We’re all pretty tired of being asked to shoot on spec, shoot for a low fee with the promise of more work, and that sort of nonsense. These two ads appeared on the Seattle Craigslist over the past two days. I think you’ll enjoy reading…
Need Photographer (originally posted March 10th)
We are a 5 person construction company and need to update our website and brochure with NEW images of our staff. We would like to give an opportunity to the right photographer to take our company images. Ideally we need a formal and an informal picture, also a landscape shot of our company vehicle. Basically these pictures will help us get off the ground and renovate our website.
If you do a good enough job on our company portraits then you will ideally be awarded a future PAID contract to take pictures of our job sites (once we get a job!). We will want to have the rights to be able to use the photos on our website and brochure/print media. You will get a boost to your portfolio!
Experience in corporate photography along with a portfolio is a MUST or your email will be disregarded. We are looking at scheduling the shoot within the next week so be prepared to move fast!
And then a clever photographer posted the following:
Need Construction Crew (originally posted March 12th)
We are a 5 person photography company and need to update our photography studio and shooting space with NEW office spaces for our staff. We would like to give an opportunity to the right construction crew to build our new company digs. Ideally we need a formal and an informal working space, also a landscape crew for our out side shooting area. Basically these structures will help us get off the ground and renovate our old space.
If you do a good enough job on our company building then you will ideally be awarded a future PAID contract to build structures of our photography clients (once we get a job!). We will want to have the rights to be able to exploit you as we see fit just for credit and a great job! You will get a boost to your structure building skills!
Experience in corporate building along with a portfolio is a MUST or your email will be disregarded, after all beggars can be choosers. We are looking at scheduling the construction within the next week so be prepared to move fast!
I don’t know who the authors are, if they care to be identified, I’ll add proper attribution if they contact me. What do you think?
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groozi.com is a blog about negotiating and web marketing. It is written primarily by me, Blake J. Discher, a 
39 Comments
Blake, this is such a good illustration of the inane ideas people have about photography pricing – that I would love your permission to link this page on my site. Never-the-less thanks for sharing it!
Jim
as they say on the Mastercard ads – PRICELESS
There are some people out there who have the gift of the witty and cutting reply, these authors are amongst them. As for the original construction crew, there’s also a name for them ‘Money grabbing Bar-stewards’ don’t even think of asking THEM for a discount.
Very clever answer indeed. Sadly, photography is more of a non-tangible concept for some people and that’s why the word is treated as such. And there will always be a photographer-wannabe to do this kind of job for free.
You might appreciate this ad for “Free wedding photography”: http://dundee.gumtree.com/dundee/93/52198193.html.
Love it!
Would like to join M Glenn in request to share this with anybody who offers a boost to my portfolio at my own expense. Kind of as free PR for the photography studio that wrote the ad. With a view of paying a modest fee for their next effort, if this one catches the imagination of enough people.
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