Everyone has to start somewhere, but there are clients that are just absolutely ridiculous at times. In this digital age and in a time where camera companies are marketing their higher end cameras as being so simple to us, people don’t consider that it is the photographer that takes the images. This posting is dedicated to those people. At the end, let us know in the comments some of the worst excuses you’ve heard. We’d love to hear a good story.

Editor’s Note: Yes, I’ve actually heard all of these before and so have many photographers I know.



– You can use the photos you shoot for us for your portfolio.

– This is a charity event, you can use it as a tax writeoff.

– All I’m asking you to do is show up, go click click and that’s it. I’m not going to pay you more for that.

– You’re out of our budget. (in reference for wanting to pay only half of what I charge for concert photography)

– I’ve got loads of photographer friends that are doing this for free and we just want someone legit to show up and give advice.

– We used all the money in the budget to rent the airstrip and pay for the drinks.

– I’m an aspiring actress and you’ll be a famous photographer one day for shooting my headshots.

– We’re looking for a photographer for a trial. It may perhaps lead to future work. (it never does.)

– We’ll be able to pay you in lots of free samples of our product.

– We’re looking for an intern that will carry lights, retouch the photos, and work the camera.