Freelance photographer

[skydivex3m 0]

Hi guys.. I need a bit of advise.

I'm of my job all december, and want to get away from the rain and wind in Denmark, and go working as freelance photographer. I was thinking on going to a rather big DZ, with some kind of christmas boogie, where I could shoot pics and vid, and earn money for the food and beer.

How does this work. Can anyone show up at a dropzone and do this? What do you normally charge for pics? Is it common to print them for the customer?

I don't expect a shit full of jumps, just enough to get money to live from.

hope to get some advise from you guys, we don't do this sort of thing in Denmark that much, so I have to know how these things work..

https://icarusanddaedalusadventures.blogspot.com/

[jurgencamps 0]

Contact the DZ where you want to spent some time and ask them.

[DSE 5]

some food for thought...
The big DZ likely already has staff, and for many DZ's the December month is a lean month anyway. In other words the staff is going to want to work as much as they can.

I don't know about Europe, but fun jumpers are a pretty cheap crowd here in the US. They'll occasionally buy stills, but I'd say it's optimistic to expect enough income to live on (maybe your living costs are low enuff that it is).

Having a printer accessible is a good idea, no doubt.
There is one operation that merely photographs landings, he prints the photos out and lets the customer see them before trying to sell them. I'd wager he wastes 4 in 10 prints but they do sell.

[Icon134 0]

I'll agree with what DSE said... I barely brake even filming fun jumpers... ok, fine... I don't even really break even... I don't even really try to break even...

occasionally I'll actually get my jumps paid for... although that doesn't happen much either...

I know of at least one non-jumper that regularly photographed jumpers in the landing area... he had a setup where he would display the pictures he shot on a monitor and people could order prints from him on the spot (he had a photo printer onsite) or order prints online after the fact...

honestly I think setting up an operation similar to that could work... except for the lack of space available to do that sort of thing at most dropzones...

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[lilchief 1]

heh...you might be better off getting a police scanner and do freelancing in one of the nearby cities.

Or just show up and skydive your ass broke ;)

"Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return." - Da Vinci
www.lilchief.no

[freefalle 0]

Are you legal to work in the US? Most DZ's won't or shouldn't hire you if your not. Just showing up at a DZ and setting up to "freelance" will probably just piss off the local vidiots who are trying to make ends meet. Now does that mean that you shouldn't show up, jump with a group and offer to sell them photos depends on who your asking.... However, with the number of people flying camera, and go-pros on every jump and giving their friends the photos and video you might have a hard time selling your work. Just my 0.2

[howardwhite 6]

Quote

There is one operation that merely photographs landings, he prints the photos out and lets the customer see them before trying to sell them. I'd wager he wastes 4 in 10 prints but they do sell.

Even easier; just show the landing photos on screen and let customers choose. Most get several on a CD; no printer involved.
It's good money for the photographer and the DZ.
(I think you've seen this in operation.)

HW