bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

OK, I know that this isn't a wedding, but the lead started with a wedding.

I am now doing all of a large company's headshots (which I don't really enjoy). To keep everything identical, they now want me to fly to California to do the corporate headquarters as well as the 95 employees here, with a contract and a flat fee to come back once every other month to update new employees, and every 6 months to go to CA.

Here's the dilemma. I don't like to fly AT ALL. (had a bad, near crash when I was 17) Even more, I swore to myself after leaving my last job, that I wouldn't travel any more for work, only for when I wanted to go, where I want to go.

So, first, having only traveled for work where they paid everything and I was an employee, anyone here know what a standard per diem for meals would be? They said they would arrange the flights and hotel, so the only other thing is, I told them that I would have to charge for missed time at my day job, time away from home and my family, on top of the actual job. (trying to talk them out of it, but they still are interested)

Next question, anyone here live near San Francisco? I'm trying to standardize everything, string distances, and set focal lengths, give light meter readings and settings, so the photos look uniform. If I do that, I was thinking about just giving the name of someone out there, that would want to take on the job for me. Basically, I would bill them enough to cover the shooter there, and then take a small commission for me to cover the extra time spent doing billing and covering taxes etc.

I was thinking that if I find someone who is willing, and would understand that they don't want ANYTHING creative, they want "uniform", so it will be boring, in front of white seamless paper.....snooze... but will at least pay something, let me know, and I can run it past them.

My big thing is avoiding a commitment to travel. I can't say enough how much I dislike to fly, or go further than a reasonable distance to drive.

How's that for "off the wedding topic?"

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

Bob, that is exiting! To me anyway. I did all the headshots for my former company. Now that they don't get it for free, they do it themselves (it shows). Hey standardized shots might not be creative, but the challenge is to bring out the right expressions and body posture that shows their true self. Go all Peter Hurley on them :)

Hey, I may be able to swing over to FW and help you out. Let me know. Maybe even SF if I can talk the wife into combining it with a vacation.

FYI, my former company current per diem rate is $8, $12, $24 for breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Bobbee

'missed time at my day job, time away from home and my family'

God.........my sides hurt from laughing. Just wondering, does you full time job pay you for being at work and away from your family. Probably not, just for working. My job has the added perk of the taking into consideration that I travel. Alot, so if i switched jobs......well......you know.

I guess the next question is: They like your work. Wonder how someone else doing the shooting will go.

Chinese proverb, 'May you get what you wish for'

Szalajj Loc: Salem, NH

There are regularly updated per diems by city, that I believe the IRS publishes, for both domestic and international travel.

Years ago, I worked at Raytheon, handling petty cash and expense reports. At least once or twice a month, I would receive updated pages to the per diems.

In today's digital age, you should be able to find the information digitally.

Make sure that you include wording for periodic updates of the rates as published on _______ (fill in the website) so that you're not locked into a set rate that ends up outdated. Usually, the rate is a set rate per day, and companies will break it down by meals, usually at a 30%, 30%, and 40% for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

UPDATE: it's the GSA that publishes the per diem rates. I just did a search for per diem rates 2016, and their website is the first one listed after the ads.

Tim Stapp Loc: Mid Mitten

First, Congrats on being considered for the job. Could be a long term profit stream. Next, take the "SWMBO" along as an assistant. Next, re. per diem: the company that I work for gives a flat $25 per day for meals. They do provide transportation (company vehicle). They give us the option of paying, turning in receipts and waiting on a check.

I'm curious to watch how this plays out. Please keep us all posted.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

I'm definitely doing the Fort Wayne location. Did a tour earlier this week. 300,000 square feet. I've never seen a building that large, and from the outside, it seems so unassuming. Very high tech. They do graphics in house, and can print 60" by 10' in house. I'm also discussing with them to see what it would cost me for the infrequent "big a$$ prints" that I might need.

All I'm doing right now is 1: Waiting for the big wigs in CA to decide if I can use storm gray background instead of white. The photos on their website are white background (all shades of white, gray, and bad white balance) all on a white background. I'm afraid that if I do white, properly lit to be really white, it may not look right on the white web page. I asked them if I could use a standard paper color like Storm Gray, or if they would be willing to do a different color on the web page behind the background.

and 2. HR is going through their records to see what day we can get the most people there all at the same time, instead of making several trips because of vacations.

I know Bobbee thinks it is funny about being paid for time away from my family, but I would actually rather stay near my family than do any of the job. I thought long and hard about it last night, and if they "insist" that I be the one that travels to CA, I may just turn it down.

You have to remember, I do run this as a business, with all the insurance, legal stuff, taxes, etc... but it still isn't my full time job, and I don't want to do it if I don't enjoy it. I'm at a place in my life where I can easily afford to turn away even a big job, in order to keep the fun in the rest of it. I've turned away weddings for the same reason. If I get a bad vibe from a bride or mom, I just don't do the job.

It may be crazy, but it's how my warped mind works.

Tim Stapp Loc: Mid Mitten

Straight mind, I think. I fully understand the travel thing. I've been gone from home about 3 weeks a month for the last year, home only weekends. They have interviewed someone earlier this week, so I'm hopeful that it will finally end. While I love the people in northern Michigan (much like Indiana) and the area, I like being home.

Because the company won't give me a company credit card and I refuse to subsidize their business, I'm forced to live and eat using the boss' credit card number written on the back cover of a spiral notebook. I have a single restaurant and motel that I eat/stay at in three different towns. I'm in Traverse City so much, the wait staff sees me walk by the window and has my drink in hand waiting for me to find a seat:) I'm gone so much the dog growls at me because I took his side of the bed.

I don't envy you the job scene. Funny how working in a mental health facility can have such an effect on the mental health of those employed there (meaning stress).

The only reason I'm able to respond today is that I'll be leaving in 2 hours to go do routine maintenance at a customer facility 2 hours away. We can have the machines from 4:00 pm to 9:00 am. It will take me the weekend to recover.

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

Be prepared to have the schedule blow up and make several trips. Just my experience, having HR schedule them for a headshot will fall at the bottom of your subjects priority list if anything else pressing is going on. You will also have women who forgot and their hair is not presentable that day and guys who did not shave or have some stain on their shirt. Well, my experience is coming from the automotive manufacturing world, maybe your high tech business will be different. The background they wanted was a funky baby blue color because it was the predominate company logo color. A little unusual, but it did look uniform.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Suggestions from an old man:

OK! First of all, statistically speaking, it is more dangerous to travel in your car than by commercial airline flight! Spiritually speaking, as fate has it when your time comes it is what it is- you can slip in the bathtub, succumb to a terrible disease or electrocute yourself with a faulty flash unit! In my own case, I survived two tours in Viet Nam and I will probably die from in infection caused by a splinter in my butt or something like that- I do have a morbid sense of humor.

If you think the job is gonna be boring, remember this; you are the PHOTOGRAPHER and they are hiring you because of your performance at a wedding! You know your job better than the client, after all, you are the professional and they are paying you for your expertise, so suggest that they change things up as per your recommendations. If they still insist on a pure white or gray background, so be it- you are capable of following any layout requirements or you can apply your own creativity- they write the checks- leave the choice up to them- no skin off your nose!

Tell them you are a portrait photographer and you don't make "MUGSHOTS"! Even if you have to conform to a pre-determined format or background, your talent will help create better expressions and camera angles and a variety of good poses so the website will not be boring. As far as uniformity is concerned, just keep the head sizes the same from image to image.

Some companies find it "advantageous" or prestigious to import photographers, consultants and all kinds of folks from other locations because they feel that the local "talent" can't fill their bill! So...assume that they are willing to pay your airfare and all reasonable expenses such as meals and lodging- nothing outrageous about that! Create a contract and get all of that in writing or include all of your expenses in your fee- either way, you must be compensated!

I do lots of corporate and business portraiture for my commercial clients- commercial work and corporate portraiture is most of my business nowadays. My entry level into the business, however, and my first love is wedding photography. We old wedding guys develop thick skins and have on-the-spot directorial and improvisational skill sets- we know how to get the job done and do things the right way! We know how to kick-ass and hug folks all at the same time. As my old family doctor used to brag; "I can take your appendix out without even taking your pants off"! Make believe this job is a wedding, grab the money and do the job! It's a piece of cake- not wedding cake- no bashful grooms or nervous brides, no boozed up guests with cell-phone cameras- no interruptions from busybody wedding coordinators or mothers-in-law- no restrictive clergy folks (God bless them)! You are in control- nice polite business people are easy subjects! Issue a preliminary letter with clothing, hair and makeup suggestions. Every time I do one of theses shoots, I always sell some personal portraits because many folks have never seen a decent professional image of themselves. O do a bit of portrait retouching too- everyone likes be glamorized even if the don't say so. I never list to that "I just want a plain shot" nonsense!

Success is yours for the taking!

Ed

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

I feel your pain. I HATE to fly , have done it twice in my life, once in a pipercub ( not sure if thats the right name) Then once in a jet from Philly to Miami
i HATED it. The stress for me wouldnt be worth taking the job no matter how much they paid.