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View Full Version : My first cold call

momoe
26th of February 2010 (Fri), 10:18
Called a booking agency for a few venues. Wants me to send my work to her. Now I need to do a few free shows I guess to build up my portfolio. Any advise?
bacchanal
26th of February 2010 (Fri), 10:39
Don't do free shows for anyone that you plan to work with in the future. Check out some local dive bars or venues with an open camera policy.
momoe
26th of February 2010 (Fri), 16:36
well by free shows I meant for my own good. I had a job set up for saturday but they decided to go with a guy who was $40 cheaper and is giving them all of his unedited images. whatever. I have seen this guys past images and they are so-so. anyway,I told they guy in the band that I still planned on coming if its ok and shooting for my portfolio. they were cool with it and asked if they can see the images. my thought is if they wanted to go with the cheaper guy and want to use my pics, they will pay out the nose. anyway thats all I got for now.
bacchanal
26th of February 2010 (Fri), 16:44
well by free shows I meant for my own good. I had a job set up for saturday but they decided to go with a guy who was $40 cheaper and is giving them all of his unedited images. whatever. I have seen this guys past images and they are so-so. anyway,I told they guy in the band that I still planned on coming if its ok and shooting for my portfolio. they were cool with it and asked if they can see the images. my thought is if they wanted to go with the cheaper guy and want to use my pics, they will pay out the nose. anyway thats all I got for now.

nothing wrong with that approach, but just realize that bands and paying out the nose are typically not things that you would put in the same sentence.
_method
26th of February 2010 (Fri), 16:45
It's these kinds of practices that are killing people trying to get into the business. I have always believed that no one is a charity and you do not do your work for free, whether its cutting a lawn or taking pictures.
bacchanal
26th of February 2010 (Fri), 16:56
It's these kinds of practices that are killing people trying to get into the business. I have always believed that no one is a charity and you do not do your work for free, whether its cutting a lawn or taking pictures.

The crux is the whole work thing. Cutting the lawn / taking pictures of bands at concerts may or may not be considered work depending on who you talk to.
_method
26th of February 2010 (Fri), 17:06
The crux is the whole work thing. Cutting the lawn / taking pictures of bands at concerts may or may not be considered work depending on who you talk to.

Well I guess we would have to define "work" then. My current job I love but, believe you me if they stopped paying me for it I'm going to start doing something else; work, a job, is something you get paid for because you are looking for a wage.
So if you shoot concerts for fun and upload them here so all of us here can look at them, that is all well and good. But contacting an agency looking for work is a different thing entirely.
momoe
26th of February 2010 (Fri), 17:22
im only doing this show for me, not them. i need images. I'm not trying to undercut the industry
TeenPhotog
27th of February 2010 (Sat), 15:29
I don't know where I stand on the whole undercutting bit. I have zero confidence that I could get paid to shoot shows. I'm trying to build a portfolio so one day that may be possible. And to be honest, yes I am in part shooting because I often would be going to the show anyway. That being said I still have goals of improvement and I'm not just a fanboy looking for a free ticket and a front row seat.
I still don't know.