Hunting for work

[chrishoggy]

Since the setup of my new site, I seem to be getting quite a few people asking to take on my extra work load etc. Now IMHO this is not the way to do business, and in fact would put me off using any of them. Just wondering what other peoples opinion is on this?
I have noticed that most of the offers are coming from India/Asia areas. They are genuine retouchers/restorers, but is the market really that flooded that they have to fish for work?

[grafx]

I have only found someone recently that I have enough confidence in to help me out. I actually sought her out. I am really particular who I have help me and I generally only have them do the basic stuff to save me time and then I do all the final work. It allows me to monitor the quality that goes out.

[shellby]

I have had some requests like this. I sent over a sample image and told them to match my style of retouching. None of them came close so I gave them the chance but nobody proved themselves. There are times when you get a bulk order and you need help but it has to be of the same standard.

[emarts]

Get to know other retouchers. Don't send your work to strangers.

[goose443]

It just goes to show the level of saturation in the market. Though off the shelf software is great for giving a larger audience the ability to put their skills to work, it also creates the possiblity for just about anyone to present themselves as professionals though their skills may be dubious. It's good to have benchmarks and skills tests to make sure those you work with are on the same level. After all it's always your reputation that's riding all work you produce.

[Nanls]

Originally Posted by goose443

It just goes to show the level of saturation in the market. Though off the shelf software is great for giving a larger audience the ability to put their skills to work, it also creates the possiblity for just about anyone to present themselves as professionals though their skills may be dubious. It's good to have benchmarks and skills tests to make sure those you work with are on the same level. After all it's always your reputation that's riding all work you produce.

I agree, I recently was asked to send samples for a high-end retouching position for a studio in LA that does fashion and stars. Of the 30 people that sent samples, they only asked five of us to interview and for testing... not just anyone with off the wall software has the skills for this level of retouching. However, on the other side of that coin, it has become such a global market that you never know on what side of the world your competition is located. I once had a request from a woman to retouch 300 pieces of jewelry. They were already knocked out and color corrected all I had to do was clean up the images... and boy were they a mess. 16 companies sent back test sample images for her to review for the job. Bottom line is she offered me 30cents each, lol. She said that a number of companies from India had offered to do them for that price. I told her she should be contacting them, not me. geeze
~Nancy~

[Frank Lopes]

Did you get the gig?

Originally Posted by Nanls

I agree, I recently was asked to send samples for a high-end retouching position for a studio in LA that does fashion and stars. Of the 30 people that sent samples, they only asked five of us to interview and for testing... not just anyone with off the wall software has the skills for this level of retouching.
~Nancy~

[Nanls]

Originally Posted by Frank Lopes

Did you get the gig?

Won't know until next week... my problem is that even though they pay well, are a great group, have a really nice working environment and equipment, they are in LA County (hollywood) and I am in Orange county. It took me 1 1/2 to get there and as the gas prices go up, I'm wondering how much it is going to cost me to take the job, if they do ask me. I got gas last night for $3.59 gal ouch!
~Nancy~

[Gary Richardson]

I got gas last night for $3.59 gal ouch!

$3.59 = £1.93 thats dirt cheap

here gas goes for about £4 = $7.44 now that is ouch!

[Nanls]

Originally Posted by Gary Richardson

$3.59 = £1.93 thats dirt cheap

here gas goes for about £4 = $7.44 now that is ouch!

That's a big ouch! My sister lives in Barcelona, and every time I go, I cringe at the gas prices, however, they have an excellent public transportation system. Here in California; we don't.
~Nancy~

[goose443]

I take public transportation to downtown LA every mroning though I agree it's a hit or a miss depending on where you live. it has also made me late on more than one occasion.

[Nanls]

Originally Posted by goose443

I take public transportation to downtown LA every mroning though I agree it's a hit or a miss depending on where you live. it has also made me late on more than one occasion.

That is why I said they have "excellent" public transportation. Their metro system runs like clockwork.

[Sanda]

Originally Posted by Nanls

Bottom line is she offered me 30cents each, lol. She said that a number of companies from India had offered to do them for that price. I told her she should be contacting them, not me. geeze
~Nancy~

I think it must have been the same woman who contacted me. I was way to expensive for her. I wouldn't even open the image up for 30c

[Gary Richardson]

I live in a small village, and the bus service sucks (1 an hour when they bother to turn up at all), not only is it unreliable, but its teeth grindingly slow, taking nearly an hour to get to somewhere you can reach in 10 mins by car.

In the summer I use my bike, but I'm a fair weather cyclist, so don't get to use it often enough for it to be a practical alternative to the car.

So like many others, I'm stuck with the high cost of motoring in the UK.

[Nanls]

Originally Posted by Gary Richardson

I live in a small village, and the bus service sucks (1 an hour when they bother to turn up at all), not only is it unreliable, but its teeth grindingly slow, taking nearly an hour to get to somewhere you can reach in 10 mins by car.

In the summer I use my bike, but I'm a fair weather cyclist, so don't get to use it often enough for it to be a practical alternative to the car.

So like many others, I'm stuck with the high cost of motoring in the UK.

You know I sometimes forget that this forum is international. I know fuel is very expensive in the UK. I've been through London a couple of times. I've never had to budget for the price of gas, but things are changing, and relative to the rest of the states, California's prices are higher. Knowing people in other countries are being gouged twice as badly doesn't make me feel any better! lol
~Nancy~

[Gary Richardson]

I've never had to budget for the price of gas.

Whereas we've had to allow for it for quite some time.

You've been lucky so far I guess. I know the first time I ever filled a hire car in the States, I was stunned by just how cheap gas was. The high cost of UK gas is entirely down to the high rate of tax on it.

You know I sometimes forget that this forum is international.

As a fairly frequent visitor to the States (I come here on ski vacations most years), I've got used to the introspective view of many Americans. I once got stopped at Denver airport and told "Hey you've got a really cute accent, where are you from?" I replied England, and her next question floored me. "Is that anywhere near Australia?" she asked. "Sure I answered, just next door, hop on a plane and its only a 24 hour flight."

[chrishoggy]

All I will say is "biodiesel".
I've tested my Vectra on home made biodiesel, and it runs fine. I'm now looking at making it in bigger volume. Very simple to do, and works out at around 60p a litre using new cooking oil (and paying 20p a litre tax). If I could find a used oil supply, it would work out even cheaper .

http://www.tasmanenergy.com.au/biodiesel.htm

[NancyJ]

do you get the same fuel efficiency?

[chrishoggy]

Yes, runs exactly the same as standard Diesel. The only difference is the exhaust gasses smell of fresh dough-nuts (They really do too)

Not all cars will run on it alone, so mixing it 50-50 is the best way to try it. Then go to 75-25 mix and see how it runs. Even at a 50-50 mix with standard diesel, you are saving quite a bit of money. It is also good for the environment

[Frank Lopes]

Go visit your local "fish & chips" restaurants.

Originally Posted by chrishoggy

All I will say is "biodiesel".
... If I could find a used oil supply, it would work out even cheaper ...

[Gary Richardson]

How long before they start taxing it higher Chris?

Used to be that diesel was the cost effective fuel of choice, but its now taxed worse than petrol. Can't see the tax vultures letting bio-diesel escape for long.

[chrishoggy]

Yeah I know what ya mean Gary. I'm just going to cash in while the tax is low.
The other way is to go LPG, but the conversion costs are stupid at the moment

[NancyJ]

In theory the point of the stupidly high tax on petrol is for environmental reasons. Its to discourage car usage. In practice it doesnt work but they couldnt claim those reasons for taxing bio-fuel.

[goose443]

There have been murmurs here about a tax on distance instead of gasoline. It seems to me though that it would only encourage lower efficiency cars as opposed to a gas tax which hits larger, less efficient cars harder.

[Gary Richardson]

Hi Chris,

If I had a diesel, I think I'd join you and run bio while it's still cheap, but both my cars are petrol driven so I'm stuck. Agree about the conversion costs on LPG, and availability is still an issue.

Nancy J,

In theory the point of the stupidly high tax on petrol is for environmental reasons.

That's the fairy tale they spin us to justify the high cost of gas, real reason is that the government knows we don't want to lose the convenience of our cars, so it can use the "environmental good" lie to screw us out of more money. I agree with you that it'll be hard to use that argument with Bio-diesel, but they're an inventive lot, and I'm sure they'll soon find a reason why "for our good" they have to put the price up.

[goose443]

Originally Posted by Gary Richardson

Hi Chris,

If I had a diesel, I think I'd join you and run bio while it's still cheap, but both my cars are petrol driven so I'm stuck.

I heard photoshop CS3 is supposed to have a "convert to diesel" filter.

[Gary Richardson]

I heard photoshop CS3 is supposed to have a "convert to diesel" filter.

Shame I use PS7.