Occasionally I get approached to do a free collaboration on a project and occasionally if the project interests me I accept. I do this for a number of reasons, firstly it is always good to make new connections within the industry be it with stylists, designers, retouchers or whoever, you never know when that contact may be useful in the future. Secondly even though it may not be charging for the work it could still lead to paying work down the line. You don’t know who will see the finished project and be inspired to get in touch. As a bonus you also get to feature the work on your own website or use in some other promotion way and all it’s cost you is a bit of time. Thirdly and uniquely it often takes you into a different direction or area of photography than you might normally operate opening up new possibilities and avenues for future work.
This project featured is a typical example and executed for 1883 an independent print / online magazine. It gave me the chance to work with the stylist Yvonne Achato whose work I really admired and although from my end the lighting and photography was very straight forward it was great experience to watch her work and creative these beautiful animal prints using makeup.
So next time someone asks you to do something for nothing, think twice before answering.
