the rich get richer

An interesting note on Gawker recently -- interesting exactly because it's not news:

James Nachtwey put up a demanding ad for an unpaid lackey (pretty much specifying rich kids only). Instead of lapping it up like starved dogs, New York's photographic community lashed out.

Most of the lashing seemed to be sour grapes -- other photographers were miffed that Nachtwey traded on his fame to get free labor. Well, okay, but where's the outrage for a skilled up-and-coming photographer who would love nothing more than to fetch a big-name snapper's coffee in return for the access, but has to pay, you know, rent?

What's interesting is that this isn't restricted to media -- in the arts, there is no shortage of opportunities for those who can afford to participate in post-graduate acting/playwriting/directing programs. The networking, industry access, extra workshops are all well and good, but if you have student loans and/or a lack of any family money to fall back on, you have to go to work -- and not romantic artsy-fartsy work, work work.

Those of a better-heeled background can futz around, figure out if this is what they want to really do, buy their way into access/productions/theater companies, and you know what? That's life. That's been life for centuries in the artistic world. But when it comes to journalism, it's an outrage.

Yeah, okay.