For some reason I seem to be the only person among friends/coworkers/family that actually enjoy taking photos. The excuses range from the obvious "I don't own a camera" to having no patience or any picture taking experience.
I have been asked on multiple occasions to take pictures for friends/family members and I enjoy the practice but the expense is starting to add up. I use a local higher end photo lab that offers great results, the people are very informative and it's close to home.
I generally enjoy the whole process of setting up and capturing the shot, having it printed and even have gone so far as matting and framing. Certain photos deserve better than sitting in an envelope or getting passed around an office or a family reunion.
When does one consider charging for doing something they love that also allows for them to gather further education by doing so?
Would you charge over and above what actually went into the final product?
Opinions, personal experience??

I think the problem when you charge for a service like that is the customer support. What if you do a mistake (like all photos deleted) at some wedding and someone sues you? I imagine an insurance is needed.
Where is the limit between your hobby that you charge and a professional photographer?
I think it is "easier" to sell photos you took (as a hobby) than providing a photography service... That said, you can always become a professional photographer :)

Thanks for your responses!
I usually limit my picture taking to animals and candid shots. These I love doing and on occasion while at someones home I will see something (landscape, nature related) and ask if I can photograph it. I always end up giving these pictures to them as it is a bit of frozen time for them to cherish later on.
My BIL, who is an architect of big money homes has an office that has an old barn on the property. It is just gorgeous and now only used for storage. I got a great shot of that one day while there and ended up framing it and giving it to him as a gift. He was quite impressed and said he would have gladly bought it from me if I had not opted to use it as a gift for him. This just got me thinking and also the fact that I am spending some cash trying to make people happy.

I have no desire to change change my profession to one of professional photographer, I am not good enough, nor will I ever spend the time to become so. I just enjoy seeing nice looking/unique things and creating memories from them. Plus, that would involve dealing with people and I have enough of that already at my "real" job! Animals, flowers, and buildings don't argue with me! LOL :)

I think the problem when you charge for a service like that is the customer support. What if you do a mistake (like all photos deleted) at some wedding and someone sues you? I imagine an insurance is needed.
:)
Hmmmmm... sounds familiar. Our wedding photographer lost at least one roll of film of pictures taken at my parent's home with my family and my sisters as I was preparing for my wedding.
:( We didn't sue but I was sad about it for a while.

Sorry to hear about it. Sueing does not help to retrieve the photos anyway but it might help the photographer to be more careful next time he/she takes photos...
You make me think I should get a second portable hard disk for a double copy of the photos when I am traveling. I would be very sad too if I lose photos.

Our wedding photographer lost at least one roll of film of pictures

For this reason i was very nervous when a friend of a friend of mine asked me to take photos of her wedding,it was before i'd got my digital camera so i used the SLR and i told the couple that they had to take the risk and they had to pay the photo-lab(3 days/10 roll of films)
Finally the photos turned out very well and they were happy.

Last year i'd been asked to take pictures at my friends wedding,and that time i was confident due to i was able to see the photos on LCD and i charged nothing as it was for a very good friends.

Also a friend,dog trainer asked me to take photos of his clients with their dogs,because he wants to write a book and needs photos,i really enjoyed it and i shot them for free.

Susi,if you like photography you could become a pro-photographer :)

Thanks for the words of advice. I prefer to stay "incognito" and not do anything rash! I will continue taking pictues for myself...I think I get a kick out of having people being able to see what I see thru my pictures. I will however "lightly" suggest that there might actually be some cost involved for future pictures taken!
I don't have any patience to speak of and although studying photography sounds more entertaining than actual work I will continue to learn as I go and enjoy the freedom that being an enthusiast brings. :)

Today I took some pictures of puppies for my breeder. I was in puppy heaven. The pictures made her so happy and I was so pleased to be able to do something for her, for a change. She has been so wonderful and helpful with so many things. And who can resist puppies???? It was so great, I'll be doing this whenever needed and plan on taking some at whatever dog shows I can make it to. :)

This is a good question and one that has trouble be quite some.

I work for an incoming travel agency. One day, my boss, a very nice guy, but ver stingy, asked me to take photos of our office and an incoming group at the airport for the new Internet site he was preparing. No mention of money, nothing. Unfortunately, this is not unusual for him.

This "photo shoot" included taking photos of my collegues in various positions both in the office and at the airport, the group, and various landmarks in Athens.

As you can understand, they all asked for their photos, each and everyone, even some that were are bit blurred. We are 7 people in the office, multiply this by 3-4! As a rule, I never charge my friends or family. I enjoy photographing them, their kids and their pets, but this was a bit too much.

I saved the photos on a cd and gave it to my boss. As for my collegues, I finally decided to charge them for the pinting expenses. The question was what to charge them. I print them myself. I finally got an estimate from a phot print shop and charged them a bit less.

I don't think it's wrong to charge someone for your expenses. It is however wrong when people ask for things without offering to cover your expenses. :(

I don't think it's wrong to charge someone for your expenses. It is however wrong when people ask for things without offering to cover your expenses. :(

Very well said Fiona!