Of course not!

Please don't ask Photographers, Performers or other Artists to work for free! I have personally spent more than TEN YEARS honing my skills and there is nothing more insulting you can say to any artist than; "There's no budget but the exposure will be great for you!"

This video may help explain:

"People who would consider it a bizarre breach of conduct to expect anyone to give them a haircut or a can of soda at no cost will ask you, with a straight face and a clear conscience, whether you wouldn’t be willing to write an essay or draw an illustration for them for nothing. They often start by telling you how much they admire your work, although not enough, evidently, to pay one cent for it." (Krieder, 2013)

Author Tim Kreider provides a template for a polite response to those who ask you to work for free:

Thanks very much for your compliments on my [writing/illustration/whatever thing you do]. I’m flattered by your invitation to [do whatever it is they want you to do for nothing]. But [thing you do] is work, it takes time, it’s how I make my living, and in this economy I can’t afford to do it for free. Thanks again for your kind words about my work.

I would like to add something along the lines of; "Please feel free to contact me when your budget allows for paying the artist". Or something less nice ;)

One last thing you may want to consider if you have a friend/relative who is a professional photographer - please do not casually ask; "Oh, and can you bring your camera to my party/event/wedding". If they want to bring it and take photos as a gift to you, lovely. But you wouldn't say to your friend who is a tax accountant; "Oh, and can you bring along your calculator?"
It just isn't good etiquette.

A French Photographer, Sculptor and Installation Artist with no formal art training who has achieved international recognition for his works. Since the 1960s, he has worked with the ephemera of the human experience, from obituary photographs to rusted biscuit tins. His artworks seem as monuments to the dead. More...
"Christian Boltanski's work over the past four decades has focused in different ways on the notion of individual identity, on the ways in which we strive to create and maintain it, and the degree to which it is lost in the midst of collective experience." ref

Below is a description of Boltanski's latest project which you can subscribe to here:


STORAGE MEMORY SUBSCRIPTION

Receive 10 ten films by Christian Boltanski, each month.

Fee : 10 euros monthly.

Minimal subscription: a year, 120 euros.

At the end of my subscription, I will receive , by e-mail, a certificate of electronic property for the complete set of received films.

_People are always asking me which digital camera to buy. I am not expert on the matter as being a photographer and a technology expert are entirely different things - but I can provide links to good information.

DP Review (funny name, but great site) has pretty much all the info you need and the ability to create side-by-side comparisons of your favourite cameras.

Should you buy a DSLR or Point and Shoot Digital Camera?
The first thing to determine is whether to go for a DSLR or a point and shoot digital camera. Everyone thinks they need a DSLR, but do you really? Sometimes they are more of a hindrance than anything - heavy, cumbersome, expensive so you spend all night looking after it instead of enjoying yourself! Sometimes a point and shoot digital camera is all you need. Assess your needs and find the camera to match.
Here is an article that discusses this very topic:
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/should-you-buy-a-dslr-or-point-and-shoot-digital-camera

One quick suggestion is do not buy a Panasonic Lumix anything! The photo quality is about as good as a toy camera - blurry, pixelated and ugly. Awful cameras!

"On ALL compact cameras with MORE than 10MP (that is less than about $600 e.g. Lumix LX3, Powershot G10), you will get a tiny sensor and you WILL get lots of noise and loss of detail. I have many A4 sized prints from my old 3MP Canon A40 that are stunning."
[Source]

LINKS:
http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/PhotographyEquipReviews
http://www.steves-digicams.com/camera-reviews/