Week one is behind me; week two has begun; week three looms ahead, and hopefully that will be it. I'm stuck at home for the time being recuperating from foot surgery. It gives me plenty of time to think about all the projects I could be working on but can't, and plenty of time to read the latest news and trends in the world of photography.
Being gainfully employed (and I must say it warms my heart when people from the office call to check on me and say "Hope you get well soon. When the hell will you be back?) and a schedule that cuts out every-other-weekend, it is virtually impossible for me to devote much time and effort to hustle photography. Of course its not like I ever hustled that much in the first place.
Still, I'm fascinated by the notion that many folks eke out a living using their camera and talent even though from what I read and hear that is getting more difficult in the digital age. As a photo enthusiast who has had a paying gig or two, I know the extent of my skill. I also know with practice those skills will improve tremendously.
So every now and then I check out the "gigs" section of craigslist to see if anyone out there needs a shooter on an evening or weekend so I can earn a few extra dollars. Maybe to take my wife out for a nice dinner... or buy another camera gadget. But really, I would offer to take my wife to dinner. At the Burger King next to my favorite camera shop.
Once you sift through the crap, the majority of semi-legitimate photography gigs are offered by
individuals and organizations seeking shooters for a variety of projects, and they come right out and say there is zero pay for the job. We are a concert promoter and we need somebody to photograph a rock concert. No pay! But the photo will look great in your portfolio and you get a back stage pass and the opportunity to hang out with a real live rock star (whom no one has ever heard of).
BFD
Next, ads from companies looking for someone to shoot products. Usually these people are specific about their needs, including specifying the type of camera you will need to bring, lighting, and the file format in which to deliver digital files. And for all this, they will pay $50.
And my favorite, blushing brides who will generously offer a "student" or beginning photographer the opportunity to shoot their wedding for $500, payment in full when you deliver the goods. And the wedding? It's next Saturday. Seriously? But the photos will look great in my portfolio.
I cheer out loud every time a frustrated photographer or graphic designer posts a snaky, sarcastic open reply to these people. My favorite, and I paraphrase here: "Sure I'll work for free! I get my groceries, utilities and gas free because I tell those people, Hey! I'm a photographer. I work for free!"
And those poor blushing brides who bristle when someone publicly points out that if they really want a meaningful photographic record of one of the most significant events of their lives to beware, because a photographer with even the most basic ability to shoot a wedding would not get out of bed to do the job for $500.
I read these and think I'm glad I have a job elsewhere that pays the bills. Is this what an aspiring photographer has to do to break into the business? Work for free?
Several issues pop out here. People and business are cheap. Everybody is cutting budgets to the point that there's no more fat, or meat, in them. Last May the Chicago Sun Times announced it was laying off its entire photo staff and would rely on freelancers. Microstock is the buzzword these days. Everything auto camera technology, combined with Instagram and it seems like everybody is a photographer. As much as I've read blogs railing the "crap" people post on Flickr, one has to admit there's a lot of phenomenal stuff out there shot by hard working people no one has heard of yet.
What does the $500 bride expect for that amount of money? A whole lot. Just read the ads. I had the opportunity to shoot both of my nephews' weddings. I took the pictures, transferred to a CD and gave it to them. Both simple weddings, both eight-hour jobs. If they were paid jobs, would I have taken them on for $500. Probably not. Drinking, dancing and partying aside, it was a lot of nerve wracking work. My main objective was to do a good job.
If I was starting out today I wouldn't go the work-for-free-for-somebody-else route. No, I would work-for-free-for me:
Here are some things I would consider doing as one who is not a "student" photographer in the context of being enrolled in any photography courses taught by an instructor.
1. Learn how to take pictures. The "duh" factor of this is lost on a lot of people.
2. Learn how to use your camera. I thought I knew everything about my D-3200 until this week while I was on the couch reading the operations manual I found out a lot of things I didn't know the camera could do. Now I can't wait to get out and shoot video with it.
3. Its what you know and who you know. Network, network, network, with other photographers. You can learn a lot from them. Want to learn how to shoot weddings? Make friends with a wedding photographer, or many. Learn the craft from the. Yes, you might work for free.
4. Make your own assignments. Want to shoot products? Bake a cake, make it look nice, set up your equipment and take pictures of the cake. Put that in your portfolio. Likewise. I can scrounge up stuff I already have in the house to build a light box. Put stuff in the box and take pictures of it. Put that in your portfolio.
Somebody once said if you want to be a writer, then write. If you want to be a photographer, take pictures. Let somebody else shoot crappy pictures for cheap people.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment