Ask An Agent / Xmas edition
Ask an Agent is a regular monthly column that answers all your dilemmas about the business of photography - a sort of photography agony aunt. If you have any questions you’d like to ask a photographers agent please send them to askanagent@lisapritchard.com. This month I have received a question from a very special ( and busy) person!
I have several reindeer who, although they are pretty busy at the moment, don’t get up to much the rest of the year. I have heard that people like you sometimes hire animals for photoshoots, so could you tell me how I can get my reindeer registered for a bit of out of season work and how much I can expect to make from them? S. Claus. The North Pole.
Thanks so much for getting in touch Mr.Claus, I can imagine you must be rushed off your feet right now. You are absolutely right, animals of all kinds are hired for commercial photoshoots, usually from an animal acting agency. As I’m sure you are aware reindeers shed their antlers annually ( the females in late December , the males a bit earlier) and start to grow them again in the spring to attract a mate, so there is less work around when the antlers are growing. However, even though they can be type cast and the antlers can be important, there is still plenty of suitable work most of the year round. The best thing to do is get in touch with one of the animal acting agencies, one of our favourites is A-Z Animals. The owner, Gerry, told me today that a whole set of reindeer can earn anything up to £10,000 a day, and the average for one reindeer is around the £1,000 mark (including transport and handlers)
Not only can reindeers be used in photoshoots, but also TV commercials, theatrical events, movies and some people even hire them privately on December 25th for obvious reasons- I guess you might all be a bit worn out and on your way back to the North Pole by then!
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to everybody from Ask an Agent! Looking forward to receiving all your questions in 2012.