employed photographers salary?

cosworth · 14th of July 2006 (Fri)

When you are working for someone else as an employee, what are the usual remuneration scales?

Say you're the photographer for a resort with your own gear, 50-60 hour work week. Pay?

What if you are a photographer for a wedding planning company?

Just wanting to know what the non self-employed are making and how are the work conditions?

I have contemplated making the jump to "photographer" and think self employment right away could spell disater.

Wazza · 14th of July 2006 (Fri)

It's limitless.

You could make a few hundred here and there, enough to keep buying some more gear - probably my case.

But others with a full time position could be on US$60K plus, and from what it seems Paparazzi earn $250K or something ridiculous.

All depends how you promote yourself..
I'm also interested in a full time role working for a company, but I heard starting in the newspapers, pays only around NZ$25,000 which is US$15,000

cosworth · 14th of July 2006 (Fri)

I was hoping 60K.

So between 20 and 25 an hour is the norm.

It would pay the bills until I switched to self employed. I'm sure my years of sales experience would come in handy as an entrepreneur.

ssim · 14th of July 2006 (Fri)

I had a chat with the ship's photographer on a cruise I went on. They worked long hard hours and they barely made above minimum wage. Sure they get to go to all sorts of exotic places but they don't get to enjoy them.

With gear, I would think that 25.00 would be reasonable. If the employer is supplying the gear then it probably wouldn't be any different than any other employer, they want to pay as little as possible. They are providing the tools and the opportunity as well as taking all the risks.

TonyKInTexas · 15th of July 2006 (Sat)

I thought they were contract type employees who only earned if they produced. That is why they are so aggressive

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wazza

...and from what it seems Paparazzi earn $250K or something ridiculous.

redbutt · 15th of July 2006 (Sat)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyKInTexas

I thought they were contract type employees who only earned if they produced. That is why they are so aggressive

I think this is correct. They make HUGE sums of money by being the first to catch and sell a pic of Brad Pitts new baby...that was reported to be worth about $2 million.

ladyexplorer · 15th of July 2006 (Sat)

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbutt

I think this is correct. They make HUGE sums of money by being the first to catch and sell a pic of Brad Pitts new baby...that was reported to be worth about $2 million.

I wonder exactly who/what the $2 million went to. If you look closely at the Jolie-Pitt baby spread in People magazine (who got the exclusive), the photographer who shot for the article wasn't given any credit. The credit on the photos went to Getty Images. That's a big-time bummer for the photographer who got the most anticipated celebrity photos of the year!!

cosworth · 15th of July 2006 (Sat)

Well it appears I have lined up a gig running the photo division of a Club Med. It's a private business inside the resort, and the owner is focusing on a second child and her other businesses.

Keep ya posted!

Wazza · 15th of July 2006 (Sat)

Good luck with that!

If I had a published Paparazzi photo, I would hope my name wasn't published!

xepherys · 16th of July 2006 (Sun)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladyexplorer

I wonder exactly who/what the $2 million went to. If you look closely at the Jolie-Pitt baby spread in People magazine (who got the exclusive), the photographer who shot for the article wasn't given any credit. The credit on the photos went to Getty Images. That's a big-time bummer for the photographer who got the most anticipated celebrity photos of the year!!

My understanding is that the photos of the Jolie-Pitt baby were commisioned byt the couple and "sold" for $2M which then went to charity. I'll poke around and see if I can find a news article that supports this.

Dowie · 17th of July 2006 (Mon)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosworth

Well it appears I have lined up a gig running the photo division of a Club Med.

Congratulations! Good luck to you.

brivett · 18th of July 2006 (Tue)

99% of "paps" in the UK make little money... Maybe £25K if they are doing well... many of them are just push thugs with a camera set to auto everything.... everything to do with waiting in the cold, hassleing people and nothing to do with photography.

I'm not talking about genuine press snappers - just "paps"

Baz

KennyG · 18th of July 2006 (Tue)

Most of the UK togs working for the big agencies are on no more than $25,000 a year and have to provide their own gear. They rely on work outside the agencies to put bread on the table. The 'paps' may get a couple of grand for an image that is then sold on by the agency for up to fifty grand.

Be a businessman first and tog second if you want to eat and have a roof over your head.

14th of July 2006 (Fri)	#1
cosworth I'm comfortable with my masculinity Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New Westminster, Canada Posts: 10,924	employed photographers salary? When you are working for someone else as an employee, what are the usual remuneration scales? Say you're the photographer for a resort with your own gear, 50-60 hour work week. Pay? What if you are a photographer for a wedding planning company? Just wanting to know what the non self-employed are making and how are the work conditions? I have contemplated making the jump to "photographer" and think self employment right away could spell disater. __________________ jasonhollister.com Think your camera is noisy at high ISO? Click here People will always try to stop you doing the right thing if it is unconventional

14th of July 2006 (Fri)	#2
Wazza Cream of the Crop Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Waitakere, New Zealand Posts: 10,623	Re: employed photographers salary? It's limitless. You could make a few hundred here and there, enough to keep buying some more gear - probably my case. But others with a full time position could be on US$60K plus, and from what it seems Paparazzi earn $250K or something ridiculous. All depends how you promote yourself.. I'm also interested in a full time role working for a company, but I heard starting in the newspapers, pays only around NZ$25,000 which is US$15,000 __________________ New Zealand Photography Tours \| Williams Photography - Auckland Photographers Auckland Wedding Photographer \| Auckland Photography Studio \| Queenstown Photographer Facebook - Williams Photography & Makeup\| Gear

14th of July 2006 (Fri)	#3
cosworth I'm comfortable with my masculinity Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New Westminster, Canada Posts: 10,924	Re: employed photographers salary? I was hoping 60K. So between 20 and 25 an hour is the norm. It would pay the bills until I switched to self employed. I'm sure my years of sales experience would come in handy as an entrepreneur. __________________ jasonhollister.com Think your camera is noisy at high ISO? Click here People will always try to stop you doing the right thing if it is unconventional

14th of July 2006 (Fri)	#4
ssim POTN Landscape & Cityscape Photographer 2005 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: southern Alberta, Canada Posts: 10,763	Re: employed photographers salary? I had a chat with the ship's photographer on a cruise I went on. They worked long hard hours and they barely made above minimum wage. Sure they get to go to all sorts of exotic places but they don't get to enjoy them. With gear, I would think that 25.00 would be reasonable. If the employer is supplying the gear then it probably wouldn't be any different than any other employer, they want to pay as little as possible. They are providing the tools and the opportunity as well as taking all the risks. __________________ My life is like one big RAW file....way too much post processing needed. Sheldon Simpson \| My Gallery \| My Gear updated: 20JUL12

15th of July 2006 (Sat)	#8
cosworth I'm comfortable with my masculinity Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New Westminster, Canada Posts: 10,924	Re: employed photographers salary? Well it appears I have lined up a gig running the photo division of a Club Med. It's a private business inside the resort, and the owner is focusing on a second child and her other businesses. Keep ya posted! __________________ jasonhollister.com Think your camera is noisy at high ISO? Click here People will always try to stop you doing the right thing if it is unconventional

18th of July 2006 (Tue)	#12
brivett Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Milton Keynes, UK Posts: 396	Re: employed photographers salary? 99% of "paps" in the UK make little money... Maybe £25K if they are doing well... many of them are just push thugs with a camera set to auto everything.... everything to do with waiting in the cold, hassleing people and nothing to do with photography. I'm not talking about genuine press snappers - just "paps" Baz __________________ Barry Rivett http://www.studioflash.co.uk http://www.hotshots.me.uk Canon digital bodies, lenses, flashes. Bowens Esprits and Monolites Elinchrom Style and Classics Interfit and Portaflash

18th of July 2006 (Tue)	#13
KennyG Goldmember Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Leeds, UK Posts: 2,252	Re: employed photographers salary? Most of the UK togs working for the big agencies are on no more than $25,000 a year and have to provide their own gear. They rely on work outside the agencies to put bread on the table. The 'paps' may get a couple of grand for an image that is then sold on by the agency for up to fifty grand. Be a businessman first and tog second if you want to eat and have a roof over your head. __________________ Ken Professional Motorsport Photographer 2 x 1D MK-II, 7D, 17-40L, 24-70L, 70-200 2.8L IS, 100-400L, 300 2.8L IS, 500 4.0L IS, 85 1.8, 50 1.4, 1.4 & 2.0 MK-II TC.

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