Being a freelancer is a hard-time job.Brian Ach's featured article on JPG Magazine offers a good, down-to-earth view on what it takes to be one, and you should read it.
It can be rewarding, but sometimes you kinda get screwed.
More, inside.
So, here's my most recent disappointment in being a freelancer:
Last weekend, there was a two day venue at my college -Arraial do Caloiro do IST- one of the biggest college music festivals of Lisbon.
On the last concert, by the PT band Diabo na Cruz, I witnessed (and shot, obviously!) some rock history in the making, as they smashed a couple of mic-stands and "mooned" everyone as a way of protesting against being cut off on the last seconds of the concert.
Since this was not something you see everyday around these parts, I rushed to the laptop for some quick editing on the scene, and mailed proofs to a bunch of printed publications.
A music magazine, Blitz, became interested and asked for my personal contact. Waited in vain for the call that never came.
Next day, they published a video made with a cell phone, grabbed from YouTube. Evidently, this was made without compensation to the guy who "filmed" it.
So here's the lesson about the printing press: They'll screw you if they can. Having staff photogs means they will not want to pay any extras, unless they really have to. (Nowadays, at least)
This holds true everywhere. The TIME's philosophies are long dead, and we're now in a dog-eat-dog world, getting screwed by microstocks and the like.
So, keep it in mind when considering the career choice of freelance/wire/assignment photographer. Unless you're ready to be beaten senseless to the ground, go for another niche. If you ARE ready, welcome to the party! (And see you on the next big one ;)
For every ounce of reward, there's a metric ton of stress.
And now, since there's no one interested in publishing'em, here they are. Enjoy!
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