A few months ago, Meg and I left our apartment to spend a month in Mexico. We weren't sure what we'd do afterward, but we knew NYC wasn't aligning with our family values at the moment. Don’t get me wrong I love NYC, but that's a story for another time. Since late February, and for lack of better words, we've been living like nomads, facing challenges that have pushed us to adapt and learn quickly, which was the main reason we left.
We wanted to break free from stagnant routines that no longer served us, and this lifestyle has forced us to grow. It reminds me of my college days when I had to be resourceful as a freelancing student. Recently, I started writing again and reflected on those times. I remembered a simple email I used to get new things I needed for camping trips that I couldn’t afford. “Dear Company, I’m a photographer based in Brooklyn New York and I’m going on a camping trip to ______. I absolutely love X product and I think it would fit perfectly in this photo series. If you’re interested here’s a mood board of my work that shows what I’m thinking for this shoot.” And as long as you set clear expectations (ex. 10 photos and an IG post) and over deliver on that promise you now have that thing you wanted and you may even have a new client.
It's been a while since I traded for anything because I got tired of people not paying me for my work and assuming I'd shoot photos for products. While living off trades isn't feasible, it can be a great way to supplement your work and build your portfolio or get things you need. For example, I needed beer for my photo show. Instead of spending $1500, I traded social media posts with a local brewery, which supplied 240 beers for the opening reception, leaving us with plenty of leftovers and happy guests.
The key takeaway here is that we are surrounded by products at all times, even in the middle of the woods as the pictures below show. It’s okay to take advantage of your off time to get some things you may need in exchange for your skills.
If you're in a creative field or own your own business, there are always opportunities to barter, especially in your personal projects.
