Editorial

Barca.1999

Barca.1999

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What's the going rate for a published football action shot in a local paper as I am about to approach apaper thanks really appreciated
 
They vary

When I send in mails / invoices etc I usually ask for there standard rate which I have found to range from £10+
 
whitey said:
They vary

When I send in mails / invoices etc I usually ask for there standard rate which I have found to range from £10+
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Thanks for that
 
I was recently contacted by the sports editor of my local newspaper who wanted me to cover a non league game in my area. They needed me to supply them with about 30 fully captioned live pictures during the match. For this I quoted what I thought was a very reasonable price of £125 at which the sports editor nearly choked on his custard cream. He said to me that their usual fee was £50. When I explained to him that the my time,fuel cost, parking,programme,transmission of pictures not to mention the £25,000 worth of camera /computer equipment and 25 years of experience that £50 would not cover it . He said that they could stretch to £60 but no more!.........I did not cover that match
 
Why on earth would any newspaper want 30 captioned images of a non league game wired during the game, £60 in itself isn't unreasonable for local papers for local games
 
Gary Coyle said:
Why on earth would any newspaper want 30 captioned images of a non league game wired during the game, £60 in itself isn't unreasonable for local papers for local games
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It was a local cup final and they produce a Saturday evening sports pull out edition.

The problem being Gary is that £60 has become acceptable to some photographers but it certainly is unreasonable. Some weekend warrior photographers are more than happy to put up with this fee thus spoiling it for full time professional photographers who have to pay the mortgage and feed a family!
 
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Unfortunately it's more than difficult trying to get anything more than that out of local papers, locals struggle to commission games at all and usually offer £12-15 per published image, even regionals like to get it to between £60-80 if they can, flip side is they normally only expect 6-8 photos so if you want you can be in and out in 20 minutes, one full time freelancer i know says if they only publish 3 then why send them anymore than 3, he turns up for the last 15 minutes, fires off a few frames and is gone before the hooter.

Please don't go down the weekend warrior route, i find it a ridiculous term as im one of those so called guys but im not taking the food out of anyones mouth or making them homeless, im personally filling a gap no one else is or can fill to a more than acceptable standard, plus im also trying to feed my family and pay a mortgage as well.

I do understand the sentiment though, and yes there are those who give rubbish away for free, however there are also newspapers who are willing to accept and publish that rubbish.
 
Gary Coyle said:
Unfortunately it's more than difficult trying to get anything more than that out of local papers, locals struggle to commission games at all and usually offer £12-15 per published image, even regionals like to get it to between £60-80 if they can, flip side is they normally only expect 6-8 photos so if you want you can be in and out in 20 minutes, one full time freelancer i know says if they only publish 3 then why send them anymore than 3, he turns up for the last 15 minutes, fires off a few frames and is gone before the hooter.

Please don't go down the weekend warrior route, i find it a ridiculous term as im one of those so called guys but im not taking the food out of anyones mouth or making them homeless, im personally filling a gap no one else is or can fill to a more than acceptable standard, plus im also trying to feed my family and pay a mortgage as well.

I do understand the sentiment though, and yes there are those who give rubbish away for free, however there are also newspapers who are willing to accept and publish that rubbish.
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Hi Gary,
I think I need to clarify my definition of the term "weekend warrior" for me this is an enthusiastic sports fan/amateur photographer who will give away their pictures for little or nothing in return for a simple byline. Now before writing the term "weekend warrior" I did check your profile and website and in no way do I feel that you fit into this category.
You are actually a professional photographer of a very high standard with a superb website and have the ability to produce a excellent pictures weekend in weekend out.
You may have another full time profession during the week but you are charging to supply photographs from your weekend work which makes you a professional photographer and I have no problem with that at all.
I do think that we are both singing from the same hymn sheet in thinking that those who are giving away their pictures are ruining our "Profession" because it is keeping the price local newspapers are willing to pay down as they know that they can get it for free!
I have been covering top flight football for national newspapers for 15 years and I have been shocked by how little local papers now pay for photographs which I feel is largely due to photographers willing to give their work away for free.
Please remember that most local newspapers are part of a much bigger wealthy newspaper group and they can afford and will pay a more reasonable rate!
 
My local paper The News Shopper hardly does any sport in the printed editions.

I also agree the term weekend warrior can be misued and Rob's description above is spot on.
 
I think I need to clarify my definition of the term "weekend warrior" for me this is an enthusiastic sports fan/amateur photographer who will give away their pictures for little or nothing in return for a simple byline. Now before writing the term "weekend warrior" I did check your profile and website and in no way do I feel that you fit into this category.
You are actually a professional photographer of a very high standard with a superb website and have the ability to produce a excellent pictures weekend in weekend out.
You may have another full time profession during the week but you are charging to supply photographs from your weekend work which makes you a professional photographer and I have no problem with that at all.
I do think that we are both singing from the same hymn sheet in thinking that those who are giving away their pictures are ruining our "Profession" because it is keeping the price local newspapers are willing to pay down as they know that they can get it for free!
I have been covering top flight football for national newspapers for 15 years and I have been shocked by how little local papers now pay for photographs which I feel is largely due to photographers willing to give their work away for free.
Please remember that most local newspapers are part of a much bigger wealthy newspaper group and they can afford and will pay a more reasonable rate!
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Just to compare Sunday nationals pay £175 per game, NLP/LP pay £50-70 per game and my local pays £50 per shift. these are all freelance rates. You wanted £125 for a local cup final from a local newspaper and felt insulted by their offer of £60. These are "real world rates" and if you are expecting more perhaps its time to get a "proper job".
 
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snapzz said:
Just to compare Sunday nationals pay £175 per game, NLP/LP pay £50-70 per game and my local pays £50 per shift. these are all freelance rates. You wanted £125 for a local cup final from a local newspaper and felt insulted by their offer of £60. These are "real world rates" and if you are expecting more perhaps its time to get a "proper job".
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Hi Graham,

Twenty five years ago when I started my career on my local newsapaper as a photographer (where the freelance rates were £20 per picture used) I thought that I was at the start of a "proper job", now twenty five years later I am still a full time professional photographer, but certain things have changed like your so called "real world rates" that I believe are partly down to the weekend warriors supplying pictures for free. Now I choose not to accept these rates which I know is my choice, but because of this I still have my pride and a "proper job"
 
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Not my "real world rates" just what is actually paid these days. Yes freebie weekly and local rags will always "tout" for free pics and there are plenty who will supply. However the rates I quoted are what is being paid. Glory days have gone so its a simple case of do it or stay in and watch the telly.

Working as a full time photographer is not a proper job unless staff its a paid labour of love and I've been doing it now for over 25yrs.
 
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