Jacko,
I have a friend who was due to fly just such a flight this weekend. He's a pro photographer and the pilot was a PPL holder.
When the Flying School they had booked with found out the purpose of the flight, they told the PPL that he could be construed as flying for hire and reward. They promptly terminated the arranged self-fly-hire. Maybe it's because of that kind of behaviour that the Darwin nominees go out solo?