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Planning An Escape
March 20, 2017
charles i. letbetter - planning an escape

When you want to get away but are short on cash

 

charles i. letbetter - planning an escape

The Short Version

Not everyone has their parents’ credit cards to finance their galavanting around the world but we still want our shot at fun, adventure, and, be honest, a chance to escape the lunacy of the president and his administration. How does one finance any kind of escape? There’s a new player on the web that aims to help solve that problem by allowing companies to hire freelancers by paying for their travel, room, and board. Sounds good, doesn’t it? We decided to check it out.

A Little More Detail

[dropcap]I had gone through the process of reading the morning’s news and was in the process of banging my head on the desk yet again when I came across this article in AdWeek that captured both my attention and my imagination. The article introduces a new service that aims to connect companies with freelancers in an effort to save companies money and provide freelancers with the adventure and escape that we all want. Well, most of us. I do know a couple of people who are afraid to leave their own living room.[/dropcap]

The website is Wanderbrief and it works like some other freelance-oriented services in that it collects “briefs” from companies and then tries to match those with freelancer’s skills. Companies get to review the profiles of appropriate freelancers and then negotiate a deal. The company pays travel, room, and board and the freelancer completes the assigned project on location. Sounds like a nice way to get out of town for a few days, doesn’t it? The projects range from 1-4 weeks, so we can fit them in between the actual paying assignments so that the lights stay on at home and we don’t come home to find all our junk on the curb. They also hold the potential for increasing one’s network and thereby increasing the amount of paid work one gets.

We really liked how the article sounded, so we decided to take a slightly deeper look.

Jumping Through The Hoops

Remember, this is still a new site and service and there are places where that really shows. The form for freelancers to join is really short. The “bio” section has a 100 character limit, so they don’t really want to know too much about you. They want to check your socials and the top three items on your bucket list, so have those handy.

They only require that you list two projects, but more can be added (we don’t know that there’s a limit). The kicker here is that you can’t upload files, such as photographs and such. You have to provide a link to online content instead. Now, that could be something on Facebook or Instagram, but stop and think about what could happen after someone looks at the content you link. They start with that picture, but then they continue browsing through all your other pictures, including that one of you smashed off your ass at the Irish pub crawl this weekend. If you don’t already have your own website, ya’ might want to take care of that before you start in on this.

I was rather surprised by how short the form was. I understand the need for brevity, especially given the short attention span of many creatives. However, there are some simple things that I think would help companies make a better decision, such as:

  • Do you hold a valid passport?
  • Have you ever been denied a visa, and if so, why?
  • Have you ever been convicted of a felony (including DUI)? Trust me, we’ve lost team members at customs because of this one.
  • Have you ever been denied a bond?

These are issues that regularly come up when freelancing and it always concerns me when a prospective client doesn’t ask them. But again, the service is new. I’m sure they’ll adapt as they grow.

We Have Some Questions

Our initial experience on the Wanderbrief website was surprisingly short. It took about 15 minutes to complete the form, so now all we have to do is wait. On one hand, this seems like a lot of fun. However, after downloading the Ts & Cs, we have some questions that don’t seem to be answered anywhere on the website. These are things that come mostly from our experience and/or tails from friends who’ve gone through hell while traveling. With Wanderbrief being new, they’ve not had much chance for bad stuff to happen, but be sure that it will. We’d like to know someone is thinking about these things in advance.

  • How are we defining “room and board?” While I don’t ever expect a client to put us up in four-star facilities, I don’t appreciate the cheapskate who offers the pullout bed in his den at home, either. “Board” usually refers to meals, but how much, how many, and how often? I’ve gone hungry on assignments like this. I don’t like it. You probably wouldn’t, either.
  • Who’s responsible if you get stranded? This is a biggie. I’ve never had to deal with it personally, but almost every traveling model I know has encountered it at least once. Worst case scenario was a couple who were in Spain, left with no money, on a holiday weekend, and no way to get back home. Not every company is nice. Folks need to know someone has their back.
  • What are the freelancer’s rights if the company requests something different from the original agreement? The conversation starts with something like, “Our scope has changed and I know we talked about you doing xyz, but now we really need you to do lmn instead.” As long as the two are related, no problem. Unfortunately, if they’re not and if the freelancer tries to refuse then the company starts making threats that can be uncomfortable, such as not paying for things. Worst case scenario: the company’s representative requests sexual favors. Sure, it’s illegal, but if that person holds your ticket home you’ve got a problem.
  • How thoroughly are companies vetted? The Internet makes it relatively easy for small companies of one or two people look a lot bigger than they actually are. If companies are not thoroughly vetted, freelancers could find themselves essentially working for an individual, which doesn’t do much to pad the resume and makes the financials a bit shaky. Have you ever stood at a hotel desk and had them tell you the client’s credit card was declined? It’s not a fun situation. They expect payment from you. We need to know that companies are secure enough to handle the details.
  • How are disagreements between the company and the freelancer handled? Again, this is something that’s inevitable for anyone who freelances. We turn in a finished project. The client says, “That’s not what I asked for.” Both the company and the freelancer stand to lose in these situations. What law applies? Is arbitration an option? If so, who handles that? Since Wanderbrief is an international company, this matter really needs to be resolved before they send freelancers roaming across the countryside.
  • What happens if a freelancer becomes ill and is unable to complete a project? We hate it when this happens, but it does happen. You arrive in a city, your stomach feels a bit queasy, and the next thing you know you’re heaving up airplane food. Gross. Disgusting. You may try to ride it out, but if it doesn’t let up after a couple of days one may have little choice but to throw in the towel and go home. So, what happens? Is the company still on the hook for the full bill? Do you re-schedule and start over next month?  You really want to know before you’re trying to handle calls between moments of intestinal pain.

Companies are likely to have some similar questions regarding their rights as well, and if the company side of the website is as brief as the freelancer side, agreeing to a project could mean taking on considerable risks on both sides.

Conclusions

I love this concept. While it’s certainly not for everyone, for those who are available to travel this service is a godsend. I want to see it do well. However, there is a lot that is missing as far as mitigating risks and legal liabilities. I would worry especially about international travel where political situations can force a change in travel plans without any warning. The US government has proven too erratic and too unstable to be trusted. Rex Tillerson’s State Department is still missing hundreds of key employees so going to the nearest consulate may not provide any help at all.

I’m anxious to see what happens next. How long will it take for us to get a brief we can consider accepting? What additional information becomes available when we enter into that conversation? I’m assuming there are more details behind that curtain. I look forward to seeing what they are.

We’ll update this story if/when something happens that makes a difference. In the meantime, go ahead and check it out for yourself.  This might be just the thing to help you retain your sanity a moment longer.

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Behind The Scenes  /  Just For Fun  /  Photography  /  PotD
How To NOT Hire A Professional Photographer
September 14, 2016
charles i. letbetter - how to not hire a professional photographer

Every other artist begins with a blank canvas, a piece of paper. The photographer begins with the finished product. —Edward Steichen

 

charles i. letbetter - how to NOT hire a professional photographer

Of all the ways there are to hire a photographer, some people make us not want to work with them at all.

A lot of people are clueless when it comes to knowing how to hire a photographer. Some just go to the nearest commercial studio, sit down, pay the fees, and try to enjoy the results. It’s easier that way. Those who need something specific, though, and especially corporate entities that need product and marketing imagery, need more than can be found at the Photos-R-Us booth at the mall.

A source on social media led me to this article on Libris: How To Hire A Professional Photographer. The article is well written and covers the major topics one might want to consider before hiring a professional photographer for corporate imagery. The same recommendations wouldn’t necessarily apply to someone hiring a portrait photographer, though. Similarly, there’s a very different set of questions to ask before hiring a wedding photographer, or someone who can adequately capture your four-year-old’s birthday. Hiring a good photographer can be challenging.

At the same time, however, photographers are plagued by would-be customers who don’t have a clue what they’re doing. Most of the time, we can help and guide them toward exactly what they need. For example, if you ask me about wedding photos, I’m going to guide you toward a number of colleagues who do nothing but weddings. They’re good at that. Weddings just drive me nuts. Still, there are always those who get it so wrong we just walk away.

Here’s a humorous list of ways to NOT hire a professional photographer.

Start with “How much would you charge …”

I don’t want to hear any more. If all you are interested in is the cost, then you’re not interested in the professionalism and quality of my work, which is a large part of how my price is determined. If you’re shopping based on price, go to the mall. I, on the other hand, am likely to give you my sarcastic (and very poor) Groucho Marx impression:

“How much do I charge? How much do you have? Here, show me your wallet. We’ll just take all those credit cards there and max ’em out and call it even. That works for me, doesn’t it? By the way, who did you say you are?”

Don’t have a clue what you want

“We need someone to take pictures for our company’s website.” comes the typical request.

“Wonderful, what kind of pictures do you want?” we’ll ask. “Headshots of company leadership? Pictures of your products? Photos of your employees pretending to work together?”

“I don’t know. Just stuff around the office or something.”

Uhm, yeah. You need to find someone who has to patience to stand around and twiddle their thumbs all day while you make up your mind. This never works because, regardless of what pictures might ultimately be taken, they’re never the “right ones,” because no one has a freaking clue what the “right ones” are. Call me when you know what you want.

Think anything under $500 is a budget

Sure, you can always find a photographer willing to work for next to nothing, or maybe even nothing. They’re out there. You get what you pay for. This applies in double doses to corporate imagery. We apply a formula when calculating the value of corporate photographs. That formula includes various forms of media and how many people are likely to view the image(s). The pictures going into a $3 million global ad campaign are going to cost a lost more than the pictures we shoot for Uncle Fester’s Bait Shop.

Photographers often feel a lot of pressure here and too many companies are willing to take advantage of us. We want the job, especially if the client carries some name recognition. However, we also know the value of our work. If you’re a corporation, it’s beyond rude to ask for anyone to take a shot of your company headquarters for less than $1,500. Try to understand the value of our work and give us a budget that is reasonable.

Balk at paying for my staff

You want me to take your pictures. You’ve looked at my portfolio and like what you see. But when I mention the cost of my staff, you don’t want to pay for them? Seriously? How the fuck do you think I took those great pictures in my portfolio? There was a makeup artist, a hair stylist, a wardrobe stylist, possibly an art director, certainly an assistant or two, and quite possibly someone whose job is to make sure I don’t fall down too much (it happens). Granted, the size of the staff fluctuates with the difficulty and particular needs of the project. Still, there is almost always going to be at least one other person with me, even if we’re just taking pictures of the grass growing on your front lawn.

Wanting to hire a professional photographer and not pay the staff is like buying a new car and not wanting to pay for the engine. You want them. You need them. They’re professionals as well. Don’t be the ass who doesn’t want to pay them. I’ll just wrap their costs into my fee, plus an extra 20% for the trouble.

Diss pictures in my portfolio

Let me expand on that. Don’t diss the pictures, nor the models in the picture, nor the products in the pictures, nor the clients for whom the pictures were taken, nor where the pictures were taken, or anything else involving the pictures in a photographer’s portfolio. If you don’t like our pictures, then why the fuck are you asking us to take yours? You’re not impressing me with your alleged “knowledge of photography” or “commitment to quality.” You’re just being a gripey old bitch who is probably not going to be pleased with anything we do.

I don’t like working with/for negative people. I have better things to do with my time. Plus, it’s really difficult to be creative and artistic when there’s someone on set who just isn’t going to be pleased. You keep that bad attitude up and I’m stopping and making everyone do the chicken dance.

Talk politics

Do ya’ want to take pictures or do you want to start a fight? Hmm? Or do you want me to take pictures of the fight? I add a hazardous duty surcharge for getting that close to the action. I’m unapologetically liberal, but even if we agree on most issues, the photo set isn’t the place or time for political discussions, even if what we’re shooting is inherently political. Let the photographer do his work, take the pictures you need, and then you can discuss the political ramifications of electing a toad for president.

Distractions on the set are a problem. I know sometimes they can’t be avoided, but, by all means, don’t intentionally introduce them where they’re not needed.

Cancel last minute then expect us to rebook for free

Sure, we’re willing to consider special circumstances outside anyone’s control, such as natural disaster, death, severe illness, or  sudden IRS audit (it’s happened). However, if you’re cancelling within 48 hours of a scheduled shoot simply because it’s not “convenient” for someone, we’re charging a rebooking fee and it’s probably not going to be small.

Here’s the thing: we create our schedules well in advance. When someone cancels last-minute, we can’t just turn around and take the next client standing in line. That cancellation removes our ability to make money during that time block. You’re effectively costing us money. Your photographer is going to be reluctant to reschedule under those circumstances because if it’s “inconvenient” once, it’s likely to be “inconvenient” again and someone obviously doesn’t value our time. We may not tell you we won’t rebook, but a smart photographer charges a fee for doing so.

And other stupid shit

There are plenty of other things I could add to this list but time and your lack of interest prevent me from making this article too terribly much longer. Know that most photographers don’t give a damn about  your opinions on anything, don’t want anyone second-guessing their work, and yes, we do mind that your second-cousin with an “interest in photography” is shooting right behind us. If that same person had an “interest in medicine,” would you take them to your next OB/GYN exam? Hmm?

As I said, I’m trying to treat the topic humorously. The issues are real, though, and might cause you to miss out on the best pictures you could have had. I’m not the only photographer who is a bit picky about his clients. Not by a long shot.

So, get your ducks in a row, have a reasonable budget, and let us do our job without interference. If you can do that, hiring a professional photographer is easy.

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