The want ads for free to almost no pay photography services is getting ridiculous. It's hard to believe that these people are actually getting someone with a camera to come out and provide these services for free.
I was browsing Craigs List and ran accross this ad. If you run across these fun to read ads go ahead and post them here so we can have a good laugh!
"Blues band in need of photograpaher at an upcoming bar show.
We are Whiskey Hill, a Bay Area funk, blues and soul band that needs to have some professional photos taken of us. We are playing a gig at Murphy's Law in downtown Sunnyvale (135 S. Murphy Ave., Sunnyvale, CA) on Saturday, 12/20 from 9 PM - 1 AM.
If one could take pics for us and email them to the group, we would greatly appreciate it. Unfortunately, we are not able to pay. But, the band will buy anyone who does this two drinks at the bar. We can also serve as a reference if you seek a job as a photographer. Another incentive is that it will be a fun night anyways with good music, people partying right before Christmas at a cool bar that never charges cover."
Unfortunately, we are not able to pay. But, the band will buy anyone who does this two drinks at the bar.
How much ya wanna bet that someone will offer to do it for one drink
You get what you pay for and they will soon realise this when they get crappy full on flash shots or blurry crap. Or perhaps a skilled amateur with nothing better to do will take some great pics and further destroy the market.
Honestly, what's wrong those kinds of ads? IMO, the real issue is with the people who answer those ads?
Let's say I post an ad looking for someone to rebuild the transmission in my old truck. I'll give 'em a few beers and feed them while they're working on it and will even give them excellent references. If someone takes me up on that offer, would I really be the bad guy just because I asked?
And some wonder why they get slammed when they post the classic "I gave away my images" or "I did the shoot for free" threads.
I'm a fabulously wealthy photographer / artist making money hand over fist. Here's what I need:
A mechanic to overhaul my custom '57 Chevy.
A maid to clean my house on a regular basis
A doctor to perform some minor surgery on me.
A band to perform theme music for me where ever I go.
A carpenter and electrician to build an extra wing on my sweet house in East Austin.
A nanny to watch my spoiled kids.
Of course there will be no pay involved. In return for your services you will get FULL CREDIT on my website, AND you can add all of this work to your PORTFOLIO! If you ask me, this is an absolutely awesome deal!
I shot my friends log home and it was published in a North American and German log home magazine. I got a great meal out of the deal.
I shot my nieces wedding as a 2nd photographer. Got many great candid shots as everyone focussed on the paid photographer. Had fun all night long.
I shot a cross country ski race for the host club to be used as a slide show at the race banquet. Got a free meal out of it.
I don't see anything wrong here. The transaction is between the photographer and the people who want the photos taken. If they both are fine with the arrangement, why cry about it. Happens in every profession where work is done on the sly. Has happened in my profession by the millions as software development moved offshore 10 years ago.
chez wrote:
I shot my friends log home and it was published in a North American and German log home magazine. I got a great meal out of the deal.
I shot my nieces wedding as a 2nd photographer. Got many great candid shots as everyone focussed on the paid photographer. Had fun all night long.
I shot a cross country ski race for the host club to be used as a slide show at the race banquet. Got a free meal out of it.
I don't see anything wrong here. The transaction is between the photographer and the people who want the photos taken. If they both are fine with the arrangement, why cry about it. Happens in every profession where work is done on the sly. Has happened in my profession by the millions as software development moved offshore 10 years ago....Show more →
So you have no problem that a publication that charges for subscriptions and advertising got free work out of you, when they would pay another photographer for his time?
Niece's wedding - hey, that's family. Do what you want.
dpmurray wrote: So you have no problem that a publication that charges for subscriptions and advertising got free work out of you, when they would pay another photographer for his time?
Niece's wedding - hey, that's family. Do what you want.
No, it was more the case helping out my friend who builds / sells log homes. He had great business exposure by getting my images published.
ferradas wrote:
"Another incentive is that it will be a fun night anyways with good music, people partying right before Christmas at a cool bar that never charges cover."
The band plays at a bar with no cover. Any guesses as to how much $$ the band will make for their 4-hour gig?
turnert wrote:
The band plays at a bar with no cover. Any guesses as to how much $$ the band will make for their 4-hour gig?
~Ted
About as much as a photographer who shoots for free.
The upside for the band is that most famous/big selling groups started out doing gigs for free/little money.
The downside for the photographer is that damn few who get their work from Craig's List
end up as Annie Leibovitz. Will the band hire this photographer for their Rolling Stone cover shoot?
c.d.embrey wrote:
About as much as a photographer who shoots for free.
The upside for the band is that most famous/big selling groups started out doing gigs for free/little money.
The downside for the photographer is that damn few who get their work from Craig's List
end up as Annie Leibovitz. Will the band hire this photographer for their Rolling Stone cover shoot?
I think this is an incorrect assumption. I believe you will find that there are probably lots photographers making thier living after having given away plenty when they were starting up.
nathanlake wrote:
I think this is an incorrect assumption. I believe you will find that there are probably lots photographers making thier living after having given away plenty when they were starting up.
That's not what I said. Most, if not all, people in both the movie and photography biz started on low pay/no pay jobs. Shooting high school sports for a weekly paper, assisting an established photographer in your area. Giving photos/stories to magazines for the exposure. Etc, etc, etc. This is how you build a reputation.I'm just not convinced that getting jobs from Craig's List is a good way to do this.
When I started in the movie biz, my first job as a shooter was a Masters Thesis film for a USC student (for free). I worked on anything I could get (mostly as a grip or electrician, later as a gaffer), most at low pay. I did educational s, music videos, XXX, low and no budget features. Worked my way up to doing commercials with NABETs film local. Later joined IATSE. I know what it is like to have my wife earn more money. And she would remind me of it all the time
Now at 67 I'm trying to start a second career as a still photographer, and I've had a few photos/stories published. Thank God I'm still getting paid as a DP on videos. It does take money to get established
c.d.embrey wrote:
The downside for the photographer is that damn few who get their work from Craig's List
end up as Annie Leibovitz. Will the band hire this photographer for their Rolling Stone cover shoot?
No ... the downside is this band will also expect complete copyright licensing control for free as well.
It's one thing to help out a friend, or work out a mutually beneficial barter. It's another to proposition someone for monetary gain for the price of an adult beverage or two. Chances are ... the band drinks for free and will suffer no cost whatsoever.
Now a more fair trade would be if the band offered to provide the photographer high quality original music recordings royalty free for use on the photographer's web site or slideshow use in return for solid images. Now that is mutually beneficial.
Again, the ad shared by the OP shows so many consider photography as having little value because it has become considerably easier to attain a reasonable level of quality. Sadly, someone will accept the offer on their terms.
"Photographer needed for photo shoot of former Miss Universe and retired state governor. Only bragging rights. NO pay or commercial use of photos. Your camera or ours!
Send resume and link to portfolio for consideration."
Bragging rights This guy isn't even offering free drinks
Your camera or ours A chance to become a highly respected photo professional without even having to own a camera! Such a deal
We now have two from California, and one from Mich. Anybody on the east coast have a winner.
Here's a twist; a Craigslist post from yesterday, 12/19, warning folks about bad photographers:
Title:
"Warning about photographers for your wedding"
Post:
"My best friend hired one of these men on here for her wedding and it was a disaster. he didn't have a clue of what he was doing. He was young guy and obviously he was just practicing on her wedding unfortunately it was her one big day in her life. Now my friend is tied up in court suing him for messing up her wedding day pictures."
c.d.embrey wrote: To get this thread back on track
I found this on the LA CL
"Photographer needed for photo shoot of former Miss Universe and retired state governor. Only bragging rights. NO pay or commercial use of photos. Your camera or ours!
Send resume and link to portfolio for consideration."
Bragging rights This guy isn't even offering free drinks
Your camera or ours A chance to become a highly respected photo professional without even having to own a camera! Such a deal
We now have two from California, and one from Mich. Anybody on the east coast have a winner.
I see a real difference here. I would guess that the Whiskey Hill band is unable to pay and that the former Gov and Miss Universe (if this is not a complete scam) are able to pay. Not only are they able, but are well aware of the financial realities of a photographer.
Furthermore, how is it that a Gov and a Miss Universe don't have the contacts necessary to find a photographer without such a cheap ad.
c.d.embrey wrote:
Anybody on the east coast have a winner.
The NYC community has gotten so militant about this that the offending posts are usually flagged and removed within a couple hours of being posted. These were in my RSS reader, all from the last day:
I'm getting married on the evening of December 27th about an hour outside of the city by train. (Will compensate for travel) Looking for a photographer with an edgy style that has either experience in fashion photography or is in the process of gaining experience. Please contact me if you are interested.
Yes, that was posted as "no pay". So we get train fare for shooting your wedding!
need a photographer for my wedding. under a tight budget. looking for an artistic photographer preferably in the fashion field. Looking to keep digital files. Please email me if interested and if you have any questions. wedding is nj on dec 27th.
So this is obviously the same person reposting after their previous post got flagged and removed a couple hours earlier. Now the gig is worth $400 (was posted in the title), score!
I am aProfesional male and I am looking for a photographer for headshoots, also I like to have few artistic nude pictures
let me know your rate and availability
There's usually one of these posted every day or so, though it frequently asks for female photographers only. But at least they're offering to pay!
We are launching a new fashion website this Fall 2008. The website will be very innovating, fashion-forward and will focus on emerging designers. We are looking for Fashion photographers, Videographers and producers to help with LA, Miami, New York Fashion Week and other city wide exclusive fashionable events.
This is an excellent opportunity to get involved in a ground-up venture, to be fully immersed in the fashion world, to get valuable experience, exposure and to build beneficial relationship. The gig is unpaid for now, with potential for compensation in the near future.
I think this one's been posted, flagged, removed and reposted almost daily for the last week or two. It's a common motif: help us get our business venture off the ground, we'll take care of you later when we're rich!
nathanlake wrote:
I see a real difference here. I would guess that the Whiskey Hill band is unable to pay and that the former Gov and Miss Universe (if this is not a complete scam) are able to pay.
Doesn't conventional wisdom sorta say that if you're unable to pay for something, you're unable to have that thing? Since when are creative services offered on a sliding scale to all comers, sliding all the way down to "free"?
Very few people who want or need creative services are truly unable to pay for them...they're unwilling because the relative cost feels too high and it's too easy to ask for a freebie. They can save their pennies, not eat out for a month, sacrifice whatever their take is from a couple of gigs. There's a world of difference between $150 and $0, and most people can afford $150 if they really want to.
This guy isn't even offering free drinks 