$35/hour and supply your own gear? Really?

[Rattus79]

Some of us work for alot less than that now. Myself included. That's why I'm on here reading this instead of "working"

See how you go living of $19/hr ....

[Warus]

Minimum wage is far less than $35 an hour and a lot of people survive on that. If you are getting $20 an hour now in a field you hated and could swap for $20 an hour in a field you enjoyed + $15 an hour towards your business expenses then you can see the appeal. As for the initial cost of the gear yes that is expensive for your business setup as with any business I guess and it needs to be accounted for in your business plan. Guess it's up to the individual but I agree thinking $35 is low pay may not entirely be true and depends on where you are sitting right now.

[ApolloLXII]

Like anything else these days, people are only prepared to pay the least amount possible to get what they want. There will always be somebody out there willing to accept $35 an hour while others will always turn up their nose because they think that they should be paid more. That's the nature of a free market which includes accepting that you get what you pay for.

[ricktas]

JUST A REMINDER:

Site rules:

Members with Under 30 day’s membership and/or 50 posts:

[3] Are not allowed to promote or complain! Promotion or complaints about services/people/organisations/products/businesses by new members is not allowed anywhere on Ausphotography. New members are also not allowed to seek/advertise employment (either paid or unpaid) anywhere on the site.

I have removed some posts from this thread as members with less that 50 posts have made complaints about gear, a company, and more.

[Warbler]

I think you should remember that $35/hr for an employee is a bit different to the same rate for an ABN-holder who has to fund their own superannuation, insurance, holidays, and equipment. I do some contract work for a sports photography outfit occasionally and they pay $50/hour and are not considered to be paying above the odds. To have that sort of equipment, though, you'd want to be pulling in lots of work.

Tim

[kiwi]

It's not $35 an hour though, that's probably not including all your time

[nwhc]

JUST A REMINDER:

Site rules:

Members with Under 30 day’s membership and/or 50 posts:

[3] Are not allowed to promote or complain! Promotion or complaints about services/people/organisations/products/businesses by new members is not allowed anywhere on Ausphotography. New members are also not allowed to seek/advertise employment (either paid or unpaid) anywhere on the site.

I have removed some posts from this thread as members with less that 50 posts have made complaints about gear, a company, and more.

Sorry that was me I thought the smiley face emphasized the sarcasm.

Still though 35 an hr for a young person who pours coffees by day but loves taking photos is good money.

With no industry body around photography and qualifications there will always be people happy to shoot for $35.

[I @ M]

Still though 35 an hr for a young person who pours coffees by day but loves taking photos is good money.

Ok, so explain to me how they got the money for 20K of gear "pouring coffees" because the way I read the ad they want a full time photographer with all the gear and plenty of idea to work for them at low rates.

Not a "coffee pourer" with no gear and no idea.

This is NOT a slight on anyone that serves coffee for a living and/or knows how to take a decent photo. I reckon good coffee makers are great and those that can take a good photo with whatever level of gear AND make good coffee are super heroes.

[nwhc]

I'm not going to get into an argument, I think u have underestimated how well passionate young people can save let alone older people. I will ask the young bloke tomorrow when he is making my coffe how he did aswell as the custom water housing he use.

Anyway that will do me I always hear the same thing amongst togs, that's to cheap etc but it's the sad truth anyone can go and buy the gear and call themselves a photographer.

[I @ M]

I'm not going to get into an argument, I think u have underestimated how well passionate young people can save let alone older people.

We don't have arguments here, it is a forum for exchanges on thoughts and I certainly NEVER underestimate peoples passions whether they are young or old ( I am ancient by the way ) but I always ask people to err on the cautious side of prostitution when it comes to getting themselves known or scoring a paying job. I would far rather see people pouring coffee for a living and making $5.00 a year from genuine opportunities than being ripped of based on their talents and gear earning $500.00.

[nwhc]

We don't have arguments here, it is a forum for exchanges on thoughts and I certainly NEVER underestimate peoples passions whether they are young or old ( I am ancient by the way ) but I always ask people to err on the cautious side of prostitution when it comes to getting themselves known or scoring a paying job. I would far rather see people pouring coffee for a living and making $5.00 a year from genuine opportunities than being ripped of based on their talents and gear earning $500.00.

Very true but any job no matter how small or cheap looks good on someone's portfolio when starting out.

[I @ M]

Very true but any job no matter how small or cheap looks good on someone's portfolio when starting out.

If they have both passion and talent they will be able to turn heads with the gear that they have and by being persistent in their approach to photographic opportunities. Selling themselves cheaply for some ( possible ) exposure at a bargain rate implies taking the easy way out to me and contradicts their claims of "passion", for what it is worth I have been on that side of the fence and see the inherent dangers involved to people who actually believe that they can take good photographs but who end up conforming to other peoples ( non creative ) expectations.

[Wayne]

I have all that gear required in the advertisement, and there is no way I would do the work for that given my investment.

[MissionMan]

Very true but any job no matter how small or cheap looks good on someone's portfolio when starting out.

I don't believe you need a job to put together a good portfolio. They also require studio gear and if you can put together studio gear along with the rest of the equipment list, how practical is it to sell your soul for $35/hour when you could quite easily (and more profitably) offer home shoots at more than that. Personally I'd rather advertise myself at $35/hour than subcontract myself to someone else at that rate and help give them a name.

[kiwi]

Although you have all the gear so the incremental cost of doing the job is next to zero. It's all cash in the pocket for pokies the next day ;-)

[MissionMan]

Although you have all the gear so the incremental cost of doing the job is next to zero. It's all cash in the pocket for pokies the next day ;-)

The problem with it is it's a bit of cash now but it devalues the industry as a whole. It's short term gain and long term pain. Even as a hobbyist, I would never sell my services part time like this because it's depriving someone of work and devaluing the work someone else is doing. I have an existing salary so sure I could afford to do this, but why would I want to? Yeah, I'd love to take a million dollar photo but its not my intention, but that'll be more luck than going out for paid shoots.

[norwest]

I'm not going to get into an argument, I think u have underestimated how well passionate young people can save let alone older people. I will ask the young bloke tomorrow when he is making my coffe how he did aswell as the custom water housing he use.

Anyway that will do me I always hear the same thing amongst togs, that's to cheap etc but it's the sad truth anyone can go and buy the gear and call themselves a photographer.

Why do i so often hear this type of argument aimed at those whom earn a living from the profession, from those i presume, do not? Why do i so often feel a hint of resentment?

[kiwi]

Firstly I could buy myself a scan pan, does that make me a masterchef ?

And the point is made along the way several times is that $35 is a stupid economy, you're running at a loss probably if you did the sums

But the reality is that for whatever reason when there is so little non surv work out there that these rates are now common and setting their own expectations across the board

I wouldnt do it at these rates either but could find a lot that would I bet

[sunny6teen]

accept the original rate...shoot film...then sting 'em for the printing

[I @ M]

Why do i so often hear this type of argument aimed at those whom earn a living from the profession, from those i presume, do not? Why do i so often feel a hint of resentment?

Just sensitive I guess.

Seriously norwest, the term "profession" is so hackneyed as to be truly cringe worthy in this day and age. The only people I see using it are #1 Hard core filkr posters. #2 Hard core facebook users. #3 All the others with a "free" website and #4 those that consistently want to ram their personal greatness (achieved through doctored filter plug ins in photoshop ) down the throats of other photographers as if they were the next best thing since Pablo bloody Picasso.