I have currently finished my writing about my photographic dream for my assignment. When my dream is still been shaped, suddenly get a job subscription from a job agency, and I feel retarded for myself.
Full-Time Photographer (Fiji Islands based)
A one-stop wedding company who is seeking a photographer to station in oversea - Fiji islands. At the first glance it is interesting job, when you read more, then it is ridiculous!
The requirements, in fact, are not too greedy and I think every photographer (professional ones) should have those abilities. However, we are talking about sending someone to work and base in oversea, this company only willing to pay maximum HKD$8000/month. This little thing shows how stringy and thoughtless the company is.
I have reasons to use the words stringy and thoughtless.
- This company doesn't mention any insurance issue. If some accidents happen, earthquake for example, who is responsible for it?
- It doesn't say any medical issues or subsidies will be provided. If I'm the LUCKY photographer, living and working in Fiji, and I get a flu, who pay the medical fee for me?
- Although the accommodation and transportation are provided, there is no food and other basic subsidy for the photographer. Imagine you are earning HKD$6000, transfer money to oversea, some the inter-transection fee will be applied among the banks, your salary could reduce to HKD$5500 (also depends on the exchange rate). Presumably you will spend HKD$3500 for the food and drink and other basic needs (toilet paper as such). Who are willing to earn HKD$2000 for this job without seeing and meeting your friends and family?
- There are some extra issues, such as what if your equipment are not working? No matter how independent you are, you will need someone to get it fixed. Fiji is a small country, there are not many camera service providers. They will send the broken camera to either Australia or New Zealand to get it fix. This entire process could take up to 2 months. When this happens, how strong is your backup team?
- Once you arrive to Fiji, the photographer need to exchange the value to the local and indigenous. If this is not coped in an appropriate way, the photographer and the marrying couple could be in a dangerous situation due to the photographer is lack of knowledge of their customs. However, this advertise doesn't say any relevant trainings will be provided.
I appreciate this innovative wedding products and I think it is interesting! However when you set up this kind of job, on a job agency website, it clearly shows the disrespectful, not only to the photographer and candidate, but also to the photography. It should be shame.