DE photo compnay.

taffy047

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Alex james
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Helllo all :D


a while back i emailed the company because they were asking for photographers for sports events, and emailed them and thought nothing of it. well today recvied an email them asking me to attend a trail to see how i work.
at a rugby tournament. is this good place to start or do you think i should just carry on and shooting with the evening post ? :) and shooting my local teams :help::help:



thanks alex
 
DE Photo are a franchised event company. I often see adverts by various franchisee for additional photographers. The upshot is they may offer you plenty of additional work, usually weekends so you may have to decide which direction you want to go. Also look at the pay and compare with what you are already receiving.
 
You'll shoot thousands of images, with your own equipment, you'll get paid squat and they won't even give you images for your portfolio. From my experience I'll steer clear of them in the future.
 
You'll shoot thousands of images, with your own equipment, you'll get paid squat and they won't even give you images for your portfolio. From my experience I'll steer clear of them in the future.


take it your worked for them? not any good for experience ? you at the rovers game on sat ?
 
The problem (potentially) with the EP is that you may find the number of shifts to be sporadic or just non-existent. There are 3 teams that get real coverage in Bristol; Rovers, City and Bristol Rugby. Rovers and City can't play at home on the same weekends, so generally Simon will cover them, with one of the other staffers covering the Rugby on the Sunday.

Chances are, unless you are EXTREMELY good you won't get a look-in, certainly not for a good few years experience of shooting football/rugby.

With DE Photo, I disagree with James...yes you'll shoot thousands of images but it's a damn good way to get quick on-the-job experience. Speak to them about the pay, as a small amount of money is better than no amount of money.


thanks very much i see where your coming from james ! i think that i will atttend the trail. i just needed to put the question out there i just was not to sure what to do :(

haha yeah i know that im a city season ticket holder my self :P
well i have my first game shooting with simon on saturday at the rovers ground.



i also have a job atm only part time which i get paid 5 quid an hour, becuase of six form i cant have a proper job. so this would be good for the weekends im guessing would it be around the same 5 quid ? or lower ?
 
You'll shoot thousands of images, with your own equipment, you'll get paid squat and they won't even give you images for your portfolio. From my experience I'll steer clear of them in the future.

What a load of rubbish! I used to do quite a bit of work with two local franchises.. always used their equipment despite having my own, got paid nicely as well (well, it was considering I'd just graduated and most others who had were either shelf stacking in Tesco or on the dole. Usually around £10-£15 p/h depending how long the day was. Had a fixed day rate) and fed, watered, picked up and dropped off. Always picked out a few images from the day to show on my blog too. Maybe I just got lucky and found two of the nicest bunches of people I've ever had the privilege of working with.

That's my experience though. Gave me a taster of what it's like to be a sports pro, the pressure of shooting in difficult conditions etc.. no one is saying he should or will make a career out of it, and even if it's just 2 or 3 days a month.. it's money and experience he might not otherwise get :)
 
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In my experience the particular franchise I dealt with were a bunch of *******, however as theyre franchine based each and every franchise will be different, they will pay different, will treat you different, will have different levels of photographers whose experience you can call on etc, etc
 
i also have a job atm only part time which i get paid 5 quid an hour, becuase of six form i cant have a proper job. so this would be good for the weekends im guessing would it be around the same 5 quid ? or lower ?

Er no, I have an idea about their pay scale and its not by the hour. With events companies you usually have to prove your worth before they pay more. However it can be a good way to start off and proberbly more pay weekends than with your local newspaper.

Once you have this experience there may be more and better paid jobs with other event companies.
 
Er no, I have an idea about their pay scale and its not by the hour. With events companies you usually have to prove your worth before they pay more. However it can be a good way to start off and proberbly more pay weekends than with your local newspaper.

Once you have this experience there may be more and better paid jobs with other event companies.

I got asked to do a few events for DE and they offered me £8 an hour...probably good for someone without normal overheads but for any normal pro you'd have to work a lot of hours to make a living
 
Take on board what Graham ( Snapzz) is saying , he has been doing the job for some time, and knows alot of Event guys.
 
and i might add it is the particular branch of the franchise that alex is dealing with
 
I helped out a DE Photo franchise member. Got a day shooting a youth football tournament. Day of on the job learning, I helped them, I got money at end of day. I know they probably made much more out of me than they paid me, but that is the difference between running a business and being a member of staff for the day.

Would do it again if I was available. Earning vs not earning...
 
DE is a franchise so it will be a franchise owner asking you to work for him, negotiate your terms and take it or leave it. As for the franchise side .... PHEW its big bucks to lay out before you even click a shutter. I could set up on my own and live humbly for the first year with the cost of start up with them.
 
Maybe I just got lucky and found two of the nicest bunches of people I've ever had the privilege of working with.

Maybe I just met some bad eggs in the DE world. They were actually very nice people, so not knocking that at all, but I just thought the arrangements surrounding how I worked weren't to my liking.
 
I know they probably made much more out of me than they paid me, but that is the difference between running a business and being a member of staff for the day.

Would do it again if I was available. Earning vs not earning...

Thats the nature of the beast. Those that employ pay you to make them money. If you dont make them any money they will not employ you anymore.
 
Thats the nature of the beast. Those that employ pay you to make them money. If you dont make them any money they will not employ you anymore.

They've asked me to help out since, but on each occasion I was away shooting motorsport.
 
if there was one around here and had midweek work i would give it a go.. but just midweek when i have free time :)
 
In my experience the particular franchise I dealt with were a bunch of *******, however as theyre franchine based each and every franchise will be different, they will pay different, will treat you different, will have different levels of photographers whose experience you can call on etc, etc

Gary, what a fantastically, brilliantly, entirely stupid character assassination of a whole bunch of people you have never met and have no grounds to judge as a group. Your opinions about the people you have met are valid. Your opinions about all the rest are pathetic. As I've never met you and have no grounds upon which to judge you, I'm tempted to start name calling, but that would be pathetic, wouldn't it?

My ongoing experience of DE Photo is of a company who look after loyal staff and invest time and tuition in new staff who are perceived to have potential. Through the work, if you can chat to people along the way, you have the potential to meet with and network with loads of people from different backgrounds in different professions. I have travelled with DE to work across Europe, and had the opportunity to meet people/shoot events that I would never have had otherwise.

With regards to money, work is better than no work, and I have no complaints about my pay rate at all (and never have done). Unlike (nearly all) other types of photo work I have come across, when you switch the camera off at the end of the day, you're done. No edit. That's the nature of print on site. As such, your day rate is for the day, not for the day plus however many hours of edit.

My advice to the OP, go for it.

if there was one around here and had midweek work i would give it a go.. but just midweek when i have free time :)

Tony, a lot of the guys have summers packed (and I mean packed) with school sports days which are all midweek. Feel free to PM me, or get in touch with head office via the website.
 
Sam, i didnt intend to slag off the whole of DE, just the franchise ive dealt with, in my defence i did go onto say
however as theyre franchine based each and every franchise will be different, they will pay different, will treat you different, will have different levels of photographers whose experience you can call on etc, etc
Apologies if you read it other than intended
 
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Well it's something I have mentioned........ :shrug:

I know what you mean phil.. not as de franchise but as event tog....I ahvent got it in me mate.. I have seen event type business owners at work and they hardly go near a camera.
 
I know what you mean phil.. not as de franchise but as event tog....I ahvent got it in me mate.. I have seen event type business owners at work and they hardly go near a camera.

There are two types of event photographers (generally). Those that shoot and employ sales staff and those that dont and employ photographers. When my wife use to help out she would often tell me to stop sticking my nose in and to go and play with my camera or take some photographs.

Of course there those who are not good at either but very good at marketing and organising. Each to there own I suppose.:shrug:
 
There are two types of event photographers (generally). Those that shoot and employ sales staff and those that dont and employ photographers. When my wife use to help out she would often tell me to stop sticking my nose in and to go and play with my camera or take some photographs.

Of course there those who are not good at either but very good at marketing and organising. Each to there own I suppose.:shrug:

surely no matter who you employ.. the owner has to oversee whats going on.. has to organise and has to get the work and more.... my only experience is wiht a decent size company and at the end of the day its a totally different business to run than being a self employed photogrpaher.. I know my limitations :)
 
Whilst I'm not a fan of DE, I do respect what they've done and the way (overall) that they do it.

I must say that we pick up a fair amount of work behind DE where they've covered a job the previous year and either not been asked back or declined the job the following year.

As a direct competitor to DE (on a local not national level) I'd say that they're a very well run outfit. I realise though that every franchise is individual and you're dealing with local people, so experiences will vary.

If you've been offered a trial then go !

You won't know the terms or whether you're suited to each other until you've met them face to face.

There is no guarantee of work, but they are generally busy. If you do a decent job then you'll be a regular.

I suspect that the pay is better than you may think. If you're a pro with all the overheads that this brings then the rates may not be attractive, but as Kipax says, you can use it for fill-in work.

If you're an aspiring amateur, then there's no substitute for getting out there and doing it in a live environment for the experience, and if they're paying as well, then as Del Boy would say...

"Cushty !"
 
surely no matter who you employ.. the owner has to oversee whats going on.. has to organise and has to get the work and more.... my only experience is wiht a decent size company and at the end of the day its a totally different business to run than being a self employed photogrpaher.. I know my limitations

My head tells me that I should be steering the ship from the bridge, but I still want to be in the action shooting.

More and more though, and certainly more often at sports events, I oversee on the day rather than shoot ;~(

At social events it's very different.
 
My head tells me that I should be steering the ship from the bridge, but I still want to be in the action shooting.

More and more though, and certainly more often at sports events, I oversee on the day rather than shoot ;~(

At social events it's very different.

My point, you go were you are best suited for that event with the talent you have.
 
I'd say go for it, you'll only regret not taking the opportunity. I wish I had the opportunity back when I had the gear and was looking to get into this sort of sports shooting.
 
I've been asked twice if I was interested in working for DE, both times refused as I really haven't the time to dedicate at weekends. Both times were whilst I was covering rugby tournaments. I did have a chat to see what was required and both times the guy was friendly, seemed knowledgeable (especially about what sold).

Fixed daily rate, using their kit, mostly 1Dmk3's with 70-200 2.8's and 2x TC if required. Try to get shots of all players, even if they are standing, team shots, action shots.

Interesting setup, must be some initial outlay. Van, a couple of decent photo printers, contact sheet printer, viewing screens and editing station, plus boards, weatherproof covering etc. Pricing seemed reasonable and framed pictures seemed to be popular.

Both tournaments had 4-6 shooters covering a possible 8 games at a time.

If you fancy it then give it a go.
 
Interesting setup, must be some initial outlay. Van, a couple of decent photo printers, contact sheet printer, viewing screens and editing station, plus boards, weatherproof covering etc.

If you fancy it then give it a go.

I sent off for the franchise pack
£15,000 fee, £23,000 equip cost (you have to buy- your own kit is not required) Get a van either through them - or supply own to their spec. Appx £15,000 - £20,000, then click the shutter and start earning. Not knocking the company, it looks well run - but major cash outlay to get setup.

Why are you looking for extra work?

Looking to broaden my skills / knowledge. have a full time job and want to shoot more than basketball every week. Im up for giving anything a go once as long as my equipment can cope. But to keep the peace I DON'T DO WEDDINGS ;)

EDIT: if you want to see my school concert pics on flickr /own website - i can email a guest pass or add you as a friend to view them
 
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I sent off for the franchise pack
£15,000 fee, £23,000 equip cost (you have to buy- your own kit is not required) Get a van either through them - or supply own to their spec. Appx £15,000 - £20,000, then click the shutter and start earning. Not knocking the company, it looks well run - but major cash outlay to get setup.

Only thing that changed in the last 15yrs is equipment cost!



Looking to broaden my skills / knowledge. have a full time job and want to shoot more than basketball every week. Im up for giving anything a go once as long as my equipment can cope. But to keep the peace I DON'T DO WEDDINGS ;)


Your £25+vat for the workshop is proving to be a snip as I can point you in the right direction for possible extra work :thumbs:
 
PAH it's only 50k........ pin money :lol:

And the pointing is good - I likey :D
 
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