Stipend for Presentation on Underwater Photography?

[ornate_wrasse]

I would like to ask my friends on RFF for advice about the amount of stipend I should ask for a 30-45 minute presentation before a camera club. When I talked to the person from the camera club on the phone, we did not discuss stipend at all. Then, after I sent him the phase.com link to my images, he sent me the following:

"What amount of stipend will you need for this presentation? Do you want mileage or a flat fee?"

To be truthful, I have never spoken to a camera club about underwater photography, although, being a CPA, I have given presentations on taxes to different groups. He was suggesting I include about 80 images (8 seconds each) but I think this is a bit much, i.e. too many images. I was also planning on bringing my housing for the camera, strobes and talking about these items as well as the lenses I use in u/w photography.

A photographer friend of mine suggested I ask for $75 + mileage. The presentation will be about an hour's drive from where I live.

Any thoughts on how I should handle this opportunity?

Thanks.

Ellen

 

[michaelwj]

Hi,

I am involved in my local camera club, and not all run the same way, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

We pay our presenters a stipend, which is really travel. A$30. Some presenters travel further, and we may increase it, up to about A$50.

We view it as two ways:
-an opportunity to share your knowledge for the love of what you do, i.e. what you get out of it is a warm fuzzy feeling from sharing with like minded people.
-an opportunity increase awareness of a service - typically tacked on to the former. Many of our presenters have a book, or run workshops, so some members may buy the book or attend a workshop.

So if you look at it like this, the payment is exposure. We would not (and could not afford to) pay A$75 + travel.

If I were you, ask what their usual stipend is. You may be surprised (most likely you will be, but not always the right way!). You can always negotiate if you want to. I would not treat it as a pure business opportunity or you will be disappointed. If you go in to it looking for a fun evening, then you will have a great time.

For the presentation. 80 images it way too many. I'd run less images, say 10, that are different to each other, and highlight what is unique about u/w photography. I would bring your gear, many would not have seen it before. You get two main types at camera clubs - gear heads, and photo heads. More of the former, and they love to see gear!

Best of luck, and enjoy it if you choose to go ahead.

Michael

 

[ornate_wrasse]

If I were you, ask what their usual stipend is. You may be surprised (most likely you will be, but not always the right way!). You can always negotiate if you want to. I would not treat it as a pure business opportunity or you will be disappointed. If you go in to it looking for a fun evening, then you will have a great time.

I think I will do as you suggest and ask what their usual stipend is. I thought $75 + mileage was a bit much. Mind you, the friend giving me this advice is a professional photographer who has authored several books that have sold well throughout his career. I hesitate to ask that kind of money.

For the presentation. 80 images it way too many. I'd run less images, say 10, that are different to each other, and highlight what is unique about u/w photography. I would bring your gear, many would not have seen it before.

I could not agree with you more that 80 images (in a 30 to 45 minute presentation) is way too many. When he mentioned showing 80 images for, say 8 seconds to each image, I was somewhat aghast. All I could think was "You've got to be kidding". Of course, I didn't say that to him. I think that showing the camera's housing, the strobes and explaining the differences between macro and wide angle underwater photography could easily take over 10 minutes. And I, of course, need to allow time for Q & A.

I am looking at the whole thing entirely as a fun evening for me, and hopefully for those in the camera club, too.

Thanks for your valuable input!

Ellen