Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

I think it's high time that Greg gets some much overdue credit for the great work that he does. While he does get credit for his photos and videos at work, sometimes I don't think it's enough. Most of you know that Greg works at Michigan State University. He works in Media Communications and is a visual journalist. He's been at MSU for almost eight years as a photographer, and in the last year he's taken on videos as well. His job is to take pictures and videos for a variety of different things. Depending on what's needed for his department, depends on what the latest assignment is.

He's covered everything from Big Ten basketball tournaments and football games to Homecoming events, to MSU Board of Trustees meetings and MSU graduations to pictures of professors and President Obama's visit back in October when he was campaining to become President. (For those of you who are not Obama supporters, I'm sorry, but yes my husband has his picture with President Obama and I'm proud of that.) O.k. moving on from my Obama plug. I may be a little prejudice because he's my husband, but he really does do nice work. So nice that other people like to use his stuff for other things besides what it's used for at MSU. Everything he does is property of MSU, and a majority of it is used for University things such as on the MSU website, photos used at the MSU football stadium, photos used on football tickets, etc. However other places can call and request to use his photos or videos should they need a photo or video to do with MSU. All his work is attached with his name to it, but since it's his job for work to take the photos or videos he just gets paid the same no matter what the assignment. So when someone calls up asking to use his stuff, it ends there. For example, a few months back the Lansing State Journal & Detroit News wanted to use one of Greg's photos taken at the MSU Cyclotron to put on the front page to go along with an article on the FRIB Grant MSU obtained. Now that's great, but MSU just hands it over to them to use, and no extra pay for Greg for it being in the paper.

Recently the MSU Federal Credit Union chose one of his photos to use on their credit/debit cards. How cool is that? My husbands picture in 100's of thousands of people's hands everyday when they use their credit/debit card! Plus the picture is posted on MSU Federal Credit Union billboards around town. If only people knew, who took the picture, especially those who know Greg. Here's the photo they used on the MSU Credit Union card:

Beaumont Tower

This picture was actually taken back in 2003, but it's not uncommon to dig from the archives when places are looking for a photo. So why not give credit where credit is due? I think sometimes some people get overlooked and aren't appreciated for their work (especially teachers & stay at home moms) as much as they should be. But today I'm giving my husband credit for his work because I truly believe he deserves it more often. He does great work and I'm proud of all his photo and video work. He's come along way as a photographer and most recently in the last year as a videographer.

One of his latest video assignments was to create a video of three former MSU football players bike ride to Mexico to raise funds for an orphanage. He took the video and edited all himself. Here is the link to his video:http://vimeo.com/4330146

So just the other week, CBS Sports (yes, the network) called up asking to use parts from his MSU bike video above. When Greg told me that, I was like, "Oh my gosh, that is so cool!" What a great honor. Then last night he comes home from work and says he was talking to someone from CBS Sports again about using his video. They were talking about a time frame of when the video would be used and Greg was thinking probably in the fall around football season. Well maybe, but the person he was talking to from CBS Sports went a little further and is talking about using parts of his video during the Super Bowl. Holy crap! Excuse my statement there, but WOW! Now remind you, Greg gets paid by MSU for his work and then it's MSU's to do what they want with, but hello... the Super Bowl. Do you know how much money is made with Super bowl ads, etc. I'm thinking a little more credit is definitely deserved if this happens and a little extra compensation for using his video! That's highly unlikely that the extra compensation will come, however I'm putting this out there for all those of you who are unfamiliar with Greg's work in saying, "Greg you deserve credit where credit is due!" I'm proud of you!