Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>>>>>>>>> So, the costs are costs, but the market is the market and is the stronger of the two forces, unless you are an extraordinary talent with a unique and highly marketable style. Also, if you can work nationally for larger companies, the fees go up--and so do the expectations and responsibilities. Top level advertising shooters (the highest paid of photographers) can regularily command $5,000 to $10,000 a day and a few (Herb Ritts) get $20,000. Plus expenses! But up in these atmospheres the players have tremendous business momentum, lofty talents (directing, managing, negotiating, as well as photographic.) <<<<<<<<<< I work at an ad agency. Less than a month ago we directed a photo shoot at a construction site for a series of magazine ads to run nationally. We hired a nationally recognized photographer. It was a 3-day location shoot. I don't know how many assistants the photographer brought (a couple is my guess). The shoot was on 35 mm and in black-and-white. We paid the photographer, including expenses, over $40,000.00. Why did we pay that? Because the photos in his book displayed the vision our creative director sought for the ads. Because that is the rate the photographer could demand for his time and talents to meet our needs. And because getting the ideal talents to express the image and message the ads are designed to convey were worth that to us and to our client. Larry