(Nikon D90, 35mm DX, f/5.6, 1/40, ISO 400)
Red or blue? Which do you choose?
Disclaimer: In no way do I claim to be a 'know-it-all' on professional photography, but this is my blog and as such, I feel compelled to offer my opinion based on what I know. If you're looking for actual professional advice, you may be better off going elsewhere. If you're looking for an opinion, then keep reading below.
Having only experienced photography in the digital era, I never really had the chance to see how things were done in the film era, when photography wasn't (in my opinion) as prevalent with the masses as it is today such that based on my interpretations and personal experiences, I imagine there was a much greater gap between the consumer and professional. The mass-marketing of digital cameras has been so widespread that nowadays you, or someone you know probably owns a DSLR. My problem is that in some respects, it seems like the DSLR has become more of a status symbol than a tool and this has caused the industry to become more cut-throat and competitive. With digital accelerating the workflow and reducing its associated costs, there are some folks out there that seem to have this impression of that photography can only be obtained in a fast, and dirt-cheap manner.
Where am I going with this you wonder? Well, about two weeks ago I was prospecting some photography work at my local high school with the music/drama department, who - to showcase some of their students' talents - were putting on a drama performance. I had conversed with the teacher in charge and she said that at the least, she'd try and see what she could do about getting me paid for shooting a few of their shows. The day prior to the first performance, I get a text from my friend that apparently they had opted to go with another photographer who apparently offered to do it for free, much to my annoyance. I guess I'm not really looking for much sympathy here. From a rational perspective I had nothing to show that would've made me a more worthy candidate (no website, no business card). To be honest, I would've even done one show as a sign of good faith, in the hopes of future work with them.
I suppose what bugs me is the fact that I got shanked by someone who offered to do it for free. Not for less than what I was asking for (which was honestly about the equivalent of four tickets), but for free as in zero. Zip. Nada. Working for free just doesn't cut it for me. This is not to be confused with shooting for friends, or shooting for fun though (which I do regularly). When I mean work, I mean the whole 'you are there to take photos, deliver the product, get your payment, and get out' schpeal. Free generally has no place in that. Sure, for the first time I can understand. Especially for folks like me who call Flickr a portfolio and lack a solid method of distributing contact information (workin' on it), but there comes a time when I think upcoming photographers should say 'no' to working for free. Honestly, I'm starting to become annoyed by the whole "Come take pictures for us! We can't pay you but we'll credit your photos on our website!" schpeal floating all over Craigslist. What a load of crap. If you can't be paid in cash, then by all means: barter. Payment in my opinion need not necessarily come in the form of financial reimbursement. Indeed, the few jobs that I've done for student groups at school have often been supplemented with food - these groups in particular have tight budgets by the time I get there, but have already made allocations for things like refreshments - or other services. TFP/TFCD (Time For Print/Time For CD) is also (to me) acceptable as it is also a form of bartering.
I suppose in the end, working for free is inevitable if one needs to get their feet wet and put their name out there, but it shouldn't be common practice or a regular habbit. Depending on what you shoot, a few 'free' gigs and some practice ought to put you far ahead enough such that you should have some leverage to barter for reimbursement. In asking for some sort of reimbursement you demonstrate that your work is worth something and exhibits confidence in your abilities. Just make sure you're actually able to deliver if they say go for you. This need not be limited to photography either, but probably applies to whatever 'work' you do in your spare time, be it music, art, or the trades to name a few.
Value yourself. Value the work you do. Ultimately, the choice is yours.
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