Fantastic

I'll make this as brief as possible.
I'm the Jack-of-all-trades at a small podunk paper and recently my hot-shoe (need it for my flash) on my camera decided to take a shit. Sending it to Canon and getting it back will probably be a month process. Repairs will most likely be anywhere from $150-350. Here's the kicker: my boss won't pay for the repairs.
I need the camera to do my job yet the paper wouldn't buy it for me. I bought it, got some cheese from the paper to cover the cost and then the paper started taking some money out of my check to pay off the camera.

Here's what I don't get. If they want me to do my job, shouldn't they help get the camera repaired as soon as possible? Hell, I'm not going to pay for it. I don't have $300 just sitting around for it to get repaired and I'm sure as hell not going the same route as I did to get the camera in the first place. Of course, there's the idea of me leaving after fall sports but that's another subject..
Also, it just happens that there is a DSLR for use by individuals at the paper. I borrowed it yesterday but I'm not going to be able to use it all the time for night/indoor activities...


So, what would you do?

 

The asshole thing to do would be to not take any pictures and when the boss asks say, "My camera's broken, and since you neither pay me enough nor will pay to have the equipment I need to do my job, there will be no photos anymore."

However, that might lead to a swift walk out the door and a boot to an ass.

Personally, I don't know what I'd do in that situation.

 

Start looking for a new job.

 

Find a mom with a camera. Oh, yeah, and brush up that resume.

 

A week or two with no sports photos might solve the tight-wallet syndrome from the publisher. Or you can take the pictures with your cell phone camera and say that's the best you can do since you can't afford to repair the good camera.

I hear there's an SE opening in Idaho.

 

Mad,

Buy a cheap disposable camera, take photos of your next game with it and leave it on your editor's desk with a friendly note about what is on it, that your camera still isn't working and that you don't have the money to repair it. Also leave the receipt for the disposable camera.

That should get some attention.

 

Go to your boss, tell him your camera is broken. Tell him because it's broken you can't take pictures. Tell him you can't afford the repairs to your camera. Ask him what his solution is to the problem.

 

I'm for not taking any. When the pub asks why, simply say No camera available. Don't need to give him the "since you neither pay me enough..." speech. Be civil and simply say you don't have a camera or the $350 needed to repair it.
He'll either react and get it fixed, or he won't, and you can aggressively begin pursuing another job.

 

If the guy had to pay for the camera out of his own pocket in the first place, I'm guessing the suits don't care whether or not they have photos. If they did than they'd have bought one on their own, or better yet hired a photographer. And, if there were no photos, these idiots won't think twice.
So the question for Madhavok becomes how much does not having photos hurt his chances of getting another job? How does it hurt his portfolio? If it doesn't hurt the portfolio than fuck 'em. If it does hurt, than unfortunately, you'll have to reach into your pocket and pay for the repairs.

 

Hell, he can spend more time designing and writing now. Unless you're going to be a photographer, missing that part of your portfolio isn't going to crush you.

 

I'd say of all the suggestions so far, this is the one that's least likely to get you in trouble with the higher-ups. It's the civil way to handle things. If your boss says there's nothing we can do, we don't have the money either or we simply don't want to fork it over for a sports camera, then you quit running photos, update your resume and get out ASAP.

Or, if you don't care about being civil, there are several nice asshole suggestions on here.

And if I'm not mistaken, couldn't you get the camera fixed, and claim that as a business expense on your taxes, and get the money back that way? I don't know exactly how that would work, but you could look into that.

 

When I was interviewing at a twice-weekly in Maryland, I was asked if I had a camera because I'd have to take my own photos for stories. I lied, saying yes, then went out and bought a camera an hour after getting the job.

Eveything was dandy, until my camera was stolen. I didn't have the cash for a new one. So I went to the managing editor and explained the situation -- no railing about my paycheck, no panic. Two days later, I was given a refurbished company camera the staff shooter wasn't using.

Problem solved.