a whole lot of animals, Rich!

Heh heh - yeah, I think I found my true strength - dealing in quantity of work, if not quality :p

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

11/08/2007 10:32:00 PM · #18

I just sent the yearbook editor at my son's school the proof sheets from a field trip yesterday, and I have another field trip tomorrow -- she gets to use any pictures she wants.

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

11/08/2007 11:03:43 PM · #19

I do the kid photo to mom thing all the time with my daughter's cheerleading team.

There's something about the way they mist up and go,"Awwwwwww" that just gets me every time.

I have a bunch of photos that I've taken of the kids on the wall at the gym and better than half the shots on their web page are mine.

I do all the ads for the galley that does my framing.....now that works in my favor.

I'm kinda the unofficial photographer for the PA CASA organization, and I do some work for the church as well.

I know it's stupid for someone with a tax license and all who's supposed to be making money from it, but I just get so much gratification out of gifting the images.

I figure if it's meant to be, it'll happen. And in the meantime, I'll just rack up the smiles and warm fuzzies.

Oh, BTW......

BAMartin in Phoenix is finally tying the knot sometime in the future, and she's too nice a person to just ask, so I'm putting it out here.....if I lived anywhere near, I'd love to do it for her. I don't know if she has any pound cakes.....

Message edited by author 2007-11-08 23:05:19.

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

11/08/2007 11:07:22 PM · #20

BAMartin is too far from me as well.

What is PA CASA?

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

11/08/2007 11:18:31 PM · #21

Last week I took a copy of the original edit of my Free Study entry to the gentleman featured in it. He was quite delighted. I will be printing shots of the others and sending them back here (no decent printer here) to be given to those vendors. I quite often do that. I did it in Germany, too. My fiddler guy has copies of the shots I've taken of him. I've taken pictures of shop owners then later returned with prints for them. It's a very enjoyable and rewarding activity, I must say!

dsterner

Canon EOS-40D

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

11/08/2007 11:31:36 PM · #22

I don't know if this applies, but I have a wall at school that I am filling with photos...and the banner reads "want to make someone see things your way? ...take a picture if it" It's a DPCer's signature and I'd love to credit them - Please out yourself!

in any case...I print 5 to 7 photos a week and post them to the wall. There is always a bottleneck at transition time as the kids look it over to if they are posted, or what funny photo is displayed.

Some kids stop by my room and ask me to post a pic of them...I do eventually and print a copy for them.

I do this because they delight in seeing themselves in such a positive manner. I teach special ed...so photos are a treat for a kid who lives in "the system" or comes from a broken home...or what ever baggage they carry.

It's out of my pocket for the photo paper and ink cartridges...but the smiles last for MILES! Gee, suddenly I love my job all over again!

11/09/2007 09:38:54 AM · #23

Originally posted by NikonJeb:

I know it's stupid for someone with a tax license and all who's supposed to be making money from it, but I just get so much gratification out of gifting the images.

I figure if it's meant to be, it'll happen. And in the meantime, I'll just rack up the smiles and warm fuzzies.

I don't think there's anything wrong with being in business and also doing some work that you want to, for free. Like you said - there's other ways of getting paid, than just money.

Camabs

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

11/09/2007 09:47:16 AM · #24

Great idea. Count me in.