Phil, the photographer, routinely accepts unconventional payment terms that help him create the kind of"epic freelance life" that he wants. Phil would barter with one client who specialized in the sale of luxury woolen goods."It'd be a shoot for $500 plus a scarf," he says,"and these are $800 cashmere scarves from Mongolia—they're amazing." It's far more than he'd spend for a scarf on his own, but he loves them.
That's what Christina Guthier wondered. She was a young German doctoral student, planning a vacation overseas to visit a friend in Canada. She and her husband had loved their first trip to New York City a few years prior, so they decided to add a week in the city onto their visit. Christina isn't the only professional who's found creative ways to blend travel and professional development. Phil the photographer has, too.
So one year, she invited Phil to join them, and he's now traveled with her twice to Venice, once to Paris and Versailles and once to"the South of France during lavender season." Ultimately, he says,"My philosophy is that value is not always just in dollar amounts. I'm looking at the long-term value." Of course, he's glad to take on high-paying corporate work, and that's necessary to pay his rent and expenses. But snapshots of executives at a podium don't necessarily demonstrate his unique artistic vision."Usually you're either getting money or fame, but you're rarely getting both," he says.