Working for a studio

[ChrisPerry]

It's a fine line between doing what you know works, and trying something new as times change.
Digital photography, new styles and types of wedding albums come out, website, blogs, soccer mom and weekend warriors out the ying yang are all fairly new - all in the last 5 or so years.

So the business is changing - but so are the clients! I'm an old fart (46) but I've had PCs since 84, been playing with PS since Ver 4, got into digital photography back before dSLRs existed, have had a website since 1998. I don't consider myself out of date or out of touch...but I am if you ask the 20 to 30 year olds. I'm not too far gone I can't be saved, but unless I want to go out to pasture I need to get up to date - and that means actualy taking the advice of these young punks...

Yeah, they want my knowledge, but I need their knowledge just as much! Marketing ideas, colors, styles, trends - kids today are different, and if you shoot HS seniors or weddings you need to realize this and make the necessary changes.

Still got the same haristyle as you did back in HS? You shouldn't. Same for your photography.

[Mike Keller]

Originally Posted by StevenRosen

I have an interview with a studio to work as an associate photographer. They want a work for hire contract which would mean I wouldn't be able to use any of my shots to promote myself and my business. I'm feeling ambivalent about this. The pay starts at $400 for shooting a full day, and I don't want to give up all my rights to a whole days worth of shooting for so little money. Has anyone else ever worked for a studio, and if so, what kind of agreement did you have regarding rights and usage.

Lot of stuff already said here.

You have to approach this from the point of view of trying to get ahead as a photographer. We've already had the studio owner's POV expressed here, so you need to keep that in mind when you think about this job.

If I was asked to sign a 3 year non-compete, I'd walk away. I wouldn't accept that as a contract photographer, only as an employee. As a contractor, I have the right to walk away at anytime, and the owner has the right not to give me a shoot next week, so I don't think I would owe 3 years to the studio.

As a WFH contract photographer, your name won't even be on the photos. It will be the studio's name, so if you want people to remember you shot that wedding, you will have to do it through word of mouth. That bride will have to remember to tell her friend to make sure to "ask for Steven." Not sure they can do that and not sure it won't lose you the gig when people start asking for you by name<g>, but as long as you're doing a good job and bringing in work, why should he complain?

Do you need the $400? It is easy money, you shoot and then don't worry about it, but is it enough? If you're just starting out and need the experience, it could be good for you. And while you can't use the photos for any real purposes, I'd certainly want to be able to look at them (if not at the studio, then saving them somehow) to personally critique. Of course they'd never see the light of day anywhere else, but how do you know how you;re doing if you don't review your own work?

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