Full Time Job --- Hey Dave will take the shots for us

[pyterps]

I don't want this taken in the wrong way as I really like the company I work for and would do anything for them. I'm just trying to find out some ways that I may be compensated that really does not cost the company a lot of money.

They know I am a photographer and they want me to bring in all my gear and take the headshots for the top three in the company. They have also basically told me that I would be taking the pictures when two congressmen visit in a couple of weeks.

Is anyone else in this situation and how (if at all) have you been compensated.

Thanks....Dave

By the way the wife thinks I am crazy even thinking about asking for anything. She is the same one (works for the national archives) that told them I would be happy giving them lots of photos to use.

[Az2Africa]

I have the same problem. Just did the 4th "Company" shoot last night. They do offer to pay. I may start charging next time or whenever the effort strats to outwiegh the "Brownie points"

[PhotosGuy]

Here's a thought. Just looking through your Sig I can see that you'll need to upgrade ;) your equipment to get the best results possible, so you could ask for the $s to do that "for the good of the company"? :D Put that way, how could they turn you down?

Someone else was put in the situation several months ago. If I remember correctly, the company paid, but not as much as he could have asked for. Maybe he'll chime in on this.

[pyterps]

That is so funny as I'm in the process of getting a new camera and lens.

The bad part is they laugh when I ask them how much they are looking at paying me.

[cdifoto]

Don't do it if they laugh at the mention of payment. If you do it this time for free or next to nothing, they'll come to expect it. You don't want that.

[PhotosGuy]

Well, you're sort of screwed as you said, "I really like the company I work for" The only other way out is to screw up so they don't ask you again.
Question you should ask is, "Who's going to be doing my work while I take time away from my job to do this?" (I know the answer to that one.) ;)

She is the same one (works for the national archives) that told them I would be happy giving them lots of photos to use. Buy her a camera. "Suggest" she take all the pics she wants to for the archives. (Prepare to without...) :D

[pyterps]

Well, I would be doing all the work for the job and post processing and everything else they can through at me. I really don't mind doing it now and then but to be laughed at when asking about payment is something else.

[RossW]

Dave, I'm curious what your "normal" function is at work, and what sort of company it is, how large it is, etc. Perhaps management has no concept of what's involved on your part. Do you report to someone who will be sympathetic to you if you explain how much time and effort you put in, plus risk and wear-and-tear on your personal equipment? Maybe at the very least you can get some comp time off or some reimbursement if you make prints, give them CDs, etc. Better yet, convince them they need a full-time photographer/PR/whatever person... and you're the best one for the job!

[pyterps]

Ross, thanks for the reply and the company has an avaition background which is very far removed from photography. As an air traffic controller/procedure designer I needed something with a little more stress involved...like shooting a wedding....so I took up photography a long time ago. They really don't have an idea how much time or cost is envolved and the wear and tear on my gear. I hope to have something worked out soon but will let everyone know what happens.

Dave

[Steve Parr]

Dave, I'm curious what your "normal" function is at work

I was wondering the same thing.

I'm a Sales Rep for my company. I do, however, volunteer to take photos when one of our artists is playing nearby. The reasons are two-fold. First, I get into some pretty good concerts. Second, it satisfies my "jones" to get out and shoot live bands.

We have a photographer in our company, but she can't always make it to a gig. Sometimes I can do it, sometimes I cannot. I have no problem offering the photos to my company for free, but they know that, if I say no, then it's no. They'll ask me, but they don't "expect" it...

[tim]

At least ask for time off to do the post processing. If you keep doing things for free they'll expect it... wear and tear on your equipment is another thing, and it's not cheap equipment. I am a little mystified why you have such a great camera and relatively cheap lenses - i'd take good lenses over a good body any day. The Tamron is a good lens, but apparently not good enough for full frame, I wonder about it on the 1.3X body.

[TonyKInTexas]

This sounds like a lose-lose situation for you. I would approach this like any other event that is to be shot, complete with contract stipulating conditions and uses for the photos. I would put in writing a leave slip for the time off (they will assume you are still on the clock) and do it in a professional manner.

If they bulk, inform them, as politely as possible, you need to tend to your duties and are unable to provide them the professional photographic services they are seeking.

You need to stand your ground, but in a polite, professional manner. If they threaten your job, file a complaint. The duties for which you are paid and this photographic assignment are two very different things, unless you are also their "photographer".

Good luck.

[JmprSteve]

I too am the Unofficial Photographer for the company I work for, but currently I see this as a plus rather than a minus (99% of the time). The department I am with maintains an on-line roster with headshot, so I am getting experience doing portraits which I like doing but don't do as much as I'd like (everyone at the house runs when I bring out the camera). I can experiment with different lenses and use of the 420EX (definitely need to upgrade) and no one gets upset if I mess up a few shots. The company has a closing dinner and then I get to try doing groups (2 to 20+ people) - again no one gets too upset if I miss a shot (other than myself). I processes the shots during work to post to the roster and turn over shots to be posted on the on-line photo gallery.
I recently bought a 20d from B&H and have only managed 2 shots (the weather has not co-operated) so the cost per shot is over $500 per shot. I might wear out the 20D in a year or two doing these events, then I would have to buy another body - gawd how terrible is that! (already saving for a full frame).
I 've noticed the improvement from my first round of company pictures (in Jan 05) to the latest shoot (Jan 06), I am more comfortable setting up, posing people, and working in a tight time frame (20 minute breaks - set-up, shoot, and tear-down). The downside is I don't meet and greet much at the dinner, have to eat fast, and can't mingle at all during the breaks. But everything has a price - and getting this type of experience is no exception.

[mjordan]

The main question is "do you want to do it?" If you do, then everything else is irrevelant. If you don't want to do it, then does it matter what they offer to compensate you for?

As far as wear and tear on your equipment, well, lets be realistic here... how much wear and tear is this going to put on that expensive camera that is made to take a lot more abuse than you will probably give it for as long as you have it? You probably put more wear and tear on it by accidently holding down the shutter button too long than you ever will by taking pictures for your job.

I got my big break in photography by being the guy with the camera when I was in the Air Force. It started out as a few shots for PR purposes, then a couple of promotion shots, then people saw me with a camera and they asked if I could do passport shots, then portraits, then weddings... pretty soon, I was the person they came to for just about anything photographic. My commander loved me, my boss loved that he had a guy working for him that the commander loved, I made more money on the side than I was making in the Air Force, met lots of interesting people and had a blast doing it.

It sounds from what you are saying, that this will give you an oppurtunity to meet some pretty important people... unless getting to be near two congressmen is old hat to you. :D

One thing you could do is make sure you can use the images for other things than just your company. You might be able to get them published in the newspaper or in other publications. And you never know, one of the times you might be in the right place at the right time with the right equipment to get one of those pictures that the news agencies will climb all over themselves to get from you.

Besides, you didn't buy that camera to just have it sit at home and gather dust did you? Put it to good use and get some practice. You never know when it will come in handy. Maybe that's what your wife is hoping... you will use it and get some pictures that might make it worth while that you spent the money. ;)

Mike

[PIXI_666]

WELL i have a similar situation...my work knows i do photography on a regular basis, so to get more experience for myself, they decided to put photography in my job description....its their way of getting cheap photography when head office charge about $100 per hr.....but i have accepted it and gotten over it a long time ago after all i can put it in my resume and its all experience anyway!!

Del

[::John::]

The company I work for know of my interest in photography and I frequently get emails from management after, say, a bad storm asking if I got any decent shots of it. When one of my pictures was published in a national newspaper, management of the company sent an email to all staff telling them.

If I turn up at a company function, they know I am likely to have my camera with me and the owner will ask if I could take some pictures for the online company newsletter. They don't ask me to go to these functions as a photographer.

They will let me use their time for post processing and never complain at the results. Portraits, group shots, project shots, team building shots (like rock/wall climbing events) and company picnics (zoo, parks...) I have one this weekend, in fact.

The point is, for me, they know I enjoy it - I get time to do it, I get to know a lot more of the staff (we have grown from 4 people in one city 6 years ago to 300 people in 6 countries) and there are no expectations from either side. And I am getting a lot of free experience.

I see it as a win-win.

[pyterps]

Thanks everyone for all the comments and suggestions. Like most of you said take it and use it for experience and this is just what I did. The Congressman was very nice and I was able to get some nice shots. I also looked at a couple where I caught them half way between a blink and they really looked druged out.

Here are a couple.

[allanc]

I'm going to answer this question from a different direction. What are your long term goals? Do you want to quit or retire from that job someday and become a professional photographer? If so, go ahead and do it for the company for free and get the experience. Keep track of this experience you gain and you may be able to leverage it into something better in the future. If photography is just a hobby for you, go ahead and do it for free and not worry about it.

[Steve Parr]

My company publishes a quarterly magazine which is sent to registered owners of our products. I've taken numerous pictures which have appeared in it. I do not, nor do I expect to, get paid for the photos. Sometimes I've been asked to shoot, other times I've done it on my own. Each and every time, I'm gettin' a by-line.

The magazine is shipped worldwide, so I kinda' dig the exposure...

:lol: