NUJ

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Hoodi

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slight offshoot from the photographing under-18's thread, this... In that that's the thread which reminded me to make a post about the NUJ, or
National Union of Journalists.

As it says on the tin, it's just a union. For journalists - but it can be muchos handy to join for a few reasons :
Free legal advice regarding photographic stuffs
^^ Including lots of copyright advice
Press ID Card

Now those top two are rather handy for the odd occasion when you need them - but it's the last that's particularly handy. Lets face it, we've all been stopped at some point when taking shots for whatever reasons - and as much as we try to explain that we're not doing anything dodgy the message never gets across. Having some credentials, even if somewhat rudimentary, helps immensly.

To join, you either need to be earning a certain amount // most of your income from photography (I'm a little vague on this, see the site for more)
OR
be a photography student - which I know a fair chunk of you are.

It's under the photography student side of things that I've joined - only did it a couple of weeks ago, but already it has helped me twice to have the press card. Twice I've been stopped (par for the course) and told to naff off, and twice I've managed to straighten things out and carry on shooting with the help of the card.
Now it's not gonna help in every situation, obviously - but it's not expensive to join, so if you can, I really see no reason not to!
 
That's handy to know, and worth thinking about - thanks Hoodi :thumbs:
Btw - how much is student membership? I couldn't see a price
 
I couldn't see any reference to press cards being given to students...
 
I didn't know you were a student. Cheater! Thats not fair :( I tried to get one of these cards a while back and didn't hear anything. Like everyone else here I could also benefit from one.

Edit: Seems that if you're a student you get a free card but if you're a professional you have to jump through 16 hoops to get one so they don't accidentaly give them out to criminals or such.
 
That's handy to know, and worth thinking about - thanks Hoodi :thumbs:
Btw - how much is student membership? I couldn't see a price



How much will it cost?
That depends on the sector in which you work and how much you earn. There are three grades, listed below. Choose the sector that best describes the work you do
You do not have to pay more than 1% of your gross taxable income in NUJ contributions or 0.5% if your income is less than £13,600 per year, (subject to a minimum of one third of the Grade 1 rate).

These are the maximum grade rates from July 1 2005:

Grade 1: £12.02 per month
Provincial newspapers, books, magazines outside London, independent local radio and for those employed outside the UK and the Irish Republic.

Grade 2: £15.16 per month
Press and public relations, magazines, freelances and advertising copywriters.

Grade 3: £20.86 per month
New media, national newspapers, news agencies and broadcasting.

If you think that you are eligible for reduced contributions, please complete the declaration on page 2 of this form and enclose evidence of your income.





It's not very clear on the cost of student membership. Probably free - like most things for scrounging students. We can't take away their beer money now, can we?


/dons flameproof long-johns and scampers out of the room
 
It's not very clear on the cost of student membership. Probably free - like most things for scrounging students. We can't take away their beer money now, can we?


/dons flameproof long-johns and scampers out of the room

:lol: Hey! I'm a student (again) now... but I work full time too so :razz:
Maybe I'll just apply for one in the hope that I'm given it for free ;)
 
whoops, sorry - kind of forgot about this thread ¬_¬
Cost me a tenner for a membership card and a press card.
That'll technically last me as long as I'm a student (2 years for now, could be longer later, who knows..) - but either way, it doesn't have a date on it ;)

Even though it does cost a bit as a proffesional, I'd still go for it. Very handy IMO.

Pete - aye, I'm a scrounging student now. For fun as much as anything else, and it is damn good fun at that!

edit : mini, you should have no problem getting a card. Just use their apply online form thingy. They'll send you stuffs in the post, then you send them photos & £10. Sorted!
 
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