2. Contractual obligations and financial issues
freelance photography
Photographers use contracts when striking a deal with companies or a individual due to the complications such as
copyright and pay, the company or individual will give them a number of tasks that they have to complete to be paid in
full, these can include a certain amount of images taken in various locations, travel costs, and how long they have been
working on the images for, you might be wondering why not do a handshake on what you want doing? The thing is, it is
much more complicated than just a handshake as if you are to mess up your obligated deal then it can end up in a
range of legal issues which you will not have the assorted paperwork to back up your case also having a contract sets
the rules of engagement for both parties with knowing how much you will be paid and how many hours you have to
complete your set task, also having a contract will eliminate miscommunications such as problems between you and
the person you are working under, in these contracts it’s usually stated that the work need’s to be done to a certain
standard or such as high or regular, if this isn’t met by you and is set to a poor standard for example then it may be up
to the company or civil rights court to dispute your claim, this can also be in reference with time management as well if
the video comes to the individual or company late.
The problems with being a freelance photographer is the fact that even though you are paid to work under people you
are still your own buissness, you are mostly in charge of your travel costs, hotel, and food depending how far you’re
working, if you plagiarize meaning you copied someone else's work which is immaculately similar to the photographer
that took the photo is may end up in legal issues which will come out of your pocket and may effect the contract you
were signed to.
When signing a contract with a company or a individual it’s always in good terms to make a agreement of copyright, so
if your images are seen elsewhere, it can be classed as yours and the company's profit being taken which can end up
in legal issues for the person taking your work, if it has be been used for educational purposes only then it’s abit more
lenient but if your images are being used for profit purposes only without your permission or the companies it will end
up bad for the person committing the crime as it’s highly cost efficient as copyright suits don’t go unattended.
3. Working as a freelance photographer in the
media sector
Working in this sector of the media industry is pretty much on your own accord, you can set your own working dates,
choose who you want to work for, it comes with a lot of freedom but with that it’s difficulties. Even though you’re a
freelance photographer and it’s technically classed as your own buissness you are still obliged under other peoples
rules and obligations as you are most of the time under peoples contract which when pen to paper is signed, you are
set to do their work in their time. When working for these companies you will have to to bring your own skill set to show
you are worth it, most of the companies hiring are not after just a regular photographer, they want photographers who
bring their own style and flare. Taking risks is also something you should acknowledge, an example of this can be
choosing a company that is looking for acquired skills out of your boundary, if you show you can meet these standards
it only widens your interest from other companies and individuals. Adding onto this, making sure work is on time is a big
factor, even though it doesn't’t really feel like a big deal, well it is, it shows you are up to par with bringing work in early,
it shows a lot about your personality too and may even build you bridges with the right people for the future just giving
you even more job opportunity's.
One of the greatest advantages of being a freelance photographer is the fact you can work at home editing the photo’s
you have worked on throughout the week, the fact of being your own boss too is good as even though you work under
people you still set yourself your own work times as long as it’s in time for the companies contract.
A disadvantage is the isolation, you don’t have to work with groups of people so you are constantly at home or out
taking pictures with no real social aspect, the only contact you may get most times of the week will mostly be from texts
or phone calls which may affect your overall mood in time. Adding onto this is the amount of work you have to do being
your own boss, like collecting payments, signing sheets on sheets of continuous paperwork and client communication
which involves you talking about up and coming appointments with clients.
4. Equipment needed to be a freelance
photographer
• Digital Camera: A digital camera is needed when being a freelance photographer as it gives you the flexibility to
film in interior and exterior. They are relatively low budget and are quick to shoot when needing a good shot, make
sure not to buy a low cost one as they are flimsy and easy to break and aren't compatible with many other lenses.
• Memory cards: Memory cards are essential when filming due to the large amounts of storage they can hold when
taking vast amount of photo’s, it’s good to have at least a couple of these when out taking photo’s for backup and
the sake of having more images to store as one day could be gorgeous and great for taking photos in.
• Spare battery's: Another essential object is battery's, they are essential due to how quick camera’s run out, they
can run out within hours and when needed you may not have a spare whilst on location.
• Camera bag: having a camera bag doesn't’t just store your camera it stores and creates space for chargers,
battery's, memory cards and all sorts, this saves you from carrying unneeded bags around when you can just have
one that’ll do all the work for you.
• DSLR: Having a DLSR camera is the most essential item on this list, it has the ability to snap 100’s on photo’s
within the matter of 5 minutes, giving you various different images in a short space of time, adding onto this is the
camera’s amazing quality, it is able to capture beautiful imagery with the option to change the settings easily with
the manual scroll wheel attached onto it, giving you nothing but 100’s of options to ensure the best photo’s.
• Extra charger: Similar to the batteries, you will need it when on location as if your camera is to cut half way
through a shoot and you don’t have spare batteries, then it will come in handy to continue work.
5. Freelance photographer (paparazzi)
• The paparazzi are infamous for capturing immoral and funny photo’s of celebrities who are doing things they
shouldn't’t neccicerly be doing, an example of this can be Brittney spears when she was having a midlife crisis the
week she shaved her hair she tried to break a pedestrians car with her umbrella, the photographers who caught
her doing this earnt a goldmine of money from simply being in the right place at the right time, I classed this as
immoral cause they are stalking to a point of where they have no freedom really, you often see the celebrities lash
out at times at photographer, such as kanye west who attacked one because he was asking stupid questions
whilst shooting him walking through the airport.
• Positives: The money is really good, and can more than enough support your family, as one unique photo can earn
you a years worth of work.
• Negatives: Mostly harassment, stalking the celebrity, following them from days to weeks trying to capture a photo
that makes them look wrong.
• Newspapers will hire high level paparazzi to go out and take photo’s of celebrities and will give them a contract of
a certain amount of photo’s of A class celebrities to be taken, the contract may also involve the paparazzi spending
most of his day having to capture these photo’s.
6. How to become a freelance photographer?
• Choose your genre of photography: By choosing what style you think you are suited into, which can be anywhere
from sport photography, fashion photography or a nature photographer e.g. This first step gives you the heads on
to go in the direction you want.
• Establishing social media accounts: By establishing social media you are giving yourself even more of a platform
to raise your name as a photographer on as you can show what pictures you have taken and the methods you
have done to take them pictures, if people are interested to read then they are definitely interested in you, also
adding onto this, if you make social media accounts it gives people a recommendation on who to go too for well
made photo which only raises your platform more.
• Setting fee’s: if you set reasonable fee’s for your customers at a below standard price at first it lets people know
you aren't greedy for a startup photographer, it shows you’re willing to work to raise you platform, videographers
tend to do the same as they charge low rates for weddings to get their name out there to people.
• Portfolio: at this point you should have more than enough photo’s you have from customers and volunteers then
you did when you started, having a portfolio opens your horizon as it gives high ranking business’ the chance to
look at you and seek if they really need you for a job, it shows you have worked to get to where you are.
• Building friendships: Building bridges with ex-clients or businesses' is great due to it being able to give you a
number of high profile names to work under which essentially adds up to bigger pay as you have been a
recommendation to someone else who may be willing to offer more to you for a certain amount of photo’s.
