I was reading one the posts in the summary section, and noticed an assistant that said they won't clean the photog's bathroom. First I thought it was a comical addition, and then I wondered if I would if asked!?! What are some of the things you have been asked but declined to do?

-- Sean (sharkma@prodigy.net), May 12, 1999

Answers

Kind of funn I thought... When I started out (eight years ago) I cleaned quite a few bathrooms and took out a lot of trash. Sometimes you have to do the disgusting grunt work. What does that have to do with photography? Nothing. It has everything to do with building a business relationship with an good photographer that PAYS you in a reasonable amount of time. It's been a while since I've done the grunt work but we all have to start somewhere. What have I declined doing? Getting near a flaming Norman power pack that exploded and unplugging it... those things suck! Let the photographer do that, it's his life!

-- Hector Corante (cocojoe@pacbell.net), November 25, 2000.

Cleaning a bathroom is not a problem. Having to jump from a ledge to another part of a roof 3 stories up, carrying a keg light without any rope or safety harness is. Use your best judgement. They are paying for your time, not your life.

-- Roger W. Morganstern (dodger@gis.net), July 31, 2001.

Buying tampons, pickin up the dry cleaning, scoopin the photog's pets pile off the sidewalk, and cleaning bathrooms are considered "Paying Your Dues" by old school photographers. NONE of this is necessary to build a working relationship! Find a normal person: ego free photographer to work with... hard to find, but they do ex

-- Karen Ahola (klahola@excite.com), October 09, 2001.

I won't sleep with our studio photographer just to learn the trade.

-- Sandy Sanborne (excellence777@hotmail.com), December 06, 2001.