How much you want to get paid for a game!

[GooGaBu]

Just out of curiosity - thought to start this thread here on TP, and who knows, maybe there will be some answers and some debate about this as well??

With the ever decreasing amounts that papers/clients pay for their images/games - I thought to start a Poll to ask what would be the MINIMUM amount you'd get out of 'bed' for to cover a game/event.

Just to make things easier - let's assumer few things about this job.

- It's a single game (be it football, soccer, basketball, hockey..)
- Traveling distance is max. 40 miles in each direction
- The payment is the total you'd get paid, whether it'd come from one client or multiple clients - doesn't matter, only the total what you'd get at the end of the day.
- The amount you'd get paid WOULD include your travel costs - so no extra added for those.
- For footy photographers - if you go to a game without a client (on the spec?) - then that would be £0 payment.. as you can't guarantee a payment.

I have not ticked the 'make answers public' on the Poll - so your answers should (as far as I understand) stay private..
Hope people will take time to participate in this.. would be nice to get an idea what people do expect as payments,, and yes, I will answer the Poll myself as well

 

[KIPAX]

I have answered but I thnk theres far too many permutations..

For example.. I want a lot on a saturday... I want a fair bit on a tuesday night.. I have multiple clients..

But a local college match on a wed afternoon ... a school match on a thursday night... they can come in a lot cheaper than a sat afternoon.

 

[Gary Coyle]

Difficult one to answer as my answer crosses 2 options depending on who im working for

need to bear in mind that lots of folk work and submit on spec and can make nothing for weeks or months at a time

 

[GooGaBu]

I guessed it wasn't an easy one to answer - and of course it depends on who you work for. I guess what I was thinking was the least you would do a game on a 'poorest' day of the week for a small clients.
As in the end, that would be what you are ready to do a job for..
So.. for example, if you would say that a mid-week game for Hullbury Hillbillies... you'd charge £40 for, and then Saturday you'd work for The Times at Premier League game for £275..
Then on that, I'd still say that £40 would be the fee you'd go to work for?

Just thought that this subject would be something most photographers have an opinion on - so get some conversation going on here

Thanks for the reply for Gary and Kipax.. and votes for those who have voted so far...

 

[GooGaBu]

need to bear in mind that lots of folk work and submit on spec and can make nothing for weeks or months at a time

I'd brave a guess and most who do sports photography for living - might find it tough to go weeks/months without getting paid.
I know that's the nature of 'on the spec' - and maybe one reason why I have steered away from football recently.
I like to know I get paid if/when going somewhere... silly me ;-)

 

[Gary Coyle]

I'd brave a guess and most who do sports photography for living - might find it tough to go weeks/months without getting paid.
I know that's the nature of 'on the spec' - and maybe one reason why I have steered away from football recently.
I like to know I get paid if/when going somewhere... silly me ;-)

Me too, i wont leave the house unless im commissioned by at least 1 source, makes it a nice day if you can get commissioned for 3 sources for the same game and pick up the odd national show at £125 a time, i coudnt make a living at it but it does pay the bills

 

[GooGaBu]

Me too, i wont leave the house unless im commissioned by at least 1 source, makes it a nice day if you can get commissioned for 3 sources for the same game and pick up the odd national show at £125 a time, i coudnt make a living at it but it does pay the bills

WHen I first started photography in the UK - after returning here.
I was surprised by the amount of photographers thinking it the normal way to work to go to a game on the spec.
And as you say - good to have at least one client that covers the cost and pays 'enough'. Then anything after that can be counted as an extra bonus

 

[KIPAX]

I will do a game on spec if its midweek.. close to me (loads of teams within half an hr) and i have nothing else to do.. then i dont care ....

I ahve 4 matches in first week of season.. one is on spec...

Sat at newport I have three commisions and will also send to nationals on spec..

 

[KIPAX]

also.. another permutation ... i do on spec junior games to sell to parents.. still on spec.. not everyhting is geared at newspapers

 

[GooGaBu]

I will do a game on spec if its midweek.. close to me (loads of teams within half an hr) and i have nothing else to do.. then i dont care ....

I ahve 4 matches in first week of season.. one is on spec...

Sat at newport I have three commisions and will also send to nationals on spec..

I know there is no 'right' answer to this question and each of us has their own limit to what is acceptable for them.
I've talked to guys who do things for a 'pint of beer' - as well as talked to guys who wouldn't touch a job for less than £500 (+expenses).. so there is plenty of us to go around, and fees vary as well.

also.. another permutation ... i do on spec junior games to sell to parents.. still on spec.. not everyhting is geared at newspapers

On the spec - I know that is something I consider (for this poll) to be included in the 'for free' section. And no - the question wasn't about papers.. just clients
And how many times your on the spec junior stuff hasn't sold nothing KIPAX ;-)

 

[Gary Coyle]

also.. another permutation ... i do on spec junior games to sell to parents.. still on spec.. not everyhting is geared at newspapers

But thats always a winner mate, trouble is fitting it in, parents will buy rubbish (no reflection on your stuff mate ) adult players wont buy anything.

 

[KIPAX]

But thats always a winner mate, trouble is fitting it in, parents will buy rubbish (no reflection on your stuff mate ) adult players wont buy anything.

Even cup finals are a waste of time with adults.. odd one here and there but really not worth it.. If already there for paper then I put online for extras.. otherwise wouldnt waste my time..

A lot of junior stuff is a waste as well.. I know which ones sell and which dont (as in teams and leagues).. all trial and error..

 

[bigrob]

Do The Times really pay £275?

I thought they would jut get there's from the agencies most of the time.

I put down £0 as that is what I get shooting on spec. I started just before Xmas last year and only got 4 pics published :bang:

Hopefully I will get a lot more this season as financially it's not worth it.

 

[ChrisDonnelly]

I used to do spec work, purely for experience.
Once i started getting paid, and things went wrong i.e being stuck in traffic and not getting home till 3 hours later than normal. i decided ill cut back as its only pocket money.
Theres just too many people doing it now, so i fixed fee is essential i thing,

 

[Seba]

Do The Times really pay £275?

I thought they would jut get there's from the agencies most of the time.

Do they ****.

You don't want to know what I got for the full page, front of the sport section shot of Billy Twelvetrees back in February...... depressing monies

 

[Mr. Fish]

Do The Times really pay £275?

I thought they would jut get there's from the agencies most of the time.

I put down £0 as that is what I get shooting on spec. I started just before Xmas last year and only got 4 pics published :bang:

Hopefully I will get a lot more this season as financially it's not worth it.

The times pay nooooootttthing, like the worst paying paper. Its a shame seba as you had a mega show.

 

[KIPAX]

D
I put down £0 as that is what I get shooting on spec. .

the question is How much you want to get paid for a game!... and you put 0 ... tut tut

 

[jimmy83]

I used to do spec work, purely for experience.
Once i started getting paid, and things went wrong i.e being stuck in traffic and not getting home till 3 hours later than normal. i decided ill cut back as its only pocket money.
Theres just too many people doing it now, so i fixed fee is essential i thing,

What do you guys mean by 'spec work'?

 

[KIPAX]

What do you guys mean by 'spec work'?

if you go to a game and nobody is paying you to go.. but you send your pictures into newspapers in the hope that they use them.. speculation i think its short for

 

[KIPAX]

Theres just too many people doing it now, so i fixed fee is essential i thing,

I dont mind now and then.. i did pne blackpool on monday.. mine was the only player shot in the nationals tuesday.. daily mirror.. so that worked out good.. i havent any more spec jobs planned at the moment.. depends if very local and at a loose end... plus being from preston i like going.. and seeing them beat blackpool.. bonus

 

[ChrisDonnelly]

I dont mind now and then.. i did pne blackpool on monday.. mine was the only player shot in the nationals tuesday.. daily mirror.. so that worked out good.. i havent any more spec jobs planned at the moment.. depends if very local and at a loose end... plus being from preston i like going.. and seeing them beat blackpool.. bonus

Yeah saw those in the paper, thought there was going to be more coverage than that though. In fact , the last 2 years has seen a distinct lack of Champ/L1/L2 coverage at all, maybe 1 or 2 in Mirror/Sun/Star and thats all.
And thats with all the matches all over the country. Bit rubbish if you ask me!

 

[ChrisDonnelly]

The times pay nooooootttthing, like the worst paying paper. Its a shame seba as you had a mega show.

Are you sure they pay nothing?
Ive had a few in, and i got paid?

 

[bigrob]

the question is How much you want to get paid for a game!... and you put 0 ... tut tut

Ah yes I see I should have read the poll question properly :bonk:

 

[Mr. Fish]

Are you sure they pay nothing?
Ive had a few in, and i got paid?

Well yea i didnt mean literally, they pay of course, just from experience of mine and others - not alot.