Would you work for $1 Photos?


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spawnx

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Dec 11, 2008
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I spotted this ad, just wondering... Would anyone here take this up? Heh!


"Hey anyone free from 9am to 1pm tomorrow?
I need a few people to take photos of hawker centres.
You'll be paid $1 for every good photo with transport provided from and to SingTel. Min 50 photos per person

Total engagement time about 3 - 4 hrs."
 

Student hobbyists maybe, for some pocket money.

Even then most people able to own camera gear should be rich enough and they rather pay group shoot organizers to shoot young pretty girls than get paid $50 to shoot hawker centre stalls.

Its as good as asking 'who stupid and desperate put up your hand pls' and see who the idiot go and respond.

Sure, Clubsnap got cheapskates just donno whether so cheap as $1 or not.
 

You have to wonder what sort of excuse for a human being would be that tight ar$ed. $1 a photo has to be a joke right? Surely not even the GWC's that infest SG would stoop that low... surely not?

50 shots at $50 each and I'd consider the job for a vacant morning, but no less.
 

taking people for a ride?
how about you take a free ride from them and take some photos at the same time?

I'm sure the photos you took can sell a better place somewhere else...... lol
 

hmm that's like how some product photographers accept jobs from clients. As if shooting 100-1000 items sounds wonderful~ at $1 per.
 

read the fine print "for every good photo" which means the old con game is at work .
1. you shoot a lot.
2 you hand over the lot for them to choose, they choose n tell you e.g. out of 500 shots only 10 we find good here is $10 ....actually it was more like 120 we found but we are not paying you for most of them.

It is sooo old was done by text book publishers in film days were they tell you to go shoot examples kids in uniform them pick out some frames and tell you to pass the negs over. Negs are cut in 6 frame strips, labs (color) can print in 6 slips not in 1 frame, so give me the strip the selected picture is on. You see where this is going.....
 

Well, it is about choices in life I suppose.

For people who is starving, $50 is a lot of money. For people who don't think $50 is a lot of money, naturally, this won't be a consideration for them.

Some will do it because, "they get paid to do photography" so they can brag about, I got a paid assignment. So it is not the money that is important for them, it is the bragging right.

We all know different people doing different things for different reason. Of course from Business stand point, this is not even a consideration.

There isn't a point to debate about it.

Regards,

Hart
 

Well, it is about choices in life I suppose.

Agree wholeheartedly.

I do not think there is a need to deride would-be folks from signing up.
 

what if they only require you to shoot like 60 frames (max), they pass you cf's or sd's then right after the shoot you pass to them, no post processing...
just go there and snap a photo for $50 (maximum 1hour and 30mins only), one location no walkabout. i know 3 fellas doing this currently.

they are asking me to join in but im a bit hesitant, any sentiments from the experienced photog's? :)
 

what if they only require you to shoot like 60 frames (max), they pass you cf's or sd's then right after the shoot you pass to them, no post processing...
just go there and snap a photo for $50 (maximum 1hour and 30mins only), one location no walkabout. i know 3 fellas doing this currently.

they are asking me to join in but im a bit hesitant, any sentiments from the experienced photog's? :)

If you think it's worth your time, go ahead and do it.

Why are you hesitant?
 

i think you should do it for the passion, not for the money.. just take the money as a bonus, and prolly you will feel better that way...
 

passion + 1 hour = $50? hmmm. can or cannot? i dont know also... :)
 

If you think it's worth your time, go ahead and do it.

Why are you hesitant?

maybe not worth the time and effort, but i came to think that alot of photogs now shooting for free as their own collections....why not, right?
 

There are lots of needy people don't have a photo taken before at all. If you want to share your love and passion you should consider these people first, not those companies try to maximize their profit by taking advantage of young and naive photographers like you.
 

There are lots of needy people don't have a photo taken before at all. If you want to share your love and passion you should consider these people first, not those companies try to maximize their profit by taking advantage of young and naive photographers like you.

Indeed. This is so insightful.
 

maybe not worth the time and effort, but i came to think that alot of photogs now shooting for free as their own collections....why not, right?

I have done jobs where I was paid lower than expected. In fact those photos are still in my portfolio, though at the very bottom. One day when I get better photos those will be junk because there is nothing to be proud about them at all. Pride exchanged for money, worked out quite well for the client probably. But it was a lawful exchange of goods, so nothing to bad mouth about.

If those photos can be used for these 'photogs' collections, and they don't mind the pay, then go ahead.

Personally I feel the quality of photos produced will have little commercial value, assuming the company even lets you keep copies or image rights.

Is $50 worth your time, equipment & effort when the company gets to keep the photos and all rights?

If $50 is a lot to you, then do it.
If $50 is nothing to you, then why not focus your time else where. You pay $30 can shoot xmm, even get to keep all photos and happy memories.
 

You can make more money taking passport size photos for foreign workers.
 

As with other discussions on how not to price yourself too low as a photographer, again, I think it's willing advertiser, willing taker. $1 per pic may sound like a stupid waste of time. But then, think about it people: Is it stupid to work for $5/hr in McDonald's? If you are a working adult, you'd think it's crazy. Who would work for that amount? But as a student or poor auntie who needs to make ends meet, you will take the job! That's exactly what is happening, which brings me to my next important point:

I think all these so-called low pay photography assignments point to one thing: The value of being a photographer is dropping as technology becomes more advanced. If you are a working photographer who earns your living through taking photos, $1 a photo is an insult. But to the person who pays for the job, he or she may think: You get $1 for just pressing the button! What more are you asking for? It's easy enough. All you need is a camera which practically everyone has these days.

That's one reason I made the decision NOT to be a working photographer. Some years ago, I had thoughts of turning my hobby into a profession. But I decided against it eventually. Cos I think the market is over-saturated with people who can take pictures. Even when you are doing your job, your guests and people around you could be carrying more expensive and better equipment than you.

I'm not conscious or feel inferior about it. After all, as we always say, the final test is in the pictures the photographer can produce. Not how expensive your camera is. But the feeling of knowing any of them could do the job doesn't make me feel special. You have a sickness, you go see a doc. You need legal advice, you see a lawyer. No Tom, Dick or Harry can do it. But if you want good photos, it's not necessarily true that only the paid photographer can do it.

Don't discount Uncle Bob any more. Cos he could take better pictures than you do! The only reason why we hate him so much is that (1) We are paid for the assignment and we are answerable to our clients. So if Uncle Bob is hindering us, we can't do a proper job. And (2) Though we may not want to admit it, we sometimes hate it knowing that he could do the job as well as we can.

How many of us know of non-professional photographers who own camera equipment (some of which are expensive ones) and have taken very nice shots? Too many to name. Even female teenagers these days have DSLRs strapped around their necks. A long time ago, it looks so uncool to be seen with such cameras.

So we've come to a point where taking pictures has become almost like selling burgers at the McDonald's counter. Is $1 a shot worth it? Yes, depending on who you're talking to.
 

As with other discussions on how not to price yourself too low as a photographer, again, I think it's willing advertiser, willing taker. $1 per pic may sound like a stupid waste of time. But then, think about it people: Is it stupid to work for $5/hr in McDonald's? If you are a working adult, you'd think it's crazy. Who would work for that amount? But as a student or poor auntie who needs to make ends meet, you will take the job! That's exactly what is happening, which brings me to my next important point: . . . . . .

Your analogy a bit off , to work the $1 photo job need to spend high hundreds or thousand first on a camera . ROI < 1% and one off only

$5/hr at McDonalds I think need to invest in a good pair of shoes and perhaps underwear , definitely less than $100 . theoretically should be able to earn back in a day at McDonalds , and I think its not a one off job unless get caught spitting in the burger

But then its just my views
 

Rotten wood cannot be carved.

Not talking about photography. But about business.

If you don't believe in profit, success, and a good life, then the very cosmos will not give those to you coz that's the reality you believe in. You will let those negative beliefs restrict you, so evident in the words people use, and actions people take when faced with a situation.

Some things are just not meant to be for some people. Stick to your comfort zone and keep the day job. Better for these people to enjoy spending money on photography than to be defensive on making money from photography. Spend $10000 on gear and charge $1 if it pleases you. Pro photography is not for many, most don't have the cut. Make great photos for the hobby. No problem. But let those who wants to earn a few thousands times more work towards it.
 

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