Getting Involved with Volunteering & Photography

[rvpals]

Hello, everyone.

I'm not offering advice because I am new to photography.

I have always want to get involve in volunteer and do something meaningful with my time and camera, in the process get some more experience.

I am just wondering if you guys have some tips on how to get started, to get involve.

I lived in New Jersey, US.

[Nicole]

I just moved your post to it's very own thread because I think this is probably a question that a lot of people have, so there's no need to bury it

I don't really have a lot of advice on the matter though. Your first step could really just be approaching a place that you want to volunteer to take photos at and first volunteer as a regular ordinary volunteer. That might get you to the point where you can say: look, I'm also a photographer and I'd love to donate some time to do some photos for you. Just a thought though since I can't say I've done this. You might also check the internet for some places that actively recruit volunteer photographers. I know I've seen it for a few causes.

[doubleg]

I think this site was posted on DPS at one time. You might be interested in this organization.

Help-Portrait Community

[AshNZ]

I'm a registered volunteer photographer with Greenpeace, although they've never called my up so far.

[Photoboothguy]

Start a photo booth business...you'll have people asking you to volunteer on a weekly basis :P

Help-Portrait is one that I know of, but I'm still having a hard time with that one. I'm still struggling with the concept.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep is another group that I know of. This is a group that takes photos of babies that die during child birth or pregnancy. Sounds a little creepy and wierd, but yeah, there's a group for that.

Otherwise, a lot of non-profit and charity groups do fund-raisers throughout the year and like to have a photographer at their events. I've gotten several with the local American Cancer Society who initially called about donating my photo booth. They asked if I could do regular photography too, and volunteered that as well. Apparently my bid of "free" came well below that of everyone else.

Just remember to get a reciept for the tax write-off

[Jim Poor]

Originally Posted by Photoboothguy

Just remember to get a reciept for the tax write-off

No can do in most situations. You can't write off your time as a donation.

Habitat for Humanity needs photographers.
Animal rescue groups need photographers.
Terrorist organizations like Green Peace need photographers.

It really depends on what you are interested in shooting.

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

Terrorist organizations like Green Peace need photographers.

coffee-spit moment.

[Swisstony10]

Find a charity that you think is worthwhile, give them a call, and ask if they could do with a free photographer at their next event. Chances are they'll leap at the chance, even if they already have someone (whether paid or unpaid).

I was having one of my regular check-ups last year, and my oncologist told me that the next day he was taking part in an abseil in the city centre to help raise money for the Oncology Department's appeal to improve the building. I asked if they had anybody going to take pictures (as I had nothing else on that day), he put me in touch with the people who organise the charity stuff, they called and said they'd love to have a photographer, but they couldn't pay because they had no budget for it. I'm a patient at the facility - if I can do something to help improve it (it's a really dire and depressing building) then it's in my interests to do it.

My pictures have since been used in their publicity material, I've done more work for them since (paid, when they have a budget for it, but unpaid the rest of the time), I've also picked up paid work with other parts of the hospital organisation, and from people who took part in the abseil.

It's a good way to network, gain contacts, build a reputation, and get more experience, and everybody wins.

Russ.

[Swisstony10]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

Terrorist organizations like Green Peace need photographers.

Thanks Jim! It doesn't matter how cack my day is being, there's a neat group of people here at DPS who can always be relied upon to brighten it.

[wanda_whitehead]

My nephew and his now wife had a quickie wedding and never had any pics taken of them during the ceremony or afterwards...I volunteered to take some photos of them at home and at our country cabin and other places free in order to learn the art of poses...had some good ones and some flops but it was absolutely a learning experience!