Sitting in the doctors office with my son, I noticed the Bay Area Parent Magazine with a nice photograph on the cover of a recent graduate.  I picked up the magazine and noticed that a young photographer that I occasionally use as a assistant had been given photo credit for the cover photograph.  Excited for her, I called to congratulate her on her achievement, only to hear that "it was really no big deal".  "Are you kidding me" I said, "you shot the cover of a magazine,  that is a great achievement!"  She insisted that "it really was no big deal"... then it hit me.  I asked her, "did you get paid for it?"  She replied, "NO!...  Well, they gave me a quarter page add in the magazine".  Well, if you consider a small advertisement, buried with other small advertisements, towards the rear of the magazine, that only runs for one month, in a very restricted area of the east bay... payment, FINE!  I guess technically, anything you accept in return for your services is considered legal tender... even if it was a chicken, bag of rice, or a slap in the face.  I'll bet, if she would have said, no thank you, I will take cash or check instead of the free add space, they would have found another hungry soul to prey on.

Over and over I have seen people promise the world in order to get what they want for next to nothing.  The photo credit they so graciously gave her on the cover photograph is an industry standard, and really just the courteous and respectable thing to do.  By no means is it a payment of any kind.  I learned this the hard way when I was finally hired by Bullnose & Shaping Granite Counters.  I had previously done two estimates for them on jobs that never happened because they could not afford my services.  So, when he called the third time and immediately hired me to photograph the new kitchen for the cover of the magazine, you gotta figure he knows what to expect, right?  Since he never asked for an estimate for this job, I figure, by now, he knows what I charge and he is finally serious about getting great shots.  He mentioned that I would get photo credit for the cover shot and it would be great exposure.  Soooo many people would see it, and in turn, they would call me for photography.  Seriously... I've photographed 43 Playboy Playmates... and my work has been used internationally!  This local, low budget magazine printed on shitty newspaper is going to launch my career!  I knew better than that.  But I smiled, and not even thinking that he actually thought that a photo credit line would be sufficient payment, said sure, I will photograph the kitchen for your magazine cover and wet bar for your feature story inside as well.

It wasn't until I visited the house to scout out the project, returned another day with all my lighting and photography equipment, photographed the kitchen and matching wet bar area, edited, retouched & cropped images to fit the magazine format, delivered finished files on DVD, and then mentioned that I would get the invoice out to him soon, that I got that look... that sh_tty look that only means one thing.  I have just been royaly screwed.  I knew right then that I had just done all that for a photo credit line.  ARE YOU F___ING KIDDING ME!  He did apologize for the "misunderstanding" as he backed away with his tail between his legs, and easily $2,000.00 of my knowledge, time, and talent in his hand.  And there I stood... like a fool... with this photo credit line now in my wallet.  I thought for a moment, maybe I am rushing to conclusions.  Maybe this photo credit line really is worth something.  I shut the door and proceeded back to my old, run down, rented kitchen only to realize that the cupboards were bare and the refrigerator was nearly empty.  So, off to the grocery store I went.

I filled my grocery cart with food for me and my son and proceeded to the checkout line.  Waiting my turn in line, and thinking about which credit card to pay for my groceries with, I remembered that I had this incredibly valuable photo credit line in my wallet.  Hmmm... I wondered?  The cashier greeted me with a smile and asked if I found everything alright.  I replied, "yes, thank you!"  She quickly scanned my items, pecking at the register like a woodpecker on crack, she lifted her head, looked at me and said... "your total is $173.16.  I reached into my wallet and handed her my photo credit line.  She looked at me ( like a woodpecker on crack) like I was crazy!  She asked, "what's this?"  I replied, "it's the photo credit line I received as payment for photographing the cover of a kitchen remodeling magazine... it's worth over $2,000.00.  You know when a dog hears a weird sound... and they twist their head around, and their ears twitch... that's what she did to me, all the while looking like a woodpecker on crack that's hearing a weird sound!  Apparently, nobody anywhere accepts photo credit lines as legal tender in the United States.  I knew it!  I handed her my credit card and just before finishing the transaction, she asked "would you like to make a donation to the Foundation for Granite Drilling Disasters?"  I replied... "Sure... here's $2,000.00!"

Shame on you!