Outcome from making contact with local newspaper (update - now from 2 newspapers)

jimmy83 said:
Cheers Kipax,

So do you reckon wait for them to mention a price? Do you know if papers and the like are open to negotiations?
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Local papers have a set rate to pay ...they might ask you what you charge.. if you say less than there rate they will snap your hand off.. if you say more than there rate then they will tell you they have a set rate :)

They want your pics but I doubt enough to pay more than they pay everyone else..

Thus.. you tell them exactly that.. you will accept there standard rate..

OK I know what people are thinking.. But they cant stiff you with a lower payment.. because you agreed the standard rate.. you find out later from other photographer what the standard rate is and they are in trouble..

Not every paper is out to fleece photogrpahers... if they want your pic they will pay you the same they pay everyone else....
 
The willingness or ability to pay for photos seems to vary around the country. While my local rags don't want to pay, I've been asked by newspapers at away venues who have paid up willingly. Nice, bit hardly enough to consider it 'making money'!
 
Well they havent replied, so I guess they where expecting me to give them away for free :(
 
The Daily Echo refused to pay me anything for an up to date picture of an Eastleigh player who returned after 3 years at another club and ran one with him in an old kit/old sponsor instead.
 
Paxie said:
The Daily Echo refused to pay me anything for an up to date picture of an Eastleigh player who returned after 3 years at another club and ran one with him in an old kit/old sponsor instead.
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That's a shame-thanks for letting me know. I think I am going to email and ask them if they are still interested and just give them away for free. Not ideal-but hey iam just starting out.
 
jimmy83 said:
I think I am going to email and ask them if they are still interested and just give them away for free. Not ideal-but hey iam just starting out.
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What do you hope to gain by now giving them the pics for free?
  • To get your name in the paper - harsh fact, no one cares.
  • To build a relationship with the paper - you've just demonstrated that you will capitulate in the future and provide photos for free.
  • To get an image published for future use as a 'tear sheet' when approaching other publications - possibly useful.

But, in the cold light of day, it's now a week since you were contacted (a long time in newspapers) it's unlikely they'll still be interested, they wanted the pics for last weekends 'Pink'.

They're not a small organisation, if they really wanted the photos they would've paid for them.

Obviously, what you do is entirely up to you. I wish you all the very best.

Cheers,
Tony

Irrelevant info: I was a staff photographer with Portsmouth's 'The News' 19 years ago and have some great memories from the area.
 
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jimmy83 said:
That's a shame-thanks for letting me know. I think I am going to email and ask them if they are still interested and just give them away for free. Not ideal-but hey iam just starting out.
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And its exactly the same attitude as those before you which means they wont pay you.
 
If you are just starting out and want some coverage you will get it, but once you are established and want money they still wont pay

stick to your guns now, dont roll over if they have no budget

Walk away and learn from it, papers who want images and want to use them will cough up down the line, its all about having principles and sticking to them
 
Well I didn't contact them in the end. Yes it would have been nice to have my name in print, but as many say you shouldn't give away work for free!
 
James,

It might be worth dropping them your contact details and a watermarked sample of your work and state that should their situation change with ref to paying for images, then they at least have your details on file. If you do this a few times, you never know.

Deffo the right decision
 
Tugster said:
James,

It might be worth dropping them your contact details and a watermarked sample of your work and state that should their situation change with ref to paying for images, then they at least have your details on file. If you do this a few times, you never know.

Deffo the right decision
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Cheers Tugster!

Yes thats what I pretty much done when I first replied to them. Thanks tho, good advice :) Will probably contact them next season when the new season starts again.
 
:plusone:
Gary Coyle said:
Make sure you make it clear to the club that they shouldn't pass on these photos to any newspaper without your permission, it is highly likely the paper will at sometime contact the club to ask for stock images, papers seem to think clubs should provide this sort of stuff FOC

The above depends on what your agreement with the club is over ownership of the team/head and shoulders pics you are about to take
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post of the month there gary x
 
soccersnapper said:
:plusone:


post of the month there gary x
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I always knew you had a soft spot for me:lol: Seriously though, it's a real struggle to get "newbies" to listen to the advice, you then also get the odd pratt who will just ignore it regardless on the promise of a byline which usually never materialises, funnily enough its those same guys who post a few year down the road asking why it is they are struggling to earn a few quid as papers wont pay them.

Not once does it ever occur to then that they themselves have contributed to their own predicament
 
It seems to me that there are loads of people/organisations out there who will always try to get, as they where I come from, "Summat for nowt".

In my experience there is very little that is of mutual benefit in cases like this and I think it's probably best to respond by politely telling people who want freebies to "Go forth and multiply".

This sounds harsh but when I've done stuff for nowt people don't seem to respect you for it : instead they take advantage of you.
 
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