tl;dr - I got back into photography and some friends/old acquaintances are starting to request photoshoots, but I don't know how to effectively monetize it without being a dick.


I casually enjoyed taking photos in my childhood, but I really started doing it as a primary hobby in the mid-2010s, and I ended up becoming the go-to guy for (mostly paid) photography and album artwork in my region's tiny underground rap scene.

I tried to turn it into a business, but got burned out after shooting some super cheap weddings and developing a massive imposter syndrome in the process.

The music scene died out because everyone got old and started families, so I started shooting more empty spaces. Then after realizing that I had shot everything interesting in my region and falling into a severe, prolonged mental health crisis, I stopped shooting altogether for 3 years.

I recently picked my dusty Canon 6D back up and fell in love with photography again. Then, some of the connections that I had made through that scene started contacting me asking for photos.

I did two shoots for free because those people were actual friends, and I didn't trust myself enough to charge money for them. That imposter syndrome came back roaring again.

How the fuck does one get over that? I enjoy taking photos, but I'm not a reddit mod. I don't want to do it for free, especially if my services are actually growing in demand again, but the blurred line between "friends" and "clients" is hard to discern sometimes.

Any advice?