Let’s say you’re an assistant or you’re learning from your mentor, or YOU are the mentor providing an example, would you allow your boss, mentor, or protege to claim credit for a photo you’ve taken? Tricky question? Ok let’s expand the examples.
– An assistant, in my opinion, should never be near the shutter button when it matters, ie on a client shoot. They should only be able to press the button in test situations or private lessons, but some photogs have reached a level where they feel that they have done the leg work of conceptualizing the shoot so their job is then done. The rest happens by magic – cue the assistant – and they still receive all of the credit… and money. As an assistant, if your boss chooses your images as the “money shots” do you pat yourself on the back or ask that your name be listed on a commission check?
So your mentor is teaching you how to dance with a camera. They’re taking lots of sample shots to prove an educated point when they allow you to take the reigns and capture some shots with their camera. You visit an art gallery and low and behold, your image is hanging on the wall with a $2K price tag. Do you rip it down in a fit of rage or or consider it the price for bountiful knowledge?
So your student asks for you to take a sample shot with their camera so they can compare their images to the one you took. The next thing you know the image you took are on their website in their portfolio section with no line of credit towards you. Do you give them an ear lashing or shrug your shoulders?
Consider this question from both the artistic and financial components. Does one change your reaction vs the other?
Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
