Subject: Re: Call for photos
Date: Oct 16 13:41:29 1995
From: Russell Rogers - rrogers


>From Russell Rogers, Seattle WA, rrogers at halcyon.com

I would like to add a few *brief* comments on giving away photographs, or
anything, for that matter.

As many of you know, I went to Tyler School of Art, in Philadelphia, as a
painter. Upon graduating from from Tyler, some friends and myself started
a business making backdrops and theatrical props, not just for theaters,
but for fund raising events for organizations like the Childrens Hospital.
In the year that we did this, *every* person and organization that
approached us, asked us to do the jobs for free, both non-profits and for
profits. These were not small jobs either, most of our estimates came in
at around $20,000. All of our estimates were based on what THEY ASKED
FOR! Yet they ask us to do it for free because it was a good opportunity
for us show off our stuff, and get new customers.

In the end we decided that we did not need customers that did not like to
pay us for what we did.

>From murals and backdrops we went into just being simple paint
contractors. Even with contracting, I will sometimes give someone an
estimate and people will ask me to do it for half of what I think it will
take. I have to tell them "I can do the east and south side for that, but
the north and west side will have to go undone".

At least I have never had anyone ask me to paint their house for free.

Even here in Seattle, I had a person that owned a kayak rental business,
ask me to paint a mural on the side of their building. He said that he
would be willing to pay for the paint and in exchange for the labor I
would get free rental of kayaks for a year, up to $2,000. He ask for a
"photo-realistic" painting, that he would have to approve, and if the
final painting wasn't up to his liking, I would not get use of the boats.

The wall was about 20X70 feet. I figured that it would take me about 6
weeks. If I use the same labor rate that I charge for painting a house,
which I would like to think is far less valuable than what I should
charge for painting a complex mural, the labor cost alone would be around
$6,500.00.

Needless to say I turned the offer (if you want to call it that) down. I
gave the fellow the reason that I thought that the deal was not quite
fair, and once again I was given the line about what a great opportunity
it would be for me to show off my stuff.

If I had $5 for every time I have heard that line, I would not need any
great opportunities!

I once had a few of my paintings in a show in Philly. At the opening one
of my contacting customers, who was a lawyer, pulled me aside and ask me
why artist charged so much for their work. (I will give you a little
background on this lawyer. He collected modern abstract paintings, in his
living room hung perhaps a million dollars worth of modern art. No
kidding - deKooning, Franz Kline, and Ellsworth Kelly were just a few of
the artist of whom he owned a painting.)

Get that, a lawyer, complaining to me, about the rates people charged.