work for free?

i have an opporutnity to become an apprentice to a local professional photographer. The problem is he doesn't want to pay. He says the experience will be so rewarding that I won't have to spend money in a photography school.

I talked it over with my parents and they think I'm nuts to consider it. My dad says only fools work for free.

I want to take the job and need some arguments to convince my parents. Does anyone know if working for free is normal in the industry? Or am I just being played?

wendy_johnson wrote: i have an opporutnity to become an apprentice to a local professional photographer. The problem is he doesn't want to pay. He says the experience will be so rewarding that I won't have to spend money in a photography school.

I talked it over with my parents and they think I'm nuts to consider it. My dad says only fools work for free.

I want to take the job and need some arguments to convince my parents. Does anyone know if working for free is normal in the industry? Or am I just being played?

I wouldn't do it, unless it was someone with prestige.

It's a choice you will have to decide if it is worth it or not. My Daughter-in-Law is doing an unpaid internship right now for her Doctorate in Psychology at a University in Virginia, so it's not unheard of, but I think that there should be some form of compensation (money or use of equipment) in your case.

The "pro" can't be that good if they can't afford to give you a little cash.

I would expect the pro would at least pay you minimum wage, you have your bills to pay also.

I want to post here again.

I have a video production business and aside from sound and lighting guys, I occasionally I have to hire a best boy grip (helper - usually my nephew) I usually do most of the grip work on productions as well as be a director/producer where need be as I do mostly small end commercial stuff...

I always pay my workers, even if it's a small amount. I factor this into the production cost, even if it means I don't make as much.

If the "pro" can't do this. Then I say give it a miss because they're probably crap.

Stealthy Ninja wrote: I want to post here again.

I have a video production business and aside from sound and lighting guys, I occasionally I have to hire a best boy grip (helper - usually my nephew) I usually do most of the grip work on productions as well as be a director/producer where need be as I do mostly small end commercial stuff...

I always pay my workers, even if it's a small amount. I factor this into the production cost, even if it means I don't make as much.

If the "pro" can't do this. Then I say give it a miss because they're probably crap.

100% agree with how you operate. Pay them at least something, I think it's just cheap to expect free labor. What kind of video's do you produce?

iGeek wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote: I want to post here again.

I have a video production business and aside from sound and lighting guys, I occasionally I have to hire a best boy grip (helper - usually my nephew) I usually do most of the grip work on productions as well as be a director/producer where need be as I do mostly small end commercial stuff...

I always pay my workers, even if it's a small amount. I factor this into the production cost, even if it means I don't make as much.

If the "pro" can't do this. Then I say give it a miss because they're probably crap.

100% agree with how you operate. Pay them at least something, I think it's just cheap to expect free labor. What kind of video's do you produce?

Nothing worth writing home about.

Mainly business/commercial stuff. It's not artistic/interesting, but it pays OK. I do a lot of videos for Powerpoint Presentations it seems.

Well I have known many people who apprenticed for free and, learned alot. They learned both the technical side and the business side. BUT I will say this if you choose to do it you will know if you are being played if all they have you do is the grunt work and, dont really teach you anything. I have seen that happen as well. At that point leave.

Stealthy Ninja wrote:

iGeek wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote: I want to post here again.

I have a video production business and aside from sound and lighting guys, I occasionally I have to hire a best boy grip (helper - usually my nephew) I usually do most of the grip work on productions as well as be a director/producer where need be as I do mostly small end commercial stuff...

I always pay my workers, even if it's a small amount. I factor this into the production cost, even if it means I don't make as much.

If the "pro" can't do this. Then I say give it a miss because they're probably crap.

100% agree with how you operate. Pay them at least something, I think it's just cheap to expect free labor. What kind of video's do you produce?

Nothing worth writing home about.

Mainly business/commercial stuff. It's not artistic/interesting, but it pays OK. I do a lot of videos for Powerpoint Presentations it seems.

As long as you enjoy it and you make a few bucks!

iGeek wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote:

iGeek wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote: I want to post here again.

I have a video production business and aside from sound and lighting guys, I occasionally I have to hire a best boy grip (helper - usually my nephew) I usually do most of the grip work on productions as well as be a director/producer where need be as I do mostly small end commercial stuff...

I always pay my workers, even if it's a small amount. I factor this into the production cost, even if it means I don't make as much.

If the "pro" can't do this. Then I say give it a miss because they're probably crap.

100% agree with how you operate. Pay them at least something, I think it's just cheap to expect free labor. What kind of video's do you produce?

Nothing worth writing home about.

Mainly business/commercial stuff. It's not artistic/interesting, but it pays OK. I do a lot of videos for Powerpoint Presentations it seems.

As long as you enjoy it and you make a few bucks!

Yeah it's funny, I enjoy working with video for pay, even though it's hours and hours of work.

BUT I prefer to do photography for fun rather than be paid for it.

Stealthy Ninja wrote:

iGeek wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote:

iGeek wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote: I want to post here again.

I have a video production business and aside from sound and lighting guys, I occasionally I have to hire a best boy grip (helper - usually my nephew) I usually do most of the grip work on productions as well as be a director/producer where need be as I do mostly small end commercial stuff...

I always pay my workers, even if it's a small amount. I factor this into the production cost, even if it means I don't make as much.

If the "pro" can't do this. Then I say give it a miss because they're probably crap.

100% agree with how you operate. Pay them at least something, I think it's just cheap to expect free labor. What kind of video's do you produce?

Nothing worth writing home about.

Mainly business/commercial stuff. It's not artistic/interesting, but it pays OK. I do a lot of videos for Powerpoint Presentations it seems.

As long as you enjoy it and you make a few bucks!

Yeah it's funny, I enjoy working with video for pay, even though it's hours and hours of work.

BUT I prefer to do photography for fun rather than be paid for it.

So is your video production company what you do full time or part time?

iGeek wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote:

iGeek wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote:

iGeek wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote: I want to post here again.

I have a video production business and aside from sound and lighting guys, I occasionally I have to hire a best boy grip (helper - usually my nephew) I usually do most of the grip work on productions as well as be a director/producer where need be as I do mostly small end commercial stuff...

I always pay my workers, even if it's a small amount. I factor this into the production cost, even if it means I don't make as much.

If the "pro" can't do this. Then I say give it a miss because they're probably crap.

100% agree with how you operate. Pay them at least something, I think it's just cheap to expect free labor. What kind of video's do you produce?

Nothing worth writing home about.

Mainly business/commercial stuff. It's not artistic/interesting, but it pays OK. I do a lot of videos for Powerpoint Presentations it seems.

As long as you enjoy it and you make a few bucks!

Yeah it's funny, I enjoy working with video for pay, even though it's hours and hours of work.

BUT I prefer to do photography for fun rather than be paid for it.

So is your video production company what you do full time or part time?

Part time.

If its someone you think you could learn from then that would be fine but just because he is a pro does not mean he is good. Look at all the people that take photos at walmart 95% of them do can shots that even a monkey could do, but if this person has something you can learn from and is respected in your area then I would say do it.

wendy_johnson wrote: i have an opporutnity to become an apprentice to a local professional photographer. The problem is he doesn't want to pay. He says the experience will be so rewarding that I won't have to spend money in a photography school.

I talked it over with my parents and they think I'm nuts to consider it. My dad says only fools work for free.

I want to take the job and need some arguments to convince my parents. Does anyone know if working for free is normal in the industry? Or am I just being played?

I wouldn't do it. Not unless you and the pro photographer can come to an agreement that you are his apprentice for only a couple hours a week. So the rest of the time you can actually work a paying job. In the end, you can learn about photography, but it won't be taking up the whole day where you can actually bring in an income.