Photographer - No Pay

Date: 2008-12-28, 11:31AM PST

Dear fellow photographers,

I've been cruising CL for about 5 years now. I find a lot of good work here. I also see a great deal of people placing ads offering to give you a job that doesn't pay so you can build your portfolio. They're often disguised as "internships" or they offer to compensate you later or give you photo credit. Look, it depends on the job. If Vogue is offering you an unpaid internship, take it. Otherwise, you'll find you'll get a few measly photos for your portfolio and not much else in return. The amount of time it takes AFTER the shoot (selection, photoshop), isn't worth the grief. You'll also find that you're not just taking pictures, these jerks want photoshop and sometimes prints. Don't work for free!

SET THE STANDARD AND GET PAID FOR YOUR WORK!

Even if you charge a small fee, get something. You need to eat too and we all need to work together to put an end to the idea that photographers will work for free JUST for portfolio work.

I understand you need material for your portfolio, shouldn't you get paid in the process? Paying your dues is one thing, but that doesn't mean you should subject yourself to slave labor. Do free work, but on YOUR OWN terms. Make it a win/win situation working with models, not cheapo companies looking for freebies.

Do yourself and all your fellow struggling photographers a favor and charge for your work. Set the standard. Times are tough and we all need to work together to make it through this. When you see those freebie ads, email them and tell them to charge for labor. Would you expect someone to mow your lawn for free just so they could get experience?

* Location: Cheaptown
* Compensation: Better working standards for us all!