So, moved to Vegas, trying to establish myself out here - hilarious little story.

Within the first or so week I did all my homework on all the regular photo ops here, and one was SpyOnVegas big hotel even coverage company. I figured, I've been doing that over a year, might as well shoot em an email. Sent links to my site/fb page for them to glance over. Got a reply that brass is on vacation, but isn't trying to ignore me. Then he followed up complimenting my work and asked for my gear list, and I replied with all of that.

Half a week goes by, I'm still hopping bars and chatting people up for any potential leads and strike gold - one barista tells about a well-established local photog lady. I get home, message her asking for any tips and opinion about Spy. She tells me that first off, they only pay 30-50 tops per album (and looking at their site, some parties get 2, but you're there for roughly 6 hours glued) and make you sign non-competition and that's why she never bothered w/ them.

I take that into account, and email the Spy guy again earlier today to see if he's even alive after his vacation. Here's what he replies:

"Hey Igor,

I'm back, just been crazy busy since I've gotten back. Let's do a test shoot tomorrow. Meet me at the Linq at 10:00pm for the Bloq Party( if it doesn't get rained out ).

This test shoot, I want to see you capture shots of people posed, candid shots of the activities , branding of all the venues with their merchandise / food, atmosphere shots of crowded area, and so on.. Basically everything asked for within event photography. And from there, I'll have another test shoot in a nightclub and dayclub.

My number is @#$%^&*(). And please don't show up to these test shoots shooting in auto or Av or any other assist mode in camera. Lol"

To which I reply, knowing their rates and contract terms that he neeeeeever mentioned yet-

"
Feeling pretty badly under the weather, event aside, so if I can pull myself off of the bed I'll let you know by 6pm.


And really, I'm not some kid with a beginner camera and on-board flash. I've been shooting indoor and outdoor events for well over a year."

Next reply back from him:

"Oh damn that sucks. Hope you feel better soon! Shoot is for Tuesday not today, sorry for that confusion lol.



But I just wanted to clarify the event photography stuff. I had a handful of idiots with cameras on test shoots and had no idea what to do. "

I reply,

"That and, do your guys shoot Jpeg or crop sensors to have to shoot full manual?"

And the next from him as follows:

"
I shoot JPEG (there's no need for me to shoot in RAW), and I believe all the others do also.


I believe all my photographers have full frame cameras, and only 1 with a crop. Everyone shoots in manual in camera. Everyone does their own editing and own uploading, and the backend of the site watermarks all the images when uploaded. "

At this point I just do a HUGE facepalm. Seriously? With the parties and names they get to cover, they all would rather shoot in cellphone more? On the flip side, I don't blame them given how atrocious the pay per time is - sometimes not even minimum wage.

At this point I just shot him this last one, and I bet he will not have the guts to reply back since everything is soooooo hush crappidy hush:

"
So, flat imagines where any edits degrade the quality? I get the necessity for manual in this case, but why even use a DSLR then?


I've seen countless guys on the east coast shoot boring, flat shots, hence why I have my own technique and style.


You've also seen my site and some of the event albums I have there.


What's the general comp rate per event? No need to specific numbers, but 100+ or - ?"


Real fun, right?

I think I'll keep hitting other events even if without a cam and build individual connections with people bigger than these clowns that haul azz for ~6$/hr with ~3000$ worth of gear.

Wow... Good luck, I'll be heading out there in August for a move. I'll get to see what it's like on my own account out there as well.

skene said:

Wow... Good luck, I'll be heading out there in August for a move. I'll get to see what it's like on my own account out there as well.

Click to expand...

If anything, eat well, hydrate, drink some proactive yogurt things, and all the needed vitamins or you'll have at least a week-long, absolutely miserable fever/lack of appetite/headaches called Valley Fever. I wasn't too careful and now I'm suffering through 5th day with no feel of getting better. That's the really fun part around here.

Yeah I know what it's like. I've had a place there but I am finally making the move after about 8 years. Figured it's a good time.
The dehydration has gotten to you. You always want to keep liquids on you when you are walking around.

I'd get a drink or two if I felt thirsty from a 7-11 or a CVS. This slammed me when I was at home actually. And, It's the 7th day or that pointless, high-feeling fever that just won't go away. Been laying in bed, drinking gatorade/water/juice, eating what I can due to almost complete appetite loss, and I don't see any kind of end ahead of me.

Is there a cure for this beast or?

Drink plenty of water and keep your electrolytes up, here we can drink a minimum of 5 litres per day. And if doing physical labour then its more, good rule of thumb is if you are hungry most of the time its thrist and when you are thirsty you are already dehydrated. Make sure your urine is nice and clear and not yellow-orange, it is fun hey lol.

Well, ended up winning sore throat lottery, possibly by drinking cold water to fight the fever, but now got antibiotics for that, so hopefully by the end of tomorrow/Monday I'll be more functional or something. Til then its huge "ows" every time I swallow and cursing profusely.

11th day of fever, but 3rd day of something finally manifesting into a sore throat and me getting antibiotics. Guess if I don't feel better, at least in the throat, by end of tomorrow, gonna have to think of something drastic...