Everybody likes something for nothing. Better still if that something is actually useful. Last week was all about a little extra content for just a little extra effort and how it pays dividends.

Babysitting
My guess is most Reuters photographers have a camera in their hand most of the time. You know, just in case. My journalist wife had to drive to the world’s largest coal port last weekend. I was babysitting. A new emission trading scheme was slated to be the following week’s main story in Australia so I grabbed toddler and cameras and off we all went. I ended up with a good carbon emissions file including an Asia picture of the week (below) in between splashing in puddles and chasing seagulls…with my son of course.

Drive-by
Two days later I headed in the opposite direction, to Canberra for the arrival of Spain’s King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia. On the way there the clouds lifted from some distant hills framing a new wind power farm. Pulling over on the freeway, a few quick frames out the other side of the car…and an image (below) included in the Best of the Week file.

Don’t forget to look behind you
Australia’s Prime Minister and main opposition leader both came to welcome Spain’s royalty. These two had been at each other’s throats the past few days in a saga about a free pick-up truck and a faked email that had gripped the nation. I’m already there and it costs nothing to squeeze off a few well timed frames while the opposition looked the other way. Sure, it’s primarily a local interest story but depending on how it may have developed, it had the potential to take the Prime Minister down… and why say no to a nice colour half page in the country’s largest circulation national paper?

Getting something for next to nothing has never been easier.