cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

When I’ve been at the beach or at parks, I have been asked to take a cell phone pic on occasion. Usually, it’s been the sort of situation where the cellphone owner has already taken pictures of the family or companions and just wants to be included in one of the images…a snapshot for the memories… no investment of time. It always brought smile. It just seems like one of those small acts of kindness that i wish was more common. I never got the impression that someone was taking advantage or trying to get a professional freebie.

I have been asked to render free professional service in situations that involved using my gear and expending time. But that is another story and usually a very different result.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

“She’s always available but she’s never free”.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

You were not wrong. And his response was a validation that your response was correct.

Love the Turkey story.

Bobby123

If I'm in a tourist area and someone or a group wants a cell phone picture then they aren't looking for portraiture, they're looking for a memory. I spend a minute or two and I always, always get a warm and grateful response. If I see a family and one parent is taking a photo of the family with a great background I'll offer to take the photo so they can all be in the picture. It's just common courtesy. It doesn't cost me anything and they have a photo to keep. I don't understand how that could be a problem. If they are asking for a professional service for free then that's a whole different issue and it can be educational to help them get over their sense of entitlement.

cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

JBRIII

I would have thought writing a scrip for a non-patient would be a big no-no, even if legal, one could end up caugh up in something not-legal. Gooks will scam anyone, just at Madoff.

photoman43

This pretty matches my experiences too. When I am asked, mostly by locals, I comply with a big smile. Then as "payment" I ask them for permission to take pictures of them with my camera so I have some images of locals as part of my images for that location.

Mainridge Loc: NW Mich, SW Fla

That reminds me of a story my grandfather told about his weekly bridge group (back when people played bridge). There was one doctor in the group and one woman in the group who was a borderline hypochondriac. Every week she would bring a new ailment to the doctor’s attention seeking his advice. Finally, on about the 5th week or so, the doctor had had enough. When the woman brought forth her new ailment, the doctor politely instructed her to go into the bedroom, take off all her clothes and he would be right in. From that point on, there were no ailments to report.

Shutterbugsailer Loc: Staten Island NY (AKA Cincinnati by the Sea)

I bet if she was pretty and he was a gynecologist, he would have been happy if she complied. He would have her problem licked in no time

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

I find that if I smilingly take their group picture on their cel phone, they leave the area and get out of my way sooner.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Perhaps the thread has gone slightly off-topic. The OP mentioned that folks had some expectation of a studio-quality professional portrait from a cell phone. As I stated previously, my friends and neighbours, who know I am a professional photograher, have never asked me to do that. Some of these folks, over the three years, have come to my studio and paid my fees as they would at any neighbourhood business. For very close friends and family, I have done work at a discount or did a few for free. Some of my kid's classmates could not afford a really good grad portrait so I gave them a graduation present. I have donated my work to help charitable fundraising. During ther heigh of the pandemic lockdowns, I helped out a few local restaurant owners by shootg some food shots for their online takeout and curbside pickup online menus at low rates or in exchange for some food service. We need to try to keep each herein business. Members of a community should be willing to give back.

I made reference to dentists and plastic surgeons. Obviously, optional and non-emergency plastic surgery and some kind of cosmetic dentistry are luxury items but if I was a physician, I would not refuse anyone medical advice if I thought they were seriously ill, in pain, or might be suffering a severe or deadly illness or injury. I'm sure most doctors wod agree. It's unfortunately true, that some folks have no respect for professionalism. If I had a sick kid, I would not seek out fee advice from a friend or neighbour who is a health professional. I would call my family doctor or go immediately to the local ER.

WOW! That "MD" license plate is impressive it bears the Caduceus or the Staff of Acelepiouss, the symbols of medicine! In my New York days, the "MD" was just part of the letter/number combination on the plate. It was issued so doctors could make house calls without worrying about parking restrictions. I guess they don't do house calls anymore so the MD thing on the tag may be a vanity plate! If a person does not want to advertise his or her profession, they shouldn't get that plate. Gotta admit again, it's very impressive!
Well, I did remove my studio logo from the van- it tended to attract car burglars. Now it's a black SUV with dark-tinted windows- looks like a funeral director's removal car and nobody bothers it anymore.

Back to cell phone cameras. My city is a busy tourist location so if some nice visitor asks me to shoot a cellphone shot, with their phone, I just smile and do it! I don't waste time and tell them I am a photograher. All they want is a shot of the family in front of the Parliament Buildings. I'll just say " Bienvenue à Ottawa, souriez et regardez la caméra" so they think I speak no English and they walk away contented with my "masterpiece" in their phone!

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

Another result could have been that she complied and he just left her in the bedroom while they continued the game with her hand as the "dummy."

I know nothing abut bridge except that it is a card game and there is a hand sometimes called the dummy (I think).

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

I have come to decline that kind of offer immediately! Fortunately I was warned before I ventured into Vienna on my own. There are a lot of "things" there that are very worthy of a photo. There was a statue of a horse and rider, and while I took a photo of it, a young fellow walked up to me and offered to take my photo with my camera, with me standing next to the statue. But I had already been told, that more often than not, once the person has the camera in his hand, he'll make a run for it, never to be seen again by the owner of the camera.
So, there were a couple of locations where I would like a photo of myself with the building, statue or whatever - easy solution: went into town with my cousin and we took photos of each other and had a very pleasant, fun-filled afternoon.

anotherview Loc: California

Your sensible reply reminds me of a similar approach my expert car mechanic uses when people telephone him and ask his advice. He says, "Bring it in so we can look at it."

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

What a bunck of tight-asses. Just be gracious and take the shot with their phone. No need to go all "I am a PROFESSIONAL, and I'm too good for the lot of you."