A Post on Seattle’s Craigslist “Gigs” Board:
Need Photographer
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!
A Reply Posted 2 days later:
Need Construction Crew
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!
The original post has been deleted but the actual reply post can be seen here: (normally we wouldn’t copy and paste an entire clip but we all know how those “fun” craigslist postings disappear just when they are getting fun to read!)
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21 Comments at "Shoot for Free and Next Time We’ll Pay You!"
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. That’s awesome.
See this is the perfect place for an Uncle Bob rip but alas it’s Karlo’s article not mine.
Oh, this is priceless!
I’ve recently been seeing blog posts, always by photographers, about people wanting freebies. Is that a common request in your industry? Who would ask for that, besides family?
Michelle Quillin for New England Multimedia & Q Web Consulting
http://twitter.com/nemultimedia
awesome.
Great find!!
i love these crazy craigslist postings, oooh a future paid job!!! pay me now! lol
Priceless – so many ads and companies want free work for you to enhance your portfolio or to hand out business cards or build your business
These requests are not funny because there are some people who actually shoot them and it has a ripple effect across the business. Can you think of another business like that?
Fan-freaking-tastic!
Gah- I think we’ve all been there but kudos to the responder. I think some folks who write these ads don’t realize the opportunity they’re offering to work for free is really not intriguing to anyone above a high school photography class. Even then, lunch money would be nice…
I got the job!
Thank you to the individual who wrote the initial reply. I am appalled at the audacity that some people have asking you to work for free. They figure that since we live in a digital era and have no “initial” overhead, that any price would be too much. Did they forget about the time, creativity, wear and tear, and stress involved? Obviously. To top it off they want an experienced photographer?!?!?!? I don’t even think I would have taken this on as a student…. disgraceful!
One of the best responses I’ve seen!
freeloadin mf’ers! experience is NOT free. good for the photographers.
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@Tony Bisson: Yes, I know of several businesses that get the same BS thrown at them on a regular basis. Singers are constantly asked to do free work for people “to get your name out there”. I have a side business making gourmet chocolates, and I can’t tell you how many people have asked me to provide a “sampling” for parties and things “oh, and you can put your business cards next to the plate so that people can grab one if they want to order more. You’ll get business out of it! It’s a great opportunity!”
Ask anyone you know who is an IT person how many times they’ve been asked by people they just met, “Can you help me fix my computer sometime?”. And my friend who is a doctor sometimes lies about what she does so that she doesn’t have people she’s just been introduced to describing every medical issue they have and asking what they should do (free medical advice, anyone?).
It’s really sad that so many people have this growing sense of entitlement. It’s sad that they believe that OTHER people should have to pay for the services of a professional, but they’re special. Yeah, well, my answer is “You’re a special and unique snowflake, dear, just like everyone else.” Ya know?
The same photographers that specialize in portraits, weddings, maternity, landscape, pets and children for $35 plus all rights will probably jump on this fantastic opportunity!
Indicative of society and it’s not going to get any better. Mediocrity is the acceptable norm by so many unwilling to pay for something. Sad state society is in nowadays.
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