I stumbled into this great flow chart lately (font: aphotoeditor.com)
Not only it’s fun and whoever drew it has a very bright mind. It is also very true.
Working for free it’s inherently wrong and sounds like a contradiction in terms. True.
Working for a cause, or giving part of your time for a charity it’s “Why not? Good Karma and all”
It’s making me think, with huge appreciation, about S4C many volunteers… Many people keep asking me why we work “for free” and why we do it, “stealing” jobs and assignements from those who rely on this for a living. A legitimate question and a reasonable remark… If you chose Photography (and documentary photography) as your LIFE, you got to make a way to make it for a living. Of course.
But they miss the point. Of course, the blog section is not the right place to elaborate on a very difficult topic (also because I think nobody is reading this….eheheh) but, thinking out loud, the point is that we do the kind of work other would not be ready to do it if they were not pay for. And we tell those stories that are not considerate….”remunerative” for mainstream media….
We just fill a gap. That’s all… There are so many stories that want and need to be known; and there are so many people willing to tell them. For free, yes… because S4C is a non-profit and we really do not have a cent on the bank account (yes, my friends, situation is really dramatic but we do not care).
We’ll get to a point where we’ll consolidate a “business model” that will ignite a cash flow (from sponsors, donors, workshops, classes, etc.) that would allow us to reimbourse the photographers cost. Because it’s only fair and we WANT, we strongly want, to get there. But for the moment we really cannot….
What do you say to a small (or even tiny) group of volunteers that give shelter to homeless or refugees and ask you to shoot some photos of their work for their blog or website?
The answer it’s only one for us:
YES
Antonio PS Ok, I admit I was tempted….I was about to write “Yes, We Shoot” but I stopped myself.
Ciao A,
I am reading this ;P, so you can’t say “nobody is reading this” .. but seriously, you are right and have an excellent point. I think sometimes in our busy days filled with nothing to fullfill us with, it’s nice to stop and do things just because and not for any other reason other then simple humanity.
y
Ciao
I agree.
Motivations can be as many as the number of people who join S4C.
But so far I can say the each and everyone of them is DEEPLY committed to raise awareness on stories. If that is the goal (and it is), remuneration is a side element.
Having said this, I repeat that the goal is to find ways to remunarate everyone efforts…
thanks for reading! 😛
Valeria
Credo che ognuno di noi vorrebbe che la fotografia diventasse ciò che ci permette di vivere, il nostro lavoro..ma non per questo dobbiamo scattare solo per trovare la fonte di guadagno utile..
Personalmente ho sempre la mia macchina con me perchè ovviamente amo la fotografia, e nel piccolo del mio mondo è capitato che mi fossero chiesti, ad esempio, servizi su canili per raccogliere fondi, su eventi legati all’integrazione di culture differenti, concerti, organizzati sempre da associazioni che non hanno una multinazionale alle spalle che le sostiene, ma che portano avanti questi progetti il più delle volte con i conti in rosso..e se posso fare qualcosa con ciò che è il mio mezzo, non penserei mai di chiedere soldi..anzi, in alcuni casi mi offro io di partecipare ad alcuni eventi e creare un servizio..il più delle volte accetto un buon bicchiere di vino come scambio di favori..e un pò di tempo passato in situazioni diverse, conoscere ed apprezzare stili di vita differenti, oppure passare del tempo con animali riconoscenti ed altro, per adesso sono un pagamento più che sufficiente..
I have been criticized by some PROs in the past becouse I made some assignement for free, saying that it was the worst and wrongest way to enhance the value of my work. It’s true for some istances but it’s as well wrong for others like doing it for nobile porpouses or for groups or association that cannot affor to pay a PRO.
On the other hand I wished it could brong to something but so far…just hand shakes and nothing else
Piero
you hit a good point. It seldom brings to something unless the receiver is wise enough to use your “free” work to let other learn what they do, etc.
Or unless YOU do it
You would “simply” like to donate to S4C and help us support our social activities? You can do so either by making a bank transfer to the S4C account:
Bank account number: 15314
Bank: Banca Prossima (ABI 03359), Milano’s branch (CAB 01600).
IBAN: IT20Q0335901600100000015314
or online with PayPal:
Ciao A,
I am reading this ;P, so you can’t say “nobody is reading this” .. but seriously, you are right and have an excellent point. I think sometimes in our busy days filled with nothing to fullfill us with, it’s nice to stop and do things just because and not for any other reason other then simple humanity.
y
Ciao
I agree.
Motivations can be as many as the number of people who join S4C.
But so far I can say the each and everyone of them is DEEPLY committed to raise awareness on stories. If that is the goal (and it is), remuneration is a side element.
Having said this, I repeat that the goal is to find ways to remunarate everyone efforts…
thanks for reading! 😛
Credo che ognuno di noi vorrebbe che la fotografia diventasse ciò che ci permette di vivere, il nostro lavoro..ma non per questo dobbiamo scattare solo per trovare la fonte di guadagno utile..
Personalmente ho sempre la mia macchina con me perchè ovviamente amo la fotografia, e nel piccolo del mio mondo è capitato che mi fossero chiesti, ad esempio, servizi su canili per raccogliere fondi, su eventi legati all’integrazione di culture differenti, concerti, organizzati sempre da associazioni che non hanno una multinazionale alle spalle che le sostiene, ma che portano avanti questi progetti il più delle volte con i conti in rosso..e se posso fare qualcosa con ciò che è il mio mezzo, non penserei mai di chiedere soldi..anzi, in alcuni casi mi offro io di partecipare ad alcuni eventi e creare un servizio..il più delle volte accetto un buon bicchiere di vino come scambio di favori..e un pò di tempo passato in situazioni diverse, conoscere ed apprezzare stili di vita differenti, oppure passare del tempo con animali riconoscenti ed altro, per adesso sono un pagamento più che sufficiente..
Grazie e buon lavoro!
Valeria, che dire…
non ci conosciamo ma….sei dei nostri!
A
I have been criticized by some PROs in the past becouse I made some assignement for free, saying that it was the worst and wrongest way to enhance the value of my work. It’s true for some istances but it’s as well wrong for others like doing it for nobile porpouses or for groups or association that cannot affor to pay a PRO.
On the other hand I wished it could brong to something but so far…just hand shakes and nothing else
Piero
Hi Piero,
you hit a good point. It seldom brings to something unless the receiver is wise enough to use your “free” work to let other learn what they do, etc.
Or unless YOU do it