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 p.3 #4 · Second shooter, duties for pay | |
I'm enjoying (and getting a lot out of) this thread, and hearing from both sides of this issue. So now, I'd actually appreciate and welcome your collective thoughts/input on my current dilemma. Last year, I struck up a conversation with the photographer at a wedding where I was in attendance (during some downtime, of course), and we ended up exchanging contact information. A few weeks later, she called and asked me to be her permanent assistant/2nd shooter. I've had my own photography business for 4 years now, the first 3 being solely in real estate photography and some commercial. Just about a year ago, I branched out into portraiture - families, couples, children, babies, maternity. I have no aspiration or desire to become a wedding photographer myself - just not up for all the work, stress - you know :o) Anyway - I was delighted at her offer, and accepted. She said we'd have a few training sessions, and while I was "in training" my pay would be $100 per wedding, then after that $250 per. At the time it seemed agreeable. Then literally 1 week after that, before we had met for any training at all, she called me desperate for a 2nd shooter at a wedding 2 1/2 hours away. She said I'd need to rent a 70-200 lens (which I did rent from a local camera shop, at a cost of a whopping $70); and also would need lots of extra batteries for my flash and camera. So I picked those up too. So we did the wedding - put in a literal 15 hour day, what with the driving. I didn't even mind the $100. Felt I got good experience and photos. She even told me later that she usually expects to only get about 40-45 usable photos from her 2nd shooter, but she actually used 70 from mine! So I felt great about that. Since then We've had 3 training sessions, and I was given my schedule. Shortly thereafter, she canceled me for one of them, because she had a friend in town who was going to work with her on it. So that was fine, I guess. Our next one was scheduled for this weekend (5/19). With that in mind, I schedule my much-needed lasek eye surgery for last Thursday, figuring 9 days of recovery would be plenty. THEN literally on Thursday night, she called me desperate again, and asked me to do a wedding with her that weekend. It ended up being a very high-end wedding, an hour and a half away, and another 15 hour day. I even actually got the crucial shot of the couple's first kiss, which she inadvertently missed. I still got $100. :o(
I really do like this woman, we get along great, and I'm learning sooo much. I truly want to keep doing this - but it's almost like I literally "cannot afford to!" I think it would be different if I were planning on doing this as a main shooter myself some day-I'd see it as gaining invaluable experience and training, as well as an investment in my own future success as a wedding photographer. But I really truly do not want to. Which is something she has often remarked on, in the sense of why it makes me "the perfect 2nd shooter." i.e., I'll not leave her and go out on my own, as several of her previous 2nd's have.
Anyway - I guess I'd just like to know if I'm seeing this all wrong, and should just deal with it. Meanwhile, we have a wedding this weekend that's 2 1/2 hours away. Oh-I forgot to mention that I live 45 minutes south of her, and most of her weddings are located in her own area or even further north. So I'm always travelling at least 45 minutes more than she is just to get to the venue.
One other thing is that I'm thinking that I'd be willing to take the low-ish pay rate if perhaps I didn't have to literally be there from start to finish . . . ? I mean if I was truly only there for the ceremony and a few key moments, the pay would certainly be fair. But I just don't know if I can, or even want, to spend 15+ hours every Saturday working my butt off, for $100, and with the hopes of some day getting $250.
I know I need to communicate with her to find out when or how she'll decide to start paying me the $250 rate. But I'm really not good at confrontation :o(
Well anyway, go ahead. Let me have it. Tell me what you think, or what I need to hear. And I'll try and take it gracefully and appreciatively - truly. Thanks again.
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