Weird Situation

[Dumien]

Hey guys, I have to manage this weird situation, and since I'm inexperienced, I'm looking for some advice. And I'll apologize ahead of time for my poor business-english (so far I haven't been able to study it )


A little background: I've shot for my sister's ice skating association for a couple of events, and since I was the only photographer there, they asked for my pictures. They paid me both times with free passes (like $70 worth) for their ice rink. I used the all the passes they gave me the first time, but I haven't used any of the second ones, because I couldn't find the time to go ice skating. Plus, the season is almost over -there's only a month left- and they have just asked e to shoot their season-ending performance.


They initially said they would "pay" like the other times, but I wasn't really comfortable with that, so I kind of hinted that there should be another way for them to pay me. They said they couldn't pay me with money, because I don't have a "VTA Number" (Dictionary translation), which is sort of a "business licence" (my translation). They also said they could, on the other hand, refund me of any expenses I had for photographing the event, which I had to prove by showinf receipts. The problem is I don't have any expenses. I don't shoot film, nor do I use external flashes (my line-up is pretty basic...I have 2 lenses and that's it ) so I don't use any batteries. They also added that I could get off with some more cash if I brought some "more" receipt other than just those for the equipment I used.


My idea now is to kind of ask how much they are willing to "tip" me and see if I can get something like a tripod which is in that price range, and have them refund me of that. And, if the price is too low to buy something like that, see if I can be "hired" for more than this only event (e.g. in the next season) for the price of the thing I would buy. I think in that case the price could be a little higher.


I still have to ask if that's possible, but, if it is, what do you think I should get, say, in the 100-300$ price range? Consider that I would like to buy a CP filter, a tripod, a flash and possibly a new lens (but this is way out of budget: 24-70 f2.8L) some time in the future. =)


PS: I'll post their answer as soon as I can - I don't see them very often.


Thank you all,


Andy

[Colin]

I don't think anything you're talking about is unreasonable, but you might want to keep in mind that there's already a precedent setting their expectations.


$70 of free passes doesn't cost them $70.


I don't know what the laws are like there. Where I live, a business license is between you and the city, and so long as they give you a tax form at the end of the year (assuming that the total was over something like $600, last I heard)showing that they paid you, there's no problem paying an individual.


But, I think your idea is good. It's just a matter of getting them to settle on an amount that correlates to something you want.

[cian3307]

I've done a few small jobs and been paid with equipment rather than cash. Most recently I got a 17-40 f/4L for a couple of short magazine articles with lots of pics. Try asking them if they'll buy you a piece of kit in lieu of cash payment.

[Dumien]

Colin,


Here in Italy, you need a business licence to work. BOth because you have to pay taxes on what you earn (and the thing gets complicated on this matter, in this country) and because the person that pays you needs to add the number of you licence in his receipt to show that I had that sum of income and that he had that sum of expense; all this because of taxes...


Anyway, I'm going to talk to them on thursday, I'll keep you all posted.


Once again, please do comment the situation and suggest anything that comes to your minds as useful =)


Andy