Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Two things come to mind to me. One of the main jobs of a cabinet secretary, VP or President is to inspire the troops (government employees). This means meeting people and rewarding what we as taxpayers hope is excellence. Grip and grin work for any photographer is boring, but not for the grippee who wants a professional keepsake of their big moment. People work for this sort of recognition, and I think providing it more than justifies having one or two always-available GS-12 photographers. On the documentation side we should also remember that part of the reason for having in-house government photographers is the need for extensive security clearances. You aren't going to let some AP photographer sit in on a national security meeting in the White House Situation Room or wander in and out of the Oval Office unescorted, but White House photographers can and do. This is why we have those amazing pictures of Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, or the ones of Carter during the hostage crisis, just to take two memorable examples. In any case, I think its very strange for photographers to complain when other photographers are being valued as professionals enough to earn a salary. It sure beats using the 18 year old intern with a digital point and shoot - which is what much of the corporate world seems to think is good enough instead of hiring a Leica-using freelancer like me! Simon Stevens