Re: [Leica] Payment for photos

["Steve LeHuray" <icommag@toad.net>]

> In a message dated 26-10-00 21:33:40 GMT Daylight Time, icommag@toad.net
> writes:

Steve LeHuray wrote:
>
> << I never made much money as a freelance photographer even though I have
>  photographed, homeless bums, many celebrities even a President in the Oval
>  Office. I lost count at 1,000 of photos published, but, it has been a great
>  trip. And along the way I learned enough skills so that now I OWN my second
>  monthly magazine. >>

Then Gerry Walden wondered:
>
> But would you have ever done it for nothing? I agree that there is more to
> this than money, and we have to pay our dues as we climb the ladder of
> success but these people are selling there books for a lot of money, getting
> their own salaries paid and yet giving the photographer nothing.
>
> i can empathise with someone who is struggling for recognition (God knows, we
> have all been there) but the way to get it is not by being an idiot.
>
> Gerry
>
Gerry,

The magazines that I have published for 20 years are trade magazines for the
professional film & video production industry. Working as a producer,
director, cameraman, audio mixer, editor, etc., etc. is a very glamorous and
well paying job. Every year more and more kids go to school (NYU, UCLA, SC,
and others) majoring in film with the goal of being a filmmaker. There are
more kids graduating from these schools than the industry can absorb. So
every March and April for the last 20 years I get dozens of telephone calls
from kids seeking advice on how to get into the business. In the course of
hunting for jobs apparently many of them are told that they should call
"Steve" he knows everything that is going on and where the jobs are. Right!!

If I have the time I try to talk to as many of these kids as possible on the
phone, the ones who seem to be "winners" I will meet with for a few minutes.

 This is, in part, what I tell them; Congratulations for making it through
school. Then I explain that they have chosen a career where many people get
chewed up and spit out, that there are thousands of other creative young
people out there looking for entry into the field also and that competition
is very stiff.

And then I suggest that even though they just finished four years of
schooling and that they want to be a feature film Director, that they should
consider joining trade organizations, attend meetings and network like hell,
they should consider working as a lowly production assistant for practically
no money so that they can get known and make connections, consider working
as an intern where you may make no money at all but may be interning with an
asst. director and get valuable experience. And on and on and on.

Many of these young people have gone to work on my editorial staff where
they have then made the connections, left me, and gone on to be very
successful filmmakers.

Finally, the people who succeed at what they want to do, simply have the
desire and passion and are willing to sacrifice and work for FREE if need
be.

Steve
Annapolis