We are extremely fortunate to have so many talented, passionate, and creative freelancers in our club. We see a lot of incredible work on the site but don't often hear about the journeys. When we were contacted by Jazzmine, who wanted to surprise her friend and Freelancer Club member, Miguel Villar, with a unique birthday gift, we loved the idea. Enjoy the story of photographer Miguel Villars in Jazzmine's words. Happy birthday.

The way we do business in the freelance industry is changing at a faster pace than ever before and those who are in denial will face an uphill battle to survive. The value of freelance services in certain sectors has decreased while the cost of running a freelance business has risen. On top of this, there is greater competition flooding into the market as more and more people choose to freelance. So, how does a freelancer succeed? There are steps a freelancer can take to help adapt to our current economy. Here are four things to consider

Edvinas Maciulis, makeup artist and hair stylist, met model, Lydia M, and photographer, Ivan Weiss, on The Freelancer Club to test shoot. The result was a new connection, great images and more experience. Check out their shoot and their story.

Freelancer Club members often connect on the site and then meet up in person to collaborate. You can find talent who are looking to test shoot or work on a project by browsing Latest Projects or even the Find A Freelancer page. Take a look at the results when two of our top freelancers meet up. We spoke to photographer, Dawn Marie Jones, for more.

Continuing our test shoot series, we caught up with Ivan Weiss about his experience as a working photographer, the reasons behind test shooting, and what it's like to be a part of a creative community.

'Test Shoot' - a collaboration amongst creatives to produce images for the purpose of (non-commercial) portfolio use. Test shooting is how freelancers gain experience, develop their skills, produce portfolio work to show what they can do and a great way to meet others in the industry. We spoke to nail artist and Freelancer Club member, Shiene Mann, to hear her test shoot story. 

Freelancing can be a lonely pursuit. Being your own boss is fantastic but you miss out on so many perks that come from working with others. Socially, it can be isolating, no after work drinks or office parties. From a business perspective, it can be hard to focus with so many distractions at home or in coffee shops and networking is practically nonexistent.

Freelancers are traditionally seen as lone wolves. Nomads of the creative world. Roaming from job to job, working on trains or fending off the glare of the coffee shop owner when you've overstayed your welcome. Our members are generally on the move or on location so why would a creative freelancer require a place to work?