An Offer, A Response, And A Recoil.

I recently responded to an advertisement from a local Raleigh company seeking photographers. Here's the gig: Take your camera to all the hot downtown spots and shoot people having fun, or "take pictures of boobs" as my girlfriend said. Sort of like this: I figure, what the hell. It'll probably be a minimum wage gig, but at least I'll be out shooting (until 2am). This is my inquiry, and the response I received:

Me:

Good afternoon. I am interested in the photographer position. May I have more information? Thank you.



Dude Man Brah:

Eric,

As I have been telling the people that have been emailing me, this is not a paid employment job. This is an opportunity to network and meet other photographers and people out at clubs/bars. You will get to choose what bars you would go to and I would just want you to go in and take some pictures of the people at the bar, then post them to our website for people to view. If you are still interested, I will be more than happy to get you set up as a photographer and you could start shooting whenever you want to!

So, basically a volunteer position for awkward people who want to use their camera as a pickup prop. Not me thanks. This is not a portfolio stuffer, since I can only assume the company retains image rights. I don't leave my house for less than fifty bucks, and if I am shooting people like this I'm photographing for stock, gathering model releases. Clone tool will rip off any visible logo, to be replaced in Photoshop with another. I am seeing this sort of "job" advertisement more often lately. It seems that free is the new minimum wage? I am also wondering what this sort of thing does to the stalked clients in these bars. People go drinking to have fun and maybe be seen, but not be harassed by some dude with a laminate-gig-tag-on-a-lanyard popping flashes in faces. This isn't in the same league as the cigarette guy with the giant damn messenger bag chock full of Camels, like Nico-Santa around midnight, and loved by everyone. If you "hire" a photographer for free you are going to get a predictable level of shot quality. There is a reason wedding shooters get hundreds or even thousands for an afternoon's work. I am not saying that shooting people in bars is worth that wage, but how about this: stock agencies pay an average of thirty five cents when a client buys the RIGHT to use an image ONCE. You can basically lease the image to as many people as you want. What if the bar photographer received thirty five cents per image, for the rights and all? That's twenty well exposed and composed images an hour to equal $8.00 an hour. The agency may do what they please from then on out. Doesn't everyone win with this situation? Give us an incentive!

To Dave Rose of Deep South the Bar: I will take photos for you anytime you'd like, for free. You've been great. And sorry I almost blew up your sound board that one time...

My apologies to J-Teazy Bitch, J-Sloozy and J-Dizzle. If anyone knows these gals, please let me know. I'd love to get a model release. ...and photoshop out that band-aid in the background.