Money for nothing or your pix for free.
I love music photography. It’s just not that easy to make a living from it unless you work for an agency or a glossy mag.
I have two rates normally, one for mates and unsigned bands (unless i am doing a trade for trade kind of deal) and then a more corporate rate for the big guns.
This may sound weird but musicians are always skint.. and i love the work, so it seems only right that if i can be flexible and it helps a band out on their way up.. then so be it.
You never know, they may just remember me for it too.
It’s only recently i have started to put my photos up on Flickr. This has been a help and a hinderance as i am inundated with people asking for copies of my photos for one reason or another. This would not be so bad if they were paying clients. But they are not. Everyone seems to think if you have pix on flickr you are a hobby snapper and that you would be more than happy with a little flattery and perhaps a link on some site as payment.
They don’t see the week spent in the mud, or the top spec camera broken through some fan throwing a beer, or the temporary loss of hearing, or he cost of a ticket (even with a photo pass at places like Glastonbury).
Yes music photography is fun and i really enjoy the adventure leading up to grabbing a selection of shots of a band that i either like or maybe even love. But it would still be nice to get some kind of financial payback without churning out one of the thousands of yearly books or calenders that flood our bargain book shops.
Right that said. I am just about to upload a few pix of Lisa Hannigan (of Damien Rice fame) as some guy on a island somwhere has a music agency and would really really like to have one of my pictures on my wall.
Take a peek at my flickr music section by clicking HERE
I think i will ask for a donation.. 
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Love the new site…Well Done! It goes well with the fabulous content that you are always putting out. Thanks so much:)
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Hi Kari,
Thanks, you are my first comment on the new look site..
It’s not finished yet as there are loads of old posts to reformat etc. I may have a go at a new logo too..
Cheers,
Christian
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Nice new digs
I also have ‘mate rates’. I love helping people out, but it’s easy to get taken advantage of too.
As an amateur snapper whose photos would otherwise sit on a hard drive unviewed I’m quite happy for people to use my stuff, but I can see what a double edged sword Flickr can be for you professional guys.
As with most of this new media malarky though, you seem to be working it out well
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Another comment! Hi Mike, cheers for that. And thank you also for your comment on Linked-in.
I started writing one back but suddenly became overwhelmed with insecurity.. How do I write clearly and concisely about how good a writer is at their job when personally I can’t write for shit.. Hmmm..
Maybe i will have another go later on..
something like.
“Mike is a really really really really god writer and likes it alot.”
See.. i am crap.
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Its up then and looking darned swishy , Christian would you like me to write a recommendation for Mike for you ?
I’ll do it at mates rates !
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Stress not, I can’t take a decent picture for all the China tea in Morrison’s and it’s never stopped me… and anyway, who says you can’t write?!
Nice, shiny new blog – fantastic!!
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:33 pm
He He.. What I failed to mention Nick was the secret ‘Friends Rates’ I also offer. I don’t advertise that though..
You know as far as stock shots go, You (and a select few others.. you know who you are) only have to ask..
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Thanks Danacea, it’s good to know..
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I’ve had companies contact me through Flickr, and I know straight away that they’re going to go down the ‘it’ll be good publicity for you’ route! These are wealthy companies, not poor individuals, but they know that people will give away their intellectual property for free, for this non-existent high kudos publicity…
I also help out skint musicians for the same reasons as you, and I find they’re so grateful and generous that it makes it a pleasure working with them. Which is nice!
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Hi Craig, thanks for the comment. It is good to hear another pro snapper getting the same great offers
I think from now on I will stick to my guns when a huge multinational comes along and asks for a free picture. After all. If i were a carpenter *breaks into song* they wouldn’t expect me to pop round and whittle a chair for free.
Now for you guys on the other hand… anything.
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Oooo – I’ve been looking for a wordpress theme like this for a social media arts collective experiment thing. It’s rather nice.
Was it ok to install? Did you have to do much tweaking? (I’m an html-er and php makes me weep.)
How do you separate the different strands of content?
Questions questions.. actually, I should probably just look at the theme website.. would appreciate your thoughts though.