The Evolving Rules Of The Game

I've been cruising on Craigslist recently and it has been really fun. I am relying on TFCD, which basically stands for "Photos for CD." It's a mutual arrangement between a photographer and a model to meet for a free photoshoot.

This apparently pisses a lot of people off. Just read this posting, it's not very long:

This TFCD situation in Toronto is NUTZ.. I want a full fashion shoot with studio... for free.... I want headshots... for free..... Hell I want clothes and movies for free,,,, AIN'T gonna happen... If you call yourself a photographer, and you shoot for free, your an idiot. I refuse to do tfcd ever again... period.

I've said this before in an earlier blog posting: there is a serious double standard regarding digital rights!!!!! While the above posting that I quoted seems noble, I challenge that person to prove me that he or she has never downloaded a work of art "illegally." I guarantee you that all of these photographers crying about TFCD are listening to pirated music as they tweak their precious photos on photoshop.

Get over yourself! Who are you, Annie Liebovitz? The rules of the photography game have changed.

It is cheaper and easier than ever to be an SLR photographer. Everyone is doing it. The market is saturated beyond belief. You know what, nameless $100/hour photographer, is your work really worth that money? How about we operate by a different philosophy here: if you have people approaching you, no, scratch that, begging you to photograph them, then maybe I'd have some sympathy for you.

The reality is that only people who will pay me for photos are family and friends. I'd love to be making more cash, but this is a different business now. If you're going to go on strike because you're upset, you're no better than Metallica was when the whole napster ordeal erupted. It's taken ten years for people to sort of forget about how uncool it was to stand up for digital rights.

By the way, I just want free models. From my perspective, it's a fair deal!

Musicians and filmmakers have been hit hard. We're next. It's the reality of the internet. Go ahead, go on strike. I'll reap the benefits.