#86 You’ve got to do something with your photos ...
... right?
I often get asked, “what do you do with your photos?”
My answer is always the same. “Nothing. I publish the best ones on Substack, here’s the link, feel free to subscribe, it’s free.”
When I tell people they can have my photos for free, I get puzzled looks. Sometimes even suspicious ones. There must be something fishy.
Why do I get those reactions in 99% of cases? It’s as if there’s something wrong with not trying to squeeze as much value as possible out of my work.
I give away my photos as a gift, pure and simple, without expecting anything in return. You don’t owe me anything when you accept them. There’s not even a moral etiquette at play that says receiving my gift creates a moral debt, an obligation to give me something back.
Why do I do it this way? I’ve thought about that.
We’ve come to see ourselves as small businesses in every part of life. It’s one of the defining ideas of our society. It traces back to Adam Smith, an 18th-century Scottish philosopher, often considered the father of modern economics, who described how people in economic exchanges act in their own interest (and how that can still serve the common good).
But what was meant to be the leading principle of economy hasn’t stayed there. The idea has spread into everything. Now, in every interaction, in every exchange with others, we’re expected to maximise our gain. Invite someone over for dinner, and you expect an invitation in return, ideally one that matches or tops your own. Receive a birthday gift, and you feel the need to give something back of equal or slightly higher value. Give a photo to someone, and of course, you should ask for something in return.
But the moment I ask you something in return, I’m bound by an obligation. If I make you pay for my Substack newsletter, I’d have to deliver what you think your money is worth. That would limit my freedom, my ability to do what I want. Photography is my hobby. I want to follow my own path, take on challenges that help me become a better person, develop as a fellow human to others. Not chase followers (or earn money with it, I’m not a pro).
But keeping my freedom is not the main reason.
The deeper point is this: I want to contribute, in a small way, to a world where we don’t constantly keep score. Where we don’t track who owes what, or who invited whom last. Where we don’t have to calculate the value of everything we share, or the value of our interactions with other people. I’d like to live in a world like that.
Anyway, here are some unconditional gifts.
I really liked to read your article. Everything you write in it is true. The saddest thing is that people, eventually, because they don't know anymore what it is to give something away without expecting something in return, they turn the act of offering into a mistrust. Everything needs to have a price and especially, that price needs to be higher. A cheap price also arises feelings of mistrust. I was having exactly this conversation with a friend the other day and he said to me, send a print to people you like. I don't have nothing against that as I've done this already but I said to him: 'and if they don't like?' to which he replied: 'that's their problem'. In fact it is their problem but I'm scared that if I do that people are going to think that I'm making publicity of my work or that I want something back from them. Maybe it is only me, I don't know. I've offered two times already a print from my stuff. One reaction, one time. The second time, no reaction.
So, if you would like some of my stuff, I'll be very happy to send you a print of it. Just go to my sub and choose one. No strings attached!
Gery, I am happy to agree with you. I am not a professional, I have sold prints here and there but my name will never be widely known and I accept that. I enjoy the work I do and if I can share it with others, wonderful. At least in that way others are enjoying too. I enjoyed your perspective.