Should you peruse some of the job “opportunities” for Toronto photographers on LinkedIn, you may see these glittery gems:
1. The job: Go to a few dozen used car lots each week and photograph cars for a publisher’s used car web site and print magazine.
Required: an “awareness of fumes, odor, gases, compounds or dusts related to the automotive industry.”
Not required: any photo experience.
Benefits: may get free parking at one of the publisher’s offices.
2. The job: Stand at a downtown tourist attraction and offer to take souvenir photos of passersby.
Required: be able to stand for 7 hours/day while carrying up to 30-lb of equipment.
Not required: any photo experience.
Benefits: work in a “cultural” part of the city.
3. The job: Work for the largest telecom in Canada.
Required: “should have some background training/experience with product, event and portrait photography.” Sales or advertising experience an asset.
Not required: an expectation of being paid. The company calls it an “internship”.
Benefits: use company-owned “high-end professional-grade hardware” like a Nikon D90. Work evenings and weekends. Don’t have to go through all the hassles that come with receiving a paycheque.
4. The job: Work for producers who are developing a commercial theatrical play and need pictures to attract investors and sponsors. Produce commercial-quality photos of the costumed actors which may later be used to advertise and promote the show.
Required: photographer supplies all camera gear, lighting gear, props, locations, car, assistants, creative design, etc.
Not required: an expectation of being paid.
Benefits: might get some pictures for your portfolio.
5. The job: A photo studio in Toronto is offering photo shoots to models for $20.
Required: make an appointment first.
Not required: an expectation of getting decent pictures.
Benefits: it’s only $20 and a few hours of time that you’re wasting.
There’s an old saying, incorrectly attributed to P.T. Barnum, that says: “There’s a sucker born every minute”. The World Wide Web makes finding these suckers very easy.
In advertisements such as those above, who’s really the sucker, the person answering the ad or the person placing the ad?
