Bloody Students! <\/b><\/p>\n
Get a lot of students asking for info\/advice\/help\/work exp – you get the picture.<\/p>\n
Anyway, I do try to help if I can but draw the line at writing their coursework for them. Got this yesterday:<\/p>\n
“hi. i am currently studying A level photography, and as a part of my course i have chosen to do a in deph study on your work, which is original and of a very high quality. I would be extremly grateful if you could tell me a bit about yourself and your style of photography.
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thank you for your cooperation”
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hannah <\/p>\n
Which I felt was a bit too close to “do my homework for me” and responded thus said:<\/p>\n
“I don’t mind helping students but would ask that you narrow it down to specific questions, that don’t require an essay as a reply.”<\/p>\n
>>>>>><\/p>\n
Ok, it’s a little brusque on my part I admit but even so I wasn’t expecting:<\/p>\n
“forget it i’ll study someone who is less obnoxious and arrogant thanks” <\/b> <\/p>\n
Been a while since I was called ‘obnoxious and arrogant’ so I thought I’d share the moment.<\/p>\n
>>>>>>>><\/p>\n
this is, of course, the sort of thing that led to a conversation on th EP-UK photo lists, lately:<\/p>\n
From: “Alan Wylie” <\/p>\n
Subject: Bloody ‘students’!
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“Don’t ask for help or advice as a smack in the mouth often offends!” . Alan Wylie, Photographer<\/p>\n
* * * * * * <\/p>\n
He’s gone off about them asking for help, doing work cheap, for free, and sometimes, me thinks, he has a point.<\/p>\n
* * * * * * <\/p>\n
This is what’s happening to me!<\/p>\n
So, have now contructed the following response<\/p>\n
“Yes, well, there you are!<\/p>\n
I currently get between 70 – 100 messages a week asking for work for free. Students, mags, media and individuals, non-profit making organisations, all expect me to support everyone else’s projects. Very few have the thought on what might be involved for me to accomplish this. I just get told about their own problems.<\/p>\n
I know no-one I’m likely to deal with has much money, but I resent the assumption by people, that I have! Further, because of my continued commitment to these subjects, means that I remain ‘unemployable’ in ‘ordinary’ work. This is all I get.<\/p>\n
Further, my bank and suppliers are not at all interested in any of the above.<\/p>\n
The first twenty years of my work, I’ve taken it on the chin, the last ten years, as this has continued, has been a downright pain. It is a shame that people cannot see the value of the work and what it costs me. Hence the liabilities remain with me! <\/p>\n
‘Sustainability’ is a watchword of the environmental movement. I look for advice on how I should sustain my work, when I have liabilities to others:<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Equipment costs
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\u00b7 Equipment maintenance
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\u00b7 Photographic materials
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\u00b7 Processing
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\u00b7 Computing for scanning and the website
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\u00b7 Website maintenance fees
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\u00b7 Running of a small office
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\u00b7 Servicing of overdraft
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\u00b7 Still paying for my student loans from university
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\u00b7 A wish to continue supporting charities involved with travellers, their education, law and medicine
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\u00b7 My family doing without, ‘cos of the above.<\/p>\n
So, in sum then, I quite understand your situation, but few understand mine. <\/p>\n
The project has cost me thousands over time, I have borrowed and still owe (including my student loan). For being an expert in this field, I do feel poorly treated. Hope this explains the situation.”<\/p>\n
* * * * * * <\/p>\n
On sending the above, it usually means I don’t hear from them again ……. ! Shame really, since in many cases, in time, they will be in a similar situation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bloody Students! Get a lot of students asking for info\/advice\/help\/work exp – you get the picture. Anyway, I do try to help if I can but draw the line at writing their coursework for them. Got this yesterday: “hi. i … Continue reading