Professional photographer does her brother's catering company's marketing for free until he jokes that her career isn't “real" at a party; so she sends him an invoice: ‘I have clients who pay me very well for what I give him for free’

She did $28,800 worth of work for free to help launch her brother's catering business, but when he dissed her in front of everyone, she wasn't feeling so generous anymore. 

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  • Professional female photographer checking the settings on her camera.
    via shironosov

    (Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.)

  • Photography and videography jobs are so nebulous because the cameras, and all their magicks, are no longer gatekept. Once hidden to the general population behind a monumentally expensive paywall, cameras are now in everyone's pocket, getting upgraded with every new iPhone gimmick and every photo enhancement app. What most people struggle to understand is the artistry and the nuances of photography, which requires years of training, skill, and an innate ability (an “eye” as they once called it) to create composition. 

    Anyone can take a photo on their phone, sure, but not everyone is a photographer. 

    I've seen enough photos on my dad's camera roll, with 100x pixelated zoom, uncentered portraits, and a blurry thumb in the corner of every photo to know that being a photographer is far more complex than a simple snapshot.

    This photographer's brother seemed to think otherwise…

    Although he had been the main beneficiary of her talents, enjoying free business marketing on her behalf for over two years, he didn't see the value in her career. After spending years curating her own business, she was tired of explaining her profession to those who didn't understand or appreciate it. So when she realized how her brother really felt about her career, she decided to remind him how she paid her own bills: With money from paying, appreciative clients. 

  • AITJ for sending my brother an invoice after he said what I do isnt that hard and anyone with a phone could do it
    via blushy_glowingz
  • I already sent it. Its sitting in his inbox right now. And I know this is going to cause a family thing but I dont care anymore.My brother
    via blushy_glowingz
  • started a small catering business about two years ago. He does events. Weddings. Birthdays. Corporate stuff. Hes
    via blushy_glowingz
  • good at the food part. Hes terrible at everything else. Which is where I come in.I am a videographer and photographer. I do
    via blushy_glowingz
  • Chef of a catering company working in the kitchen.
    via Willians Huerta

    (Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.)

  • this full time. Its my career. Its what pays my bills. And for the past two years | have been doing all of my brothers promotional content
    via blushy_glowingz
  • for free. Every single piece of it.Menu photos. Event highlight reels. Social media content. Short videos for his website. Headshots
    via blushy_glowingz
  • for his team page. Ive even shown up at some of his events on weekends to shot footage he can use for marketing. All free.
    via blushy_glowingz
  • All because hes my brother and I wanted to see him succeed.Were talking probably eight to ten hours a month on average. Sometimes
    via blushy_glowingz
  • Catering buffet setup at an event.
    via Dragon Images

    (Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.)

  • more during his busy season. If I were billing a client for this work it would be somewhere around 800 to 1200 dollars a month depending on
    via blushy_glowingz
  • the scope. Ive been doing it for two years. I have given this man thousands of dollars worth of work.
    via blushy_glowingz
  • Last month we were at a family dinner and someone asked my brother about his marketing. He said oh my sister handles all that. Then
    via blushy_glowingz
  • someone asked him what I charge. He laughed and said nothing she just does it on her phone its not like its a real production.
    via blushy_glowingz
  • On her phone. Not a real production. I use professional cameras. Professional lighting. Professional editing software that I pay monthly for. I have
    via blushy_glowingz
  • spent years learning this. I went to school for this. I have clients who pay me very well for exactly what I give him for free.
    via blushy_glowingz
  • And he told a table full of people that I do it on my phone like Im posting instagram stories.
    via blushy_glowingz
  • Cheezburger Image 10618655232
    via DragonImages

    (Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.)

  • As a man whose livelihood was based on his services, his skills, and his trade, he should have known better than to diss someone's hard-earned career. 

    The fact that he even tried to cower behind the excuse of it being “a joke” justifies her response even more. Not only was he willing to diss her and her career in front of potential clients, but he also belittled and diminished her for nothing more than a cocktail hour chuckle. Nice going, big bro. 

  • I didnt say anything at dinner because I was too stunned. But I went home and I thought about it all night. The next morning I opened a
    via blushy_glowingz
  • blank invoice template and billed him for the last three months of work at a heavily discounted rate. About a third of
    via blushy_glowingz
  • what I would charge any other client. I sent it with a message that said going forward I need to charge for my time.
    via blushy_glowingz
  • the same way you charge clients for your food. He called me within an hour. He said I was being ridiculous.
    via blushy_glowingz
  • He said family doesnt charge family. I said family also doesnt tell a room full of people that what I do isnt real work. He said it was a joke. I
    via blushy_glowingz
  • said it wasnt funny and it told me exactly how you see what I contribute to your business which is apparently nothing.
    via blushy_glowingz
  • Matt Dave... "Explain what was funny about your joke, I don't get it"
    via Matt Dave
  • Lavender... You've helped him promote his business for free for years and he has an opportunity to brag on you and he
    via Lavender
  • skips the opportunity and dismisses what you do, instead? That's not a joke. That's just mean.
    via Lavender
  • Dachshun... "What is funny about blatantly disrespecting me and the thousands of dollars of work I have done for you for free?"
    via Dachshun
  • I dont know why you discounted anything. Take down anything of yours and quit being the doormat.
    via Dachshun
  • WestCovina... Not only are you not the j, you should not even bill it at a discount. He pays full price from here on out.
    via WestCovina
  • Dizzy-Revo... Family doesnt charge family but family also doesnt tell a table full of people that what you do is basically nothing. He valued your work at
    via Dizzy-Revo
  • zero and is shocked you put an actual number on it
    via Dizzy-Revo
  • Wolfstigma. There's a lot of people that think "family" means you both have to put up with people being and that you can treat family like . Kinda stupid.
    via Wolfstigma

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