A Job Proposal

Village Idiot · Sep 9, 2010

Hopefully this thread gets on further than next week.

Last year I had an aquaintance who is a sorority sister of a close friend of mine ask to use this photograph of The Bavarian Inn, in Shepherdstown, WV, for the WV Living Magazine.

This was taken April 30th, 2007 with a new 30D and a 50mm f/1.8. It's one of the first photos I took with the new camera.

They didn't have money at the time, as they were just starting up and working on a shoestring budget, so I let them use if for photo rights. I know some people may take issue with this, but it was for a friend and I figured future opportunities may come from this.

So I saw Katie, the girl working for WV Living, last year while I was staying at a friend's house in Morgantown while I was up there for the WVU basketball playoffs. We talked for a while and I threw her this idea I was thinking of; "Around West Virginia in 48 hours". It would have been a trip using the roads that would take me from the Eastern Panhandle to the Northern Panhandle, around the Western, Southern, South Eastern edges and then back into the Eastern Panhandle where I live all on a Saturday and Sunday, all on my Triumph motorcycle. I'd take photos and write about the experience for the magazine.

I guess she kept the idea in her head, because she contacted me today about possibly doing a similar trip on the Midland Trail Parkway, which is a 180 mile highway through the middle of WV. We're going to see what it takes and she said she wanted me to photograph and write about the experience. This time, there will be pay.

So I'm going to use this thread to update what happens. We'll see if this actually leads to a trip and a story for the magazine and if it does, I'll post photos and everything here.

mishele · Sep 9, 2010

Wow, thats sounds pretty cool!! I hope it works out for ya!!

bigtwinky · Sep 9, 2010

Awesome! Looking forward to your photos!

Chris and Beth Fenwick did this not too long ago while going down Route 66 for a month
Beth Fenwick - Route 66 - 2010

Sounds like a really fun time. Might look at doing this around here.

mishele · Sep 9, 2010

bigtwinky said:
Awesome! Looking forward to your photos!

Chris and Beth Fenwick did this not too long ago while going down Route 66 for a month
Beth Fenwick - Route 66 - 2010

Sounds like a really fun time. Might look at doing this around here.

Cool link!! Thanks for posting it!! It looks like they had a blast!! I couldn't sit in a car that long though!!

How long is your ride going to be?

pbelarge · Sep 9, 2010

"PMA"

Good for you, I do hope it works out. I also hope they come back with an okay before the winter...

Fall would be very cool (pun intended) for the foliage as well.

Village Idiot · Sep 9, 2010

Well, last week some one pushed my bike over while I was sleeping. They did about $1500 damage to it, but to get it rideable I just need a turn signal and rear brake lever.

The road itself is 180 miles, but it's probably about that far out there. The WV outskirt trip I planned was a little over 1000 miles, iirc.

Mustlovedragons · Sep 9, 2010

Congrats and good luck!

SrBiscuit · Sep 10, 2010

sweet dude!
hopin this all works out in your favor!

consider me 'subscribed'

mrmacedonian · Sep 11, 2010

:thumbup: looking forward to the pics

Village Idiot · Oct 13, 2010

Update:

Talked to Katie, my contact at the magazine. She's getting a contract written up and I may be doing this the weekend of the 23.

Google maps says 755 miles and about 13 hours, so it may end up being a two day thing. I sent the check to the loan company to have them endorse it; hopefully I get it back soon, but if not I have the money to cover a new turn signal and rear brake lever. Those are the only two parts that aren't purely cosmetic damage. An oil change and a new rear tire may be needed as well.

Studio7Four · Oct 13, 2010

If you have the time, I'd say spread it out over the two days even if you could do it in one. Take a nice relaxing long lunch each day (when the light isn't as good) and get some good riding and shooting in during the mornings and afternoons.

Definitely take a good look through your contract before you post images (or any story you write to go along with them) here. Since the magazine is paying for content in order to sell issues, they probably won't like you giving that content away for free. Would hate to see you inadvertently void the contract and not get paid! You can probably get rights to republish after a certain amount of time (once that issue is off newstands).

Village Idiot · Oct 18, 2010

Currently looking for Hotels in Huntington WV. It'll be about 6 hours and change down there and 6 and change back.

I'm going to see if I can get away with riding the bike as is. The turn signal works, just has a missing bulb cover, and if I can pull the brake pedal back out, I'll do that.

I'm going to try and order a set of rear sets and flush mount signals this week, but that's cutting it close if I need them for this weekend.

I'm also debating doing it now that I've found out about the payment. I know it's a local magazine, but they're only paying $300 upon publication in their fall 2011 issue.

The hotel won't be over $70, and will hopefully be lower if I can get a room through a friend that works for choice hotels. I get about 150 mile per tank of fuel. That's roughly 5 fill ups at $15ish each. That's about $75 for gas. That would be $145 for gas and room. That's not including food or other expenses if they're needed. I'd be making probably $75 after all expenses are incurred. A 13 hour ride, not counting stops for food, gas, and photos, would end up paying me $5.77 an hour. Less than minimum wage.

There's also the fact that after this ride I would definitely need an oil change and a new rear tire. An oil change is cheap. $30? Rear tire, not so much. That's another $180-$230 if the prices of Dunlops are the same as when I had my RC51.

I have the money, so it's no problem, but I could make $300 shooting locally and walk away with 90% of if being profit. Then again, I am getting paid to ride my motorcycle.

Decisions, deicision.

inTempus · Oct 18, 2010

I wouldn't do it.

Of course I'm lying.

Get in print man, just do it.

12sndsgood · Oct 18, 2010

it sounds like a fun trip and something you would enjoy without getting paid. so to take a trip you'd probably enjoy anyway, and get your story and photos in print it doesnt sound as bad. but then again im not someone who's being paid to shoot photos.