Thank you for writing about this, Melissa! These are the exact kinds of issues that brought all the authors of the Photo Bill of Rights together in 2020 to both draw attention to the problems and propose solutions. It was disappointing then to see how when there was a call to come together in addressing inequity, those with the most power doubled down on their relative privilege. If we have any hope of fixing these financial inequities in the photography profession, we really have to acknowledge they are never divorced from the underlying class, race and gender inequality of the industry (as in society more generally). There’s data on those relationships specifically in the 2022 State of Photography Report, showing that women and photographers of color get paid the least, hold the most debt from assignments and are the most in danger of being pushed out of the profession due to unequal pay.
In Canada, a group of freelancers have been banding together to help each other out. https://www.unitedphotojournalists.ca/ This is a problem for all freelancers, photojournalists and otherwise, and partly brought on by the gig economy, but mostly by corporate greed. Thank you for highlighting this.
This makes me sick. I'm an attorney and a nature photographer. At one point I wanted to forget the law and become a freelance photojournalist. But after I saw the nasty realities of being a freelancer, I pivoted and decided to double-down on legal education for photographers. I've been focusing on copyright issues, but this is another way that freelancers get squeezed. And it's wrong. The reality is, it's about leverage, which will only happen with freelancers banding together, as another commenter advised is happening in Canada. I hope you spark a movement!
Thanks for this Melissa! I think putting this out there is the first step. I remember at my first GeekFest event in DC there was a panel of editors answering questions from photographers. Now, I'd love to see a roundtable with editors and freelancers talking together about how there can be some understanding and movement to a more equitable way to work TOGETHER.
I understand why you didn’t want to name the editors and publications with bad reputations, but doesn’t this perpetuate the problem? Doesn’t this protect them to find “the next warm body?” Personally, I would like to know so I can avoid this. I recently had a terrible experience where I assisted on a shoot for one of the largest magazines in the country. I incurred $2400 in expenses for only $1200 in day rates. It took almost 120 days to be paid for both my day rates and reimbursement for expenses. It was horrible, but what can I do? My only recourse is to ask for expenses paid up front next time and hope they don’t look for the next warm body.
Glad to see this conversation happening. Thankfully I haven't had many bad experiences (except with French publications...all French publications). Wish people would name and shame the bad actors, but I know doing that will cost people future work. It's such a tough industry....
This is so frustrating to hear. Though I’m not a freelancer myself, it’s hard to fathom that in this day and age that people still have to deal with this. There is so much fight for so many causes that it strikes me that this has to be added to it. I understand not wanting to call out said publication, but it’s hard to not want to know.
Has your association ever thought about creating pooled resources to help others ? In the gig economy workers could benefit from the protections of a labor union. If baristas and adjunct professors can do it, why not you?
Thank you for writing about this, Melissa! These are the exact kinds of issues that brought all the authors of the Photo Bill of Rights together in 2020 to both draw attention to the problems and propose solutions. It was disappointing then to see how when there was a call to come together in addressing inequity, those with the most power doubled down on their relative privilege. If we have any hope of fixing these financial inequities in the photography profession, we really have to acknowledge they are never divorced from the underlying class, race and gender inequality of the industry (as in society more generally). There’s data on those relationships specifically in the 2022 State of Photography Report, showing that women and photographers of color get paid the least, hold the most debt from assignments and are the most in danger of being pushed out of the profession due to unequal pay.
In Canada, a group of freelancers have been banding together to help each other out. https://www.unitedphotojournalists.ca/ This is a problem for all freelancers, photojournalists and otherwise, and partly brought on by the gig economy, but mostly by corporate greed. Thank you for highlighting this.
This makes me sick. I'm an attorney and a nature photographer. At one point I wanted to forget the law and become a freelance photojournalist. But after I saw the nasty realities of being a freelancer, I pivoted and decided to double-down on legal education for photographers. I've been focusing on copyright issues, but this is another way that freelancers get squeezed. And it's wrong. The reality is, it's about leverage, which will only happen with freelancers banding together, as another commenter advised is happening in Canada. I hope you spark a movement!
THIS. Thank you for opening the pandora's box. It's way overdue w discuss this all.
Thanks for this Melissa! I think putting this out there is the first step. I remember at my first GeekFest event in DC there was a panel of editors answering questions from photographers. Now, I'd love to see a roundtable with editors and freelancers talking together about how there can be some understanding and movement to a more equitable way to work TOGETHER.
I understand why you didn’t want to name the editors and publications with bad reputations, but doesn’t this perpetuate the problem? Doesn’t this protect them to find “the next warm body?” Personally, I would like to know so I can avoid this. I recently had a terrible experience where I assisted on a shoot for one of the largest magazines in the country. I incurred $2400 in expenses for only $1200 in day rates. It took almost 120 days to be paid for both my day rates and reimbursement for expenses. It was horrible, but what can I do? My only recourse is to ask for expenses paid up front next time and hope they don’t look for the next warm body.
Glad to see this conversation happening. Thankfully I haven't had many bad experiences (except with French publications...all French publications). Wish people would name and shame the bad actors, but I know doing that will cost people future work. It's such a tough industry....
This is so frustrating to hear. Though I’m not a freelancer myself, it’s hard to fathom that in this day and age that people still have to deal with this. There is so much fight for so many causes that it strikes me that this has to be added to it. I understand not wanting to call out said publication, but it’s hard to not want to know.
It was a good read. That you for writing this.
Has your association ever thought about creating pooled resources to help others ? In the gig economy workers could benefit from the protections of a labor union. If baristas and adjunct professors can do it, why not you?