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Money and gifts for photos?

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Do you ever give money or gifts to people whose photo you take? Do you accept money or gifts offered, when somebody takes your photo?
14 years ago, May 28th 2009 No: 1 Msg: #74184  
And this brings me to another couple of questions.

Do you ever give money or gifts to people whose photo you take?
Do you accept money or gifts offered, when somebody takes your photo? Reply to this

14 years ago, May 28th 2009 No: 2 Msg: #74193  
We gave small money in the Berber villages in Morocco, when I took pictures of the people making the oil and the tiles. But, that is considered the norm there, or at least the families we stayed with told us that we should while visiting the villages, and when they were showing us around, they would often give the villages money for letting us into their pottery studios etc. But they were talking about the mountain villages where the people are very poor and not many tourists visit the Berber villages. Also, you see a lot of tourist busses passing through the countryside stopping to take pictures of the tree climbing goats, the coach drivers usually give the shepards money. In Marrakesh however, I saw a few people taking photographs of street perfromers in the main square, and the performers would come over mid act and demand payment. A couple of acts we saw were very insistant and intimidating. Reply to this

14 years ago, May 28th 2009 No: 3 Msg: #74213  

I saw a few people taking photographs of street perfromers in the main square, and the performers would come over mid act and demand payment. A couple of acts we saw were very insistant and intimidating.


That actually happens here in Munich, Germany too. Some people will stand on the street wearing silly clothes etc and when they see somebody aiming a camera at them, they tell the photo taker that they have to pay a Euro if they want to take the photo. I personally dont think it would be worth having a photo of them, even if I didnt have to hand over a Euro. Most of them just look like a stag party dressed up for a night of silliness. Reply to this

14 years ago, May 28th 2009 No: 4 Msg: #74214  
When I was in S. America in Indian villages the kids expected money and gifts for having their photos taken. I was with a guy one time who didnt know this and walked off after taking a pic of a cute little 6 year old who posed for him. I gave the kid some money, because it would have been very disappointing for her to not get something when the tourists usually give the kids something for doing this job. Reply to this

14 years ago, May 28th 2009 No: 5 Msg: #74215  
Some people gave me cards in the streets asking me to be a model or extra when I was in Canada, and also when I was in Mumbai 12 years ago. If I ever do these types of jobs I would certainly accept money and gifts for them, because they are professionals looking to use my photo rather than just ordinary folk taking photos for fun. I only did this job once, because I dont think I make a good model. I feel very self consious when how the photos turn out is too important. Reply to this

14 years ago, May 28th 2009 No: 6 Msg: #74217  

when they see somebody aiming a camera at them, they tell the photo taker that they have to pay a Euro if they want to take the photo



There are people dressed as Roman soldiers outside the Coloseum in Rome who do that as well, apart from they want 5 euros a picture, such a rip off. Reply to this

14 years ago, May 28th 2009 No: 7 Msg: #74218  

There are people dressed as Roman soldiers outside the Coloseum in Rome....


I thought those were trying to sell plastic swords, because one of them was trying to give me some kind of sales pitch in several languages while waving a plastic sword. Maybe he wanted me to take his photo and give him 5 Euros for it. Reply to this

14 years ago, May 28th 2009 No: 8 Msg: #74234  
We just saw the photo guys when we were there. The costumes were not even that good! Reply to this

14 years ago, June 3rd 2009 No: 9 Msg: #74881  
1 posts moved to this new topic: Photography volunteer Reply to this

14 years ago, June 9th 2009 No: 10 Msg: #75525  
Its a very good to come close with the known peoples. Reply to this

14 years ago, June 9th 2009 No: 11 Msg: #75526  
Not sure I understand your comment Dylan. Do you mean that offering money or gifts for photos brings us close to people? Reply to this

14 years ago, June 11th 2009 No: 12 Msg: #75895  
Somehow, I dont feel that money is the answer to it, but I might just be different. With kids I would most of the time start to chat with them and show them the last picture I took and then offer them to do the same with them and then show them the picture I took. It always works miracle and both sides are having fun in the meantime!

With adults it is a bit different, sometime I would simply ask (especially for close shoot/ interesting face) and if they ask for money I would not take the picture, but most of the time I would simply take the picture without them noticing (small size numeric camera does help).

In a few cases (only in China so far but starting to really enjoy it!), where locals met randomly would help, chat, provide a meal, make me discover a really unique place (...), I would print the pictures of them and their family and send it to them once I am back home. Reply to this

14 years ago, June 12th 2009 No: 13 Msg: #75952  
B Posts: 58
I avoid taking photos of people without permission. But if they want money then it depends on how much I want the photo. Some people have very little other way of making some money and normally it is not much. I have been surprised that some people in Vietnam, India and Turkey have wanted my photo or to have a photo taken with me. I have always been so surprised that I forget to ask for any money. Reply to this

14 years ago, July 31st 2009 No: 14 Msg: #81651  

14 years ago, March 19th 2010 No: 15 Msg: #106864  
N Posts: 3
I have offered money to people i'd like to take photos of many times, and have actually went through with it as well. Reply to this

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