Free at Last

[david_intrator]

<p>More and more it seems like all creative content is expected to be for free.<br>

Here's an interesting take: <br>

 

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Would love to hear your comments as how it relates to our work as photographers.</p>

<p> </p>

[leicaglow]

<p>David, that's pretty funny the book is not free. This is a movement that is worth watching because it is all over the marketing world. There is a new philosophy of Freemiums, where you give away 95% of your product and services in hopes that the 5% of the premium products and services will generate most of your money. I'm not buying it yet... any more than I buy the importance of Twitter, but I'm still watching it. For photography, I have a few ideas how this would work, but I'm not talking about them yet.</p>

[AJG]

<p>I always find it interesting when people like the author of this book (who I'm quite certain received an advance and royalties if the book sells) expect that the rest of us should be happy to buy real equipment and software, pay real rent, utilities, insurance and mortgages, and that we're going to be able to give away our products and services and survive. Unfortunately, he and I don't share the same universe. His model only works if people are more interested in gaining notoriety than in having a roof over their heads--I don't doubt that there are some people to whom that applies.</p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>I thought it was interesting that they had footage of picking cotton, because about ten seconds into the video, I was already thinking about the 13th Amendment. Pretty much the whole deal sounds like it will eventually spiral out of control and end up manipulating others into providing involuntary servitude through some kind of commercial entrapment. It's just more healthy to pay as you go.</p>

[daverhaas]

<p>There's a place where the "free" / get something for nothing cluture thrives... it's called "CL" (PN won't allow the words) but I think you all know what site I mean... There's tons of ads out there for people who don't want to pay for our services, but expect / demand / desire top notch photography.</p>

<p>Locally there was an ad last week for an "event photographer" - Event - A boat party at a local lake - number of families, couples, etc... compensation: Zero.. A chance to build your portfolio. Note: If they are renting a boat - one would hope they could afford a photographer. I did send a response and got an e-mail back stating that they had no budget for one..so could not pay my rate. By the way - Sent from the prespective client's "Blackberry" </p>

<p>My guess they found someone to do it for free or realized the request they were making was ridicolous. But I'm going with the former.</p>

<p>Dave</p>