Are freelancers a dying breed

[retrognome]

Summing up. The free lance photographer has to embrace change. The days of a few privileged media people owning the market are dead. Circuit managers also need to recognise the needs of all photographers.

A good photographer whether professional or amateur will also always be ahead of the pack by pre planning, experience and knowledge of how to use his/her camera equipment.

Financially, the problem lies in bringing those images in front of an appreciative public ready to pay good money to justify the time, effort and investment.

Commissions must be a good idea as is identifying events ignored by the majority. Exposure via web based club magazines is another.

Professional photographers need to broaden their horizons and not rely on a single income stream. This week my magazine is reporting the exciting Jacque Vabre Yacht Race from Le Havre so I will be bouncing up and down in the Atlantic Ocean. There is it seems, life after motor sport.

[Greem]

Last year at a rather well covered race meeting in the UK at which I was flag marshalling a photographer positioned himself in a massively (in fact hilariously) dangerous position between the pit lane exit and flag point immediately prior to the start of a race.

To make it worse, in order that he could get low enough - he sat down on the concrete wall at the side of the track, cross legged. At this point the 2 minute hooter sounded.

I muttered something to the post chief, who walked down and at first politely asked the bloke to move. He didn't (and bear in mind that there was now 60 seconds to race start). The PC then told him to move, and got the response "I've been doing this for 5 years, I know what I'm doing"...

The PC's response was to say "I've been doing this for 30 years, now move!". He moved

Had he not moved, we would probably have been forced to suspend the start.

Anyway, long story short - in the support race which followed, one car suffered suspension failure and harpooned the wall right where the bloke had been sitting. I can only imagine that he saw that and felt suitably better informed.

[retrognome]

Nothing for four days, we must be a dying breed

[MikeHoyer]

I've been too busy!

[retrognome]

Interesting thread on lenses. You still can't beat a bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time.

[ss_collins]

There are next to no places I know of where you can see the track from a public place.

Brands Hatch - Hard shoulder of the M25. Wouldn't recommend it though, Thuxton I think too from the A303 (could be wrong there), Manx TT course lots of it, probably a good few public footpaths too overlooking tracks - but I'm splitting hairs of course and the point stands

[Ingsy]

Originally Posted by retrognome

Interesting thread on lenses. You still can't beat a bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time.

But surely when you're in the right place at the right time, you still need to know what to do. Composition, camera settings etc. Camera's aren't that great that you can press the button and it does everything for you. At least, mine isn't!

[retrognome]

of course, what you say is true, however, Dont you find that sometimes the unexpected happens and there is no time to juggle technology?

[Tim the Grey]

I have LOTS of blurry crashes, where I've been shooting sloooooowwwww shutter speed stuff. No time to switch bodies, wrong lens, etc!
Very frustrating, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

Oh, and I also seem to be the Polar Opposite of a Crash Magnet. I move on to another spot, and where I was, has a burning car, or wheels flying!

[retrognome]

Bit off subject, but it was the same when I was a kid and going fishing with my father. Somehow the fish were always biting around him, never near me.

[David Stallard]

Originally Posted by Tim the Grey

I have LOTS of blurry crashes, where I've been shooting sloooooowwwww shutter speed stuff. No time to switch bodies, wrong lens, etc!
Very frustrating, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

Oh, and I also seem to be the Polar Opposite of a Crash Magnet. I move on to another spot, and where I was, has a burning car, or wheels flying!

Snap - I reckon we should get together and charge the teams to stand at certain places - that way no one would ever crash - we could retire in a year or so lol.

.DAVID.

[retrognome]

WRC Wales Rally GB this weekend. Real challenge to get good shots, in and out of the forest, sunshine followed by dark cloud fast moving cars. I reckon maybe to leave it on auto and take a chance. Probably more photographers out than any other time of the year. Stiff competition

[grantp]

Indirectly related ...

http://www.petapixel.com/2011/11/29/...ality-cameras/


If I read between the lines correctly CNN are taking amateur video (and presumably stills) and using it as it comes in rather than miss the story by sending a staffer.

They then, if they can make use of it, send the piece worldwide and still pay nothing.

No surprise that that should happen I suppose. With so many people having phones that can be used as cameras - some half decent too - and the lower quality images that the phonecams produce as the bottom of their market still being acceptable quality for the masses - many of whom really don't care what the result looks like - it seems logical that CNN could make a decision about using almost any old stuff for its local news feeds. We may have HD TVs now but the channels will still put out crap quality and it's likely to decline as ever lower standards become the norm.

My guess is that video - the current escape route for many pro previously stills photographers - will go the same way within 10 years.

Then what?

[GORDON STREETER]

What is more worrying is that video evidence could be used in a court case and in this day and age can be manipulated by CG images to possibly swing the case.
Any photo of "an incident" can be a seller if it has enough importance for the" daily rubbish" if it's the only one that has been taken.
In another life I admit to selling photos of well known celebs to the press as I had access to film sets.
My wife has always carried a decent camera with her for the last 35 + years that has proved invaluable several times, but once she forgot and was witness to a bank robbery below her office complete with guns etc

[grantp]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

What is more worrying is that video evidence could be used in a court case and in this day and age can be manipulated by CG images to possibly swing the case.
Any photo of "an incident" can be a seller if it has enough importance for the" daily rubbish" if it's the only one that has been taken.
In another life I admit to selling photos of well known celebs to the press as I had access to film sets.
My wife has always carried a decent camera with her for the last 35 + years that has proved invaluable several times, but once she forgot and was witness to a bank robbery below her office complete with guns etc

There will always be people with access Gordon and these days many more of them will be carrying a device that can capture the moment visually.

The issue,, of course, is the lack of a sale with a value attached to it.

I agree with you about the risk of manipulation. On the other hand I wold not want to be in a case that relied heavily on a 'witness's memory' either. Memory is very good at making stuff up to fill the gaps and very bad at recalling which bits were made up and which might just have happened. Even worse at interpreting the events into a meaningful overall context.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by grantp

On the other hand I wold not want to be in a case that relied heavily on a 'witness's memory' either. Memory is very good at making stuff up to fill the gaps and very bad at recalling which bits were made up and which

Agreed there Grant, years ago I had an idiot that pulled out behind my van not noticing that I was towing a trailer !
His mates that ran out of their houses seemed to have seen it differently while they were watching TV ! but fortunatly it did'nt work in the insurance claim
Back to the thread subject.

[Hubble]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

What is more worrying is that video evidence could be used in a court case and in this day and age can be manipulated by CG images to possibly swing the case.
Any photo of "an incident" can be a seller if it has enough importance for the" daily rubbish" if it's the only one that has been taken

Not too much of an issue...it's easy for the experts to determine if an image has been manipulated in any way. The Police have to use Data Verification Kits (I know Canon do one for about £700 or so, depending on camera model) This provides encryption to prevent images/video being altered prior to use as evidence

A half decent solicitor would be able to argue that any images etc without this type of encryption could have been compromised, and that would taint the validity of the evidence

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Hubble

Not too much of an issue...it's easy for the experts to determine if an image has been manipulated in any way. The Police have to use Data Verification Kits (I know Canon do one for about £700 or so, depending on camera model) This provides encryption to prevent images/video being altered prior to use as evidence

A half decent solicitor would be able to argue that any images etc without this type of encryption could have been compromised, and that would taint the validity of the evidence

Whilst such rules exist most things should be fine ... but over time things change and constraints are eroded.

Of course if all evidence can be 'questioned' then there will be no reliable evidence. that is generally accepted and 'the law' would, perhaps, be resolved as a technical ****ing contest.

[NewYankee01]

Originally Posted by grantp

Whilst such rules exist most things should be fine ... but over time things change and constraints are eroded.

Of course if all evidence can be 'questioned' then there will be no reliable evidence. that is generally accepted and 'the law' would, perhaps, be resolved as a technical ****ing contest.

time for the mods to hand out a warning! i learnt not to ** words a little while ago

[grantp]

Originally Posted by NewYankee01

time for the mods to hand out a warning! i learnt not to ** words a little while ago

Nope, the system did it automatically - not that I have any evidence to prove that of course .....

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by grantp

Yes, the system didn't do it automatically - I have the evidence to prove that of course .....

It looked different on my PC, honest !

[retrognome]

What a superb event and with the snow in the forests a great chance to capture classic rallying at its best. The Lancia Stratos and Fulvia, Talbot Lotus Sunbeam, various SAAB 96s and of course a host of MK1 and MK11 Escorts. Lots of sideways stuff and atmosphere in service areas. We enjoyed reporting every minute.http://www.retro-speed.co.uk

[blovell]

I agree the digital age has been a double edged sword for everyone in their respective trades.

[Tim the Grey]

An interesting, and thought provoking, article...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-16243313
Happy Christmas!!!

[dj choc ice]

Freelancers are not necessarily a dying breed, there will always be a need for freelancers to a point. I think the issue is that unless you work for free (like I did for 18 months) then it is extremely difficult to get an 'in' as a photographer. I've not shot as media at a race since the Silverstone Classic in 2010, I desperately want to get back into it, but unless I'm getting some of my expenses covered I can't justify it anymore. Especially with the long distances I have to travel to get to some events, the high cost of petrol doesn't help things either.

I think the problem lies with a lot of websites/publications etc that expect something for nothing, It's a sad state of affairs that needs to be changed IMO. While I've had fantastic memories of working as media with some people on this very forum, it can be quite depressing when you look at your bank account and see you've spent £100+ and for all the hard work and graft you've put in, you haven't been paid a penny for it.

Unfortunately, if I want to get back into the media side of things, I'll have no choice but to work for free again. That's if I can even get back in after such a long hiatus away from the media side of things.