I spend a lot of time on the internet. I’ve actually almost finished it. It’s good, it just falls off towards the end. Anyway, back to my point. I spend a lot of time on the internet. In doing this, I’ve come across a TON of bogus deals for designers and photographers. A few years ago, there was this program I went to that offered a free lunch. FUCK YEA I want a free lunch! I go, and it starts talking about schemes to make it big in online sales. Long story short, you pay them a few thousand bucks and they’ll give you a shopping cart ready to start making you millions!

Well, the latest thing I’ve come across is this dude that’s looking for a photographer for an event. He’s gonna pay $150 for 50 photos. The problem is the tickets to the show cost almost $300. Now, the deal doesn’t look so good. Now, I wouldn’t be writing this post if the story stopped there. Oh no…the rabbit hole goes much deeper here Neo.

Some like minded individual the posted a response on Craigslist. Saying how much of a rip off it was, and how the guy needed to get his head out of his ass….well that’s what I took from it anyway.

$ 125.00 for 50 pictures!!??? Only serious individuals apply….? I have Compact flash cards that cost more than $125.00. Get real. Serious individuals are looking for lot more than 125.00. Go hire some one with a point and shoot. Your not looking for quality work at that price.

Nothing too harsh I thought, so I wrote the guy telling him I agreed with him.

Well, later today, I go back in to check and see what’s new on there….and low and behold, the OP has gone and started himself a fight!  Here is what the guy wrote back.

the problem is, is that people like you pay to get your talent, I mean sure if I was in 6 figure debt due to student loans and paying 125 for a flash card I would feel working for 150 was pointless, fortunately my talent comes natural to
me I did not have to pay someone to teach me what depth of field was, or how to use NIK Software. I use a Sony Alpha A200 that I paid 400 for, did not have to re finance my house to get a camera and I am a artist not a photographer but I can certainly give 50 professional photos of $150. Guess when you know how to use your camera that 150 seems worth it for a half a days work!

So if your so hung up on your self that you won’t work for $150 stop complaining and let someone who has the talent feed there family with the money!

WHAT?!?!??!!? I was really pissed when I read this. It was like I was seeing a girl get punched or something. I just knew I had to step in.  So I decided to pen my own little response to the whole mess.

To the person that originally posted the ad for hiring a person for bonarroo. You lack a general understanding of both economics and how the industry works. I’ll explain.

First off, a ticket to the show along with parking costs about $300. You’re paying $150. “Oh cool, that’s 1/2 my ticket price.” Well not exactly. Figure you’re paying $300 to go to the show. You’re already planning on paying the $300 for a 4 day show. Split into 4th (4 days of the show) we’ll call it $70 a day, for the sake of easy math. So you’ve spent $280 to go to 4 days of shows. Now you’re only spending $130 after you pay. But, you’re also only getting to see half of the shows. Cause you need to take 50 photos. Taking 50 photos isn’t just pointing the camera and clicking.

It’s asking someone to take a photo, setting up the photo, taking a couple of pictures to make sure you get the best shot, then I assume you’re going to have some sort of release for them to sign right? So that can easily take 10 minutes to do. That adds up to 500 minutes or 8 hours of work. Working 8 hours as a photographer is a long day, and doing it in the sun, outside during the summer is even longer, so they’ll probably split that time up between a couple of days. Each day at the show is $70, and they split that up to 2 days…that’s $140 worth of show time. So they’re only getting 1/2 of the show they paid the full price for. You’re paying them $150. So, in the end, them spending time and effort in taking photos for you will come out to them making a whopping $10 or about $1.20 an hour!

Also, you’re not looking for a legit photographer. You’re looking for a person that owns a camera. As you are just a person that owns a camera. Owning a camera doesn’t make you a photographer. Just like owning a paintbrush doesn’t make you an artist. It’s stuff like this that drives me to insanity! This guy is trying to screw people out of money. That shit about “put food on your table”. How are you gonna put food on the table when you’re making that kind of money? You honestly don’t understand the first thing about how the creative industry works, and you’re in here trying to preach to people about it.

Good day sir!

So who knows, maybe my little not will make the guy understand that what he’s doing isn’t a good deal and maybe i’ll have changed the world a little bit. But I doubt it.

How about some of you guys help me pick up the fucking torch! It’s heavy and I’m tired of being the only one fighting the good fight!

Now, I’ve done design work for all sorts of things, and have had some success from it.  But, every once in a while, I’ll get some completely crazy person come to me and offer something with ZERO value.  That’s what we have below.

I am looking for an experienced designer to design my website and also carry that design through to my business cards. I am a personal life coach and in exchange for your work, I’m offering 3 months of free coaching. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement as we can refer each other to our respective networks for work well done.

Please email me if interested (and include your phone #) so that we can discuss the details. Also let me know where I can view samples of your work.

Thank you for your interest!

I mean, come on! It’s almost too easy.  I REALLY want to send this person an email and ask for samples of their work…you think it would just be photos of people smiling?

So, how do you know if you are bartering with someone and it’s an even deal?  Well, the first thing you want to do is put a price tag on your work, BEFORE you ask for a price on there’s.  ALWAYS be the second one to name a price.  The reason, you have the leverage.

Next, you still want to have a clear cut contract with them. If you don’t, there can be a lot of gray area on when the project is over, and what is expected of you.

For example, if you REALLY REALLY needed a life coach, and this was something you wanted to do, then the contract would have your responsibilities detailed and what you expect for it.  So make sure and do that on the front end.

Make sure that you go over hard costs. If I’m doing something where I’m bartering, I want to know what costs I might incur prior to moving forward.  Let’s just say I’m getting my bathroom retiled and in return, I’d get this person set up with a new identity. I would first make sure that we both are covering our ends. So if the tiler (is that what you call them) is going to cover the tile costs, and anything else that goes into it, I’ll be covering the print costs.  Put your numbers together just like you would for a client. If you get a discount from a printer, don’t include that in the price. Because chances are, they get the same professional liberties with whoever they deal with.

Just as you would set up a payment schedule with a client, set up a work schedule with your “barteree” (I think I just made this work up). Have them preform 1/3 of the work at the same time you are doing your first 1/3 of the work. You don’t want to do all your work, and them have nothing, it makes it too easy for them to walk on the deal.

Bartering can be a GREAT thing, and if you do it correctly, you can get some cool things. Just make sure you know what you’re getting into prior to starting work.

So what’s the best thing you’ve ever bartered for?

Rule 1: The First rule of Craigstlist is you don’t talk about Craigslist….oh wait, wrong list.

Rule 1: Favors…if someone is asking you to work for cheap, don’t do it. You’re setting a precedent that you are willing to do work for cheap, and it’s hard, almost impossible to get out of that pigeon hole. You wouldn’t go to a restaurant and tell the cook this.

“hey, I’m really hungry, but I haven’t had your food before, you wanna cook me a steak for half price to see if I like it? If I like it, I’ll come back next time and pay full price!”

No, the client should always pay fair market price. Wow them with your design, not how cheap you are.  Here is a sample Craigslist post I found where they are asking you to “scratch their back, and we’ll scratch yours.”

New Nashville-based publishing company looking for Graphic Designer to partner.

“Partner” does not refer to legal partnership or investment. Partner means you scratch our back, we’ll scratch yours.

This grassroots venture is a great opportunity for the right person(s).

We will consider specialty designers (children’s books, etc.)

This would be perfect for a recently accredited designer who wants to get their foot in the door. You ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY have to have experience properly loading book cover (front and back) designs to publishing houses’ specifications.

Self-publishing exposure preferred
Website-building expertise a plus

DO NOT APPLY if you do not have full confidence in your ability to design and properly tranfer book cover designs in proper layout and format to publishing house.

Contact us for more information

Key words to look out for here;

PARTNER: It’s not a partnership. They are hiring someone for a task, and the designers only investment in the project is their work and a check. They want someone to “buy in” to the project and what that means is do more than they are paying you for.

GRASS ROOTS: They don’t have a budget. They are not going to be able to pay fair market price for the work.

FOOT IN THE DOOR: They are looking for someone with little or no experience willing to work for cheap.

YOU SCRATCH OUR BACK, WE’LL SCRATCH YOURS: I’ve got my scratching handled thank you, all I need from you is a check sir.