interesting article, pro photographer

here is the link

Too right.............

I stand behind that photographer 100%. Too many large corps. are trying to get photos for nothing while they pocket a lot of money out of them.

About what I think when I see the "Send us your photos" links on news sites!

IMO the best way to fight this "free photos" attitude is to make it clear to the iphone-toting masses that any image they take has a value. It may be low, it may be high, but don't let anyone expect you to send it in for nothing. A greater understanding of the value of an image will surely help everyone aside from cheapskate organisations, as the ready supply of mugs willing to hand over their shots will dry up.

boudou701, thanks for sharing this link. It put things in perspective for me.

Cracking rant. Straight talker, isn't he

It's a good bit of polemic but he might as well shout down a well really.

To be honest, I find rants like that a bit tedious. Obviously as an established pro with a decent reputation he's not going to give away his images for nothing, and I understand it's insulting for people to even ask him (although I think charities are entitled to ask for freebies). But I don't agree with his rant against the hobbyists who he claims are selfishly destroying the sustainability of photography as a profession. Maybe the more complacent pros will be crowded out of the market. But really it's up to them to see where things are going and differentiate themselves enough to be able to charge for their services.

It isn't only photography, and the guy makes a good point about restaurants.

I'm asked regularly to proofread new menus for my local pub/hotel. This involves checking the spelling of obscure dishes and ingredients (as well as tricky words like "restaurant") and correcting the text to maintain a consistent style. My labours are apparently worth the price of a pint -- £3.20 -- and the opportunity to run a tab if I need to or cash a cheque without supporting identification.

It's all about greed and the perception that anyone's skills outside of a company's business area are virtually worthless. Go along with it by all means if you see it as a way forward, but be aware you're being suckered.

On the bright side, I've found it's easier to convince people you should paid if you're carrying a bagful of camera equipment than if you've just got a pencil.

Al