However I don’t consider myself an extreme athlete or adventurer. It’s all relative – especially compared to all the characters I’ve encountered on my journeys. For the ten years I worked at various sports companies I was continually amazed at the boundaries athletes could push and the obstacles those with limitations could overcome. As a photojournalist I’ve had the good fortune to illustrate stories by pioneers of the adventure travel industry such as Tim Cahill, founder of Outside Magazine, who has spent a lifetime forging his own path.

So how would my experiences in Puerto Rico compare? I found an ideal balance between easily accessible adventures and authentic culture. It was an easy way to dip my toes into both worlds during my whirlwind week visit.

Here’s the photo and video highlights:

Zip lining at Toro Verde

Tightrope suspension bridges and rapelling, Toro Verde

Toro Verde is a newly built ecological adventure destination with more miles of cable than any other park in the world. My highlight was “The Beast”, where I flew like a bird superman style on the world’s highest zip line (853 feet above the rainforest floor), for nearly a mile long (2nd longest in world at 4745 feet), and reached speeds of 55mph. This was best captured on video, and provided it’s own challenge wearing three video cameras. http://www.toroverdepr.com/index_eng.html

Kayaking by starlight through mangrove coves to Bioluminescent Fajardo Bio Bay

Only eight bioluminescent bays exist in the world and experiencing the unique spectacle of dinoflagellates that light up like fireflies in the water is only part of the adventure. Kayaking through a canal of mangroves into bio bay by starlight is the best low impact approach. While I wasn’t able to capture a clear photo of the blue-green light produced by these organisms as my kayak moved through the bay, their glimmer was visible on video with my new Nikon D4, a true test of low light capability. http://www.yokahukayaks.com/

Pristine waters of Caja de Muerto island are ideal for swimming & snorkeling

Acampa Nature adventures offers private and group hiking and kayaking excursions to Caja de Merto, an island which is a combination of semi-arid dessert vegetation, white sand beaches, and limestone caves. We hiked through a a trail of green cactus forest to the highest point on the island, a 1887 Spanish lighthouse with expensive panoramic view of Puerto Rico, as the guides provided detail about the local flora and fauna.
http://www.acampapr.com/

Kayaking the pristine island of Caja de Muerto nature reserve with Acampa Nature Adventure Tours owner Raymond Sepulveda

Pod of dolphins surrounds my kayak

After 10 years of exploring tropical waters by kayak, scuba diving, and snorkeling, I was finally able to experience a pod a dolphins close up when they approached our kayak within arms reach to peacefully feed at the surface. The island is abundant with marine life and coral reefs.

Mojito beachside at Hosteria del Mar Beach Inn & Verdanza Hotel sommelier mixing a cocktail at Di Vino bar

Rum punch at Eighty 20 Bistro, Verdanza Hotel, San Juan

http://www.verdanzahotel.com/dining/eighty20-bistro/index.cfm

Slow roasted whole pig is the specialty at Lechoneras (roadside cafeterias) in Guavate, Puerto Rico

San Juan Water Beach Club Hotel rooftop restaurant with a spectacular view over the city

http://www.waterbeachhotel.com/

Nightlife in old town San Juan is always vibrant, ranging from romantic sunsets and dinners to Latino salsa clubs

Colorful colonial architecture in old town San Juan

Artistically minded guests relax in courtyard of The Gallery Inn, a 300 year old historic home perched next to the Old City's North Wall, which was restored by artists / owners Jan D'Esopo and Manuco Gandia in1961 and converted to a 22 room boutique hotel, San Juan

http://www.thegalleryinn.com/

Old San Juan view of of the lighthouse at El Morro Castle (aka Castillo de San Felipe del Morro'), overlooking Cementerio Santa Maria Magdalena de Passiz, old town San Juan, Puerto Rico

Saint Christopher Castle (Castillo de San Cristabal), the largest military structure built by the Spanish in the Americas, Old Town San Juan,

Here’s a link to my stock photography of Puerto Rico -

http://andreajohnson.photoshelter.com/gallery/Puerto-Rico-jpeg-gallery/G0000E0Yy7_dGD9M/C0000EDW9TXHPQNU

View towards Bugaboos Spire, glacier to the right of tooth-shaped rock was Fred's first descent on a sit ski

Snow continued to dump mid week for epic powder skiing/ boarding, but unfortunately was warm and heavy day of Fred's sit ski adventure

David & Gary secure Fred to sit ski and start go pro cams to capture the adventure

So, here’s how the first descent on a sit ski heliskiing at CMH unfolded . . .

Kudos to guides Peter and Andrew for enabling Fred's first descent, albeit the unexpected results

Fred did manage a few additional fun sit ski runs, photo copyright Bob Holmes

Fred's 75th Birthday celebration in Bugaboos style!

Fred always manages to be the center of the party, last evening of a Bugaboos trip is always wild!

Fred will be adding his own personal story about the descent soon, check out his blog for more stories of inspiration

http://www.frednobleadventure.com/blog/

Bugaboos Lodge overlooking Bugaboo Range and Spires, British Columbia, Canada

I learned to ski at the age of 9 from my grandfather, Andy Hennig, who was an Austrian Ski instructor at Sun Valley, Idaho until the age of 77. He was a legend in his own right teaching the Hemingway family and countless celebrities while working with Warren Miller in the early days of the adventure ski films. This lifestyle made an unforgettable impression, and in my mid 20’s I took a job at a snowboard company, hired photographers for marketing campaigns, and watched endless ski and snowboard films to fuel the fire.

Clear days offer unlimited access to tracks high alpine glaciers

Fast forward 15 years and my dream had nearly slipped away. I used the same excuses of lacking time, money, and fitness that most of us justify in delaying such adventures. Additionally last summer I lost my snowboarding partner of 15 years, Dale Johnson, who died in a tragic accident before he had the chance to heli snowboard – #1 on his bucket list. As life teaches us through unexpected circumstances, I found my dream reignited through the inspiration of Fred Noble.

Bell Long ranger helicopter transported our group of 12 to ski/board an average of 20,000 vertical feet a day

Fred has heli-skied over 7 million vertical feet with CMH as their North American Agent, choosing to use his commissions in trade for heli-ski time during the past 38 years. This trip was his most challenging yet – 18 months ago Fred was diagnosed with ALS and he has lost all mobility in his legs. He was determined to celebrate his 75th birthday at the Bugaboos with the first descent on a sit ski, and I was there to help capture the event for a documentary film on his life (see next blog entry for this story). The experience was bittersweet, his unquenchable spirit contagious, and by watching Fred overcome obstacles of this magnitude I realized my excuses were miniscule in comparison.

First light on Bugaboo Spires

In reality all of my concerns vanished the minute the helicopter dropped us off besides the magnificent bugaboo spires. CMH invented heli-skiing at the Bugaboos over 45 years ago and they’ve perfected the experience. The first day our group of 10 women, one man, and two guides had countless fresh tracks on a perfect bluebird day offering unlimited access to the high alpine glaciers.

Fresh tracks on a perfect bluebird day

I was surprised how effortless, fun, and relatively easy the first few runs were vs resort skiing or snowboarding. There’s really no comparison – we had endless clean lines to ride, the perfect constant pitch, virgin 6-12 inches of packed powder, and expert guides to lead the way and follow behind to ensure our safety. I’m accustomed to the mantra, “there’s no friends on powder days”, when everyone races down the first few lifts before the masses shred up the runs or discover the secret powder stash. At CMH, the only inexhaustible resource was our legs though we were replenished each helicopter ride with energy drinks and freshly baked treats.

Limitless fresh tracks in the high alpine

On the second afternoon when many guests opted for a rest I had the chance to join a group of guides, staff, and several skiers with over a million vertical feet at CMH. At first I was intimidated, but soon found that my level of riding rose to the occasion. Cannon Barrel run was in perfect condition to rip with unrestrained speed: In a few minutes our group traveled over 2,800 vertical feet, stopping only once for a brief rest. I can still hear the hoots and hollers of my fellow skiers, telemarkers, and riders – we made three epic runs that are seared in my mind as my most unforgettable riding experience.

Epic day & great group

My fellow skiers were fun and relaxed, and our camaraderie was always high. Though we had both expert and virgin heli-skiers, we were a very compatible and tight knit group. I enjoyed not having to fight for my turn to go first and the shouts of encouragement as everyone continued to gain confidence and improve. As a tomboy, I’ve been accustomed to fighting alpha males for position in adventure sports. I had honestly never considered the fact that I could have more fun joining a group of women who would push my limits – but in a joyful, non-competitive way.

Camaraderie kept our group energized

Mid week a series of storms dumped 1-2 feet of fresh snow each day. These conditions were ideal for extensive tree runs with the lightest deepest powder I’ve ever encountered. One morning I rode with the chef, another snowboarder, enjoying the long easy lines through the trees. Each of us paired up with a buddy and made our own unique call to each other as we traveled; I can still hear the yodel of Seth, our Austrian guide, echoing through the forest..

Springtime conditions offer best of both worlds, mid week storm brought 3 feet of fresh powder

Snow, snow, and more snow!

Everything at CMH is world class, and after a long day on the mountain nothing beats a soak in the hot tub. This was my daily ritual, and on the days when my body gave out I indulged in a 45-minute deep tissue massage expertly applied to the areas most in need of recovery.

Perfect way to unwind after a long day in the mountains

It’s tradition on the last evening of the week to dress up in costume, share stories and skits from the most entertaining parts of the trip, and join a dance party after dinner. For details you’ll have to wait until I post the video, or for a teaser go to my blog post on Fred’s 75th birthday. My only regret from my experience was not conditioning better in advance – next time I’ll be prepared for the endless activity!

Tequila shots, Bugaboos style

This trip broke nearly every stereotype and concern I had of heli-skiing. Groups ranged in age from 30 to 75 years old, from expert to first time heli-skiers of varying fitness levels and expertise. Over half our group were women, and though I was the lone snowboarder for most runs the guides were experienced to lead boarders to alternative routes to avoid flats or let the group break the trail when traverses were unavoidable. The one thing we all shared was an unquenchable thirst for skiing or snowboarding; sharing the week with like-minded, passionate adventurers is an incredible experience I’m now addicted to relive as often as possible.

Bittersweet departure . . . leaving another several feet of fresh snow

One last view leaving overlooking Bugaboos, already dreaming of the next visit . . .

To view the photo gallery, click here: http://andreajohnson.photoshelter.com/gallery/Canadian-Mountain-Holidays-Bugaboos-winter-2012-keyworded-jpeg-gallery/G00006bXvwPD9eRc/C0000hAZQz6N6JNY

Petra, one of the seven wonders of the world, has a mystique that lingers in our imaginations and does not disappoint in person.

Even the entrance to the fabled ‘rose red city’ is dramatic, a winding sandstone canyon known as the Siq, which opens up to this view of the treasury. Western visitors will recognize this building from the closing scenes of Steven Spielberg movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Although now this World Heritage Site is filled with the clattering of horse drawn carriages and awe-inspired tourists, it is still impressively preserved.

Over 900 steps lead to this view of the Monastery, the largest carved monument in Petra, dating back to the 1st century AD. This ancient city was built over 2,000 years ago by the Nabateans but is known to be inhabited from as early as 7,000 B.C. The Nabateans were a nomadic Arab people from Arabia renowned for their refined culture & massive architecture. By the end of the 2nd century B.C. Petra had become a huge city which thrived until the 2nd century A.D. when the Romans diverted the lucrative silk, incense & spice trade route linking China, India, and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece & Rome. By the 14th century Petra was completely lost to the west and was fiercly guarded by the local Bedoiins for nearly 300 years until a Swiss traveler disguised himself as an Arab anad rediscovered the ‘lost city’ in 1812.

Beautifully carved and colorful sandstone caves are remarkably preserved, and found by a little exploring off the beaten path. I only had two days to explore, just scratched the surface.

Visitors to Petra average 40,000 people a month, but during the winter months and a rainy day I was able to find moments of tranquility and solitude. One of the most amazing aspects of my experience was the gracious hospitality of the local Jordanians. I have never encountered such a welcome in any other comparatively touristed area in Eqypt, Greece, Rome, or the many other monuments of the world I’ve visited. Their hospitality is woven into their culture, and their respect for visitors and genuine smiles will continue to linger in my memories until I return.

More Petra photos on my stock photo website –
link here http://andreajohnson.photoshelter.com/gallery/Petra-Jordan/G0000nwLOdb_eDN4

Va Piano Vineyards, Walla Walla, Washington

My home base in Walla Walla for several trips the past few months – a private guest room on the top floor of Va Piano’s beautiful winery and estate vineyards in Walla Walla.

Winemaker Marcus Notaro, Cole Solare Winery, Red Mountain, Washington

Cole Solare, Red Mountain AVA, eastern Washington

Col Solare, a collaboration between Chateau Ste. Michelle and Italy’s famed winemaker, Marchese Piero Antinori, has one of the most distinctive winery buildings I’ve photographed. Looking forward to capturing their harvest in this spectacular space.

Chris & Gary Figgins, Leonetti Cellars & Figgins Family Estates, Walla Walla

Figgins Family Wine Estates, Walla Walla, Washington

I’ve photographed the Figgins Family on multiple occasions, and am looking forward to shadowing the team during harvest.

Paul Golitzin, Quilceda Creek, Washington

Quilceda Creek has a brand new winery building, and I look forward to capturing their first harvest in their elegant new facility.

Jarrod Boyle at Alexandria Nicole Cellar's spectacular Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington

My favorite yoga pose - Thanks Jarrod for the great photo in your Destiny Ridge vineyard!

It’s tough to find time to balance in the flury of activities immediately before and during harvest – thanks to all the winemakers who have taken a break to join me in a few yoga poses in the vineyard and for making the the journey so enjoyable!

To see more Washington Wine photos, please visit my regularly updated stock site - http://bit.ly/AndreaJohnsonWashingtonWine

CMH used the our video to launch ‘The Wildest New Adventure in North America”.

Brett Lawrence setting the course for the new Conrad Glacier experience, Bobbie Burns lodge

Brett Lawrence zip lining across glacial river, working with Bruce Howatt to create the newest Conrad Glacier Experience

The CMH blog written by Topher Donahue also interviews Bruce Howatt, the manager of CMH Bobbie Burns – here’s an excerpt from his post: “You’re right. It isn’t a via ferrata nor is it anywhere close to a traditional hike. The trip is hiking, navigating wild canyons using bridges and rungs, ascending colourful rock slabs right next to waterfalls, zipline crossings, traversing rock walls next to a glacier and, coming soon, more climbing, waterfalls and hopefully some crevasse crossings. All this is mixed into some of the most scenic, mind-blowing, wild mountain hiking you can imagine. Blue glaciers, dark orange rock and bright green ponds are everywhere.”

An exhilarating excursion to the summit of Mt. Nimbus along North America\’s longest and most extensive via ferrata route. Deep in the Purcell mountains, the Bobbie Burns mountain guides designed and created a Via Ferrata (Italian for \”Iron Way\”)

We also enjoyed more ‘traditional’ heli-hiking excursions from the Bobbie Burns and Bugaboos base lodges, though the experiences were far from any other hiking experience I’ve encountered in the world.

Heli - Hiking the spectacular Anthea’s - A half-day, resoundingly alpine hike along a goat trail up to a high ridge, with great views of the Conrad Glacier, looking down at towering ice needles and into looming crevasses, Bobbie Burns Lodge.

Access to spectacular varied scenery was endless with the helicopter dropping us off where the best weather and conditions prevailed. I spent a month ‘roughing it’ hiking to Everest Base camp, and while the Himalayan views certainly rivaled Canada I’ve never expeienced adventures based from refined, remote mountain lodges with a highly-trained pastry & head chef cooking with health, flavour, and presentation in mind, using the finest fresh Western Canadian ingredients!

Heli - Hiking the spectacular Ridge Rooftop, a rocky, above-timberline hike. and one of the best places to get a 360 degree view of the southern Columbias , Bugaboo Spires, and the Canadian Rockies, Bugaboos Lodge.

Enjoying my view from the top of Ridge Rooftop hike, Bugaboos Lodge

View of Bugaboos spires from Bugaboos Lodge

Here’s a few last vantage points, I’ve created 360 degree virtual reality tours of two locations, click here to view (you’ll need a fast internet connection to view the detailed hd panos)

http://andreajohnsonphotography.com/portfolios/projects/360-panoramic

For 30+ years CMH has been guiding guests on extraordinary lodge-based journeys in BC’s Canadian Rockies. Here’s a link to their website and blog with more details about these adventures:

http://blog.canadianmountainholidays.com/the-adventure/bid/76933/The-Wildest-New-Adventure-in-North-America

It’s that time of year again, time to harvest bountiful Oregon fruit. Last year I spent several days at Orchard View Farms in the Dalles, Oregon for a farm to table project on Oregon fruit. This month a selection of cherry harvest photos is featured in 1859- Oregon’s Magazine http://www.1859oregonmagazine.com/

Symmetrical rows of Cherry blossoms

Honey Bee polinates cherry blossom, Oregon

Ripe bing cherries

Cherries are handpicked at Orchard View Farms harvest, The Dalles, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Orchard View Farms cherry harvest, The Dalles, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Classic Cherry Pie, Paley's Place, Portland, Oregon

I have avoided speaking about my personal life in my business because I hadn’t felt it was appropriate, but I now feel compelled to share so many things I wished I’d said before. Dale was my biggest supporter, he helped establish my photography career and worked tirelessly behind the scenes. He had the patience of a saint, and was kind, spirited, adventurous, funny, creative and had an amazing capacity to care for others and love. He helped me focus on what was really important in life; beyond all the professional accolades or successes what I most cherish is the love he showed unconditionally and his ability to live life to the fullest. While I was driven and endlessly active, he balanced my energy with his calmness and ability to find peace in the stillness; he was my rock and he enabled me to become what I am today. I will forever be grateful to him for all has done and his spirit will be deeply missed by so many people whose lives he touched profoundly.

We kept a journal of our personal journey – our round the world trip from Oct 2000 to December 2001, which I’d recently archived in this blog (see archive entries by those dates). Below is a summary of a life well lived, details of moments behind the photographs I haven’t shared with many before now.

Dale in 1994, portrait I took right after he proposed on ferry en route to Victoria, Canada

Our wedding reception in Portland; this photo ended up on the cover of the Portland bridal guide book

In October of 2000 we quit our jobs and began a 14 month journey backpacking around the world. The first leg of the trip was riding our harley down highway 101 from Portland to LA.

Portrait of us riding the harley through wine country in Napa

Australian Outback Highway. We bought a used subaru and drove over 10,000 miles throughout Australia, camping in remote locations. This photo really is more Dale's than mine - before I feel asleep I asked him to find the perfect straight road and puffy white clouds, when I woke up a few hours later he's stopped the car in this spot.

Scuba diving with 60 year old turtle in Sipidan, Borneo & portrait of us in Fiji. Together we logged over 100 dives in Hawaii, Belize, Fiji, French Polynesia, & the Philippines - our favorite was the month spent in Palau, Micronesia. Dale was a much better diver than me, able to photograph while maneuvering through very technical and challenging terrain.

Rock climbing in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. We were on this island during Sept 11, 2001 - our Muslim friends were incredibly kind and hospitable. We stayed on the island for three months & became rock climbing instructors and website designers for a Thai friend, Suchard who owned Phi Phi Climbers. After the tsunami hit this tiny island in December of 2004 we helped raise over $2,500 to help in the rebuilding and relief of this island community.

Our tandum bungy jump off 141 foot Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand - the world's 1st Commercial Bungy Jump. In addition to the scuba diving and rock climbing, we were constantly enjoying adventure activities together including mountain biking, white water and sea kayaking, snowboarding, and trekking. In Nepal we hiked independently and carried our own packs from Jiri, near Kathmandu to Everest Base camp, spending a month along the trail and covering over 60,000 feet of elevation change during the journey.

Dale strung this prayer flag near Everest Base camp in honor of his mother who was battling cancer at the time (she has successfully recovered twice). Mt. Everest is the center peak with least amount of snow, deceptively Nuptse appears taller in the foreground.

Sunrise over Himalayas near Everest Base Camp, Khumbu region, Nepal. Although I took this photo, I hardly remember it. Dale woke me early one morning and helped guide me outside the teahouse; I was suffering dysentery and a scratched cornea and only took two slides of this scene, miraculously this handheld shot turned out and became a signature from our trip. If you view this image 90 degrees counter clockwise you'll see the spirit of the himalaya profile.

These portraits were taken at the end of our 14 month journey in Thailand, where we returned briefly to recover from our Nepal trek. During our adventure we'd continued to simply our lives, and by the end our out journey we managed to live off US $20 dollars a day total expenses. We'd lost 15 and 20 pounds but were healthy, strong, happy, and balanced.

Portrait of me standing inside the Wave, Coyote Buttes, Paria Canyon Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness National Monument, Arizona. After Dale & I returned from our overseas journey we decided to explore the natural wonders closer to home. This photo was truly a collaborative effort, and helped give me the confidence to begin my freelance photography business when it was chosen by National Geographic Adventure magazine as a contest winner - see link below.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0312/readers_photo.html

Dale hiking in Alabama Hills with Mt. Whitney in background.

Dale & I dressed up in theme for his 40th birthday party at our house, August 2003.

Our front yard summer of 2004, one year after we'd completely redesigned the landscape. Dale worked with the Dave, Drew, and Dan Porter to create this oasis, a five foot and two foot waterfall feeding into two streams and small pond. All the plants were native and hardy (with the exception of the bamboo borders). Dale continued to work with the Porters/ BCI contracting to construct wetland restorations in large scale throughout Oregon & Washington.

Dale's portrait of me taking a break from snowshoeing around Crater Lake, winter of 2004. We continued to explore and photograph together whenever possible, though it became challenging to balance our new businesses and time together.

Dale kayaking at dawn with Mt. Hood in background. This photo was taken for a VIA magazine cover and feature story. Dale helped behind the scenes and was the model for countless photographs.

Dale at home Sept 2006

To see more photos of Dale, click the link below

http://andreajohnson.photoshelter.com/gallery/Dale-Johnson-memorial/G0000pKVz6hjomCE

Wooldridge Vineyards patio overlooking the Applegate Valley, Southern Oregon

Bicycling Klickitat trail, Columbia River Gorge, Washington

Bicycling at Cannon Beach offers closeup views of Haystack Rock, Oregon

Bicyclist silhouetted by Salmon Street Springs water fountain at Tom McCall waterfront park, Portland, Oregon

Colorful bicycle culture at Portland Pride Celebration parade

Hikers enjoy close-up view of rainbow underneath Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Hiker enjoys view of Latourell Falls, Columbia Gorge, Oregon

More Oregon photos on my stock site – http://bit.ly/Andreajohnsonphotography-Oregon

http://thephotosociety.org/blog/how-to-respond-to-requests-for-free-photography/

Reasons Why Professional Photographers Cannot Work for Free

Dear potential photo buyer,

If you have been directed to this page, it is likely that you have requested the use of an image or images for free or minimal compensation.

As professional photographers, we receive requests for free images on a regular basis. In a perfect world, each of us would love to be able to respond in a positive manner and assist, especially with projects or efforts related to areas such as education, social issues, and conservation of natural resources. It is fair to say that in many cases, we wish we had the time and resources to do more to assist than just send photographs.

Unfortunately, such are the practicalities of life that we are often unable to respond, or that when we do, our replies are brief and do not convey an adequate sense of the reasons underlying our response.

Circumstances vary for each situation, but we have found that there are a number of recurring themes, which we have set out below with the objective of communicating more clearly with you, and hopefully avoiding misunderstandings or unintentionally engendering ill will.

Please take the following points in the constructive manner in which they are intended. We certainly hope that after you have had a chance to read this, we will be able to talk again and establish a mutually beneficial working relationship.

Photographs Are Our Livelihood
Creating compelling images is the way we make our living. If we give away our images for free, or spend too much time responding to requests for free images, we cannot make a living.

We Do Support Worthy Causes With Images
Most of us do contribute photographs, sometimes more, to support certain causes. In many cases, we may have participated directly in projects that we support with images, or we may have a pre-existing personal relationship with key people involved with the efforts concerned. In other words, each of us can and does provide images without compensation on a selective basis.

We Have Time Constraints
Making a leap from such selective support to responding positively to every request we get for free photographs, however, is impractical, if for no other reason than the substantial amount of time required to respond to requests, exchange correspondence, prepare and send files, and then follow-up to find out how our images were used and what objectives, if any, were achieved. It takes a lot of time to respond to requests, and time is always in short supply.

Pleas of “We Have No Money” Are Often Difficult to Fathom
The primary rationale provided in nearly all requests for free photographs is budgetary constraint, meaning that the requestor pleads a lack of funds.

Such requests frequently originate from organisations with a lot of cash on hand, whether they be publicly listed companies, government or quasi-government agencies, or even NGOs. Often, it is a simple matter of taking a look at a public filing or other similar disclosure document to see that the entity concerned has access to significant funding, certainly more than enough to pay photographers a reasonable fee should they choose to do so.

To make matters worse, it is apparent that all too often, of all the parties involved in a project or particular effort, photographers are the only ones being asked to work for free. Everyone else gets paid.

Given considerations like this, you can perhaps understand why we frequently feel slighted when we are told that: “We have no money.” Such claims can come across as a cynical ploy intended to take advantage of gullible individuals.

We Have Real Budget Constraints
With some exceptions, photography is not a highly remunerative profession. We have chosen this path in large part due to the passion we have for visual communication, visual art, and the subject matters in which we specialise.

The substantial increase in photographs available via the internet in recent years, coupled with reduced budgets of many photo buyers, means that our already meager incomes have come under additional strain.

Moreover, being a professional photographer involves significant monetary investment.

Our profession is by nature equipment-intensive. We need to buy cameras, lenses, computers, software, storage devices, and more on a regular basis. Things break and need to be repaired. We need back-ups of all our data, as one ill-placed cup of coffee could literally erase years of work. For all of us, investment in essential hardware and software entails thousands of dollars a year, as we need to stay current with new technology and best practices.

In addition, travel is a big part of many of our businesses. We must spend a lot of money on transportation, lodging and other travel-related costs.

And of course, perhaps most importantly, there is a substantial sum associated with the time and experience we have invested to become proficient at what we do, as well as the personal risks we often take. Taking snapshots may only involve pressing the camera shutter release, but creating images requires skill, experience and judgement.

So the bottom line is that although we certainly understand and can sympathise with budget constraints, from a practical point of view, we simply cannot afford to subsidise everyone who asks.

Getting “Credit” Doesn’t Mean Much
Part and parcel with requests for free images premised on budgetary constraints is often the promise of providing “credit” and “exposure”, in the form or a watermark, link, or perhaps even a specific mention, as a form of compensation in lieu of commercial remuneration.

There are two major problems with this.

First, getting credit isn’t compensation. We did, after all, create the images concerned, so credit is automatic. It is not something that we hope a third party will be kind enough to grant us.

Second, credit doesn’t pay bills. As we hopefully made clear above, we work hard to make the money required to reinvest in our photographic equipment and to cover related business expenses. On top of that, we need to make enough to pay for basic necessities like food, housing, transportation, etc.

In short, receiving credit for an image we created is a given, not compensation, and credit is not a substitute for payment.

“You Are The Only Photographer Being Unreasonable”
When we do have time to engage in correspondence with people and entities who request free photos, the dialogue sometimes degenerates into an agitated statement directed toward us, asserting in essence that all other photographers the person or entity has contacted are more than delighted to provide photos for free, and that somehow, we are “the only photographer being unreasonable”.

We know that is not true.

We also know that no reasonable and competent photographer would agree to unreasonable conditions. We do allow for the fact that some inexperienced photographers or people who happen to own cameras may indeed agree to work for free, but as the folk wisdom goes: “You get what you pay for.”

Please Follow-Up
One other experience we have in common is that when we do provide photographs for free, we often do not receive updates, feedback or any other form of follow-up letting us know how the event or project unfolded, what goals (if any) were achieved, and what good (if any) our photos did.

All too often, we don’t even get responses to emails we send to follow-up, until, of course, the next time that someone wants free photographs.

In instances where we do agree to work for free, please have the courtesy to follow-up and let us know how things went. A little consideration will go a long way in making us feel more inclined to take time to provide additional images in the future.

Wrap Up
We hope that the above points help elucidate why the relevant photographer listed below has sent you to this link. All of us are dedicated professionals, and we would be happy to work with you to move forward in a mutually beneficial manner.

Note to photographers: You can use the above text under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Please ensure that you include a link to this page. If you’d like to add your name to the list below, please use the contact form. Text by Tony Wu.