Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/05/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I also agree with what's been said by your, and B.D.'s, more rational commentary. I was asked to do a presentation about my job at a local high school for career day a few weeks ago. I don't think that the teacher was expecting my bluntness about photography as a poor career choice. Slobodan Dimitrov Studio G-8, Angels Gate Cultural Center http://sdimitrovphoto.com On May 7, 2006, at 8:15 PM, Tina Manley wrote: > B.D. I agree with everything you say. Every time I'm asked to > speak at a school about photography as a profession, I tell them > exactly what you are saying. But many young kids still see > photojournalism as a glamorous profession where you get paid to > travel and do what you love. That photographer who busts her hump > on a story might get more photos seen if enough people go to a > gallery or web site, but she doesn't get paid any more and the > recognition doesn't put food on the table, buy memory cards, or pay > her health insurance. I advise the kids to only go into > photography if they absolutely can't do anything else and live. > > Tina > > At 08:33 PM 5/7/2006, you wrote: >> And there's nothing new, Tina, about the fact that photographers - >> and >> reporters - are not paid extra for the work they do as paid >> employees when >> that work is reused. Yes, there's a lot of work out there for >> which people >> don't get paid - there always has been. Do you think that Eugene >> Richards >> makes squat doing his documentary work? If you do, you're living >> in fantasy >> land; he makes his money doing advertising work and other >> commissioned work >> to support his real work - same with almost any documentary >> photographer you >> can name, and it's essentially always been that way. The thing >> that has >> definitely changed is that there are far, far fewer staff photo >> jobs these >> days, particularly at magazines. But many papers do have slide >> shows, photo >> galleries, displaying work - and in the past that outlet didn't >> exist. A >> photographer could bust her hump on a story, over a period of >> months, and >> end up with, if she was really lucky, a half-dozen photos in the >> paper. Now >> she can have those photos in the paper, and have a gallery, >> perhaps with >> sound, on line. >> >> Being a photographer - if we're talking about freelancers - has >> always been >> a really tough way to make a living, and teaching, or having some >> other way >> to supplement the photo income has always been a smart idea. >> >> >> On 5/7/06 7:07 PM, "Tina Manley" <images@InfoAve.Net> wrote: >> >> > At 05:28 PM 5/7/2006, you wrote: >> >> Actually, I'd like to suggest that the advent of the web has >> caused a >> >> blossoming of PJ work, and has given photographers at virtually >> every size >> >> newspaper opportunities they really never had before to do >> interesting work. >> >> >> >> B. D. >> > >> > And they are being paid a living wage to post on the internet? Who >> > is paying them? Do they retain the rights to their photos? >> There are >> > thousands of blogs - some of them have wonderful photos from great >> > photographers who are posting them at their own costs with the hope >> > that someone will see them. How long can they continue to do that >> > without pay? There are also web sites for most newspapers, which >> > many times post the articles but no photos. If there are >> photos, are >> > they copyrighted by the photographer? It's an exception if they >> > are. It has become accepted practice that photojournalists are not >> > paid extra for web use. Ask any newspaper photographer. There are >> > more photos out there than ever before, but nobody is getting paid >> > for them. The microstock agencies are proliferating like fleas and >> > selling all rights to all photos for pennies. It's not a good time >> > to be photographer unless you have another source of income like >> teaching. >> > >> > Tina >> > >> > Tina Manley, ASMP, NPPA >> > http://www.tinamanley.com >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Leica Users Group. >> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more >> information >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information