With so many photo meetups happening now, the biggest question is how do participants maintain the value of photography when it’s happening for free so often?
Models, enthusiasts and photographers find these meetups to be a great opportunity to learn, to practice and to network. However we know that the end result is free work. Photographers from this event take the photos home and spend anywhere from 1 to 6+ hours editing photos before publishing to receive no to low return for their efforts.
With these being so common, there is now an expectation of opportunity for free work. Considering that the ROI of free or TFP clients becoming paying clients is severely low. So many, photographers particularly, are highly concerned that photo meetups are counter intuitive to the viability of photography as a livelihood. When occasions of free photos become more than an occasion, it cheapens the value of photography at any skill level.
The benefits of any meetup is that it gives hopefuls a way to build portfolios and it gives photographers and models alike a chance to develop, learn and practice.
This video features ways meetup hosts, models, bloggers and definitely photographers can get something out of the deal other than more subjects to photograph and post produce.
Have you attended any photo meetups or perhaps do you dislike that they are happening?
Im eager to know how you leverage these free photo events and how do you preserve the value of photography?