Submitting to Newspapers

starkas

starkas

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Name
Simon
Edit My Images
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I've submitted a bunch of shots to a few local papers covering both home and away teams at the matches I have been at over the past couple of weeks.

So far I only had one response which was from a paper that wanted to print but didn't want to pay.

The games do seem to be getting coverage but either have no images or stock shots/shots from previous games.

Is my strategy wrong in that I am sending images speculatively and am I likely to get more success by speaking to the sports ed before the matches? I also don't want to irritate all the sports editors in the area if what I am doing is just wasting their time and filling their inboxes.

I'd be interested in your approach here or how you approached this when you first started out.

thanks.
 
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When I do Conference games I usually do a quick Google for newspapers in the away sides area. I then phone (not email) the sports desks and ask if they would be interested in receiving any pics from the game. I try to get a set fee but some insist on only pay by usage. Any that say they wont pay doesnt get anything sent.
 
thanks guys. I'm at another match on Weds night so will call up the local sports ed and see if they are interested. The team I'm covering have just been hammered in their past three games conceeding 19 goals in total after winning their previous 5 games.
 
Just make sure you don't let any of them fob you off with the promise of a credit and a free copy of the paper. Looking at your initial post it looks like you don't intend to do this anyway, but I just wanted to make it clear that it's a massive no no, because getting your shots in a paper can sometimes lure people into allowing it even if they don't agree with it.
 
Steven - yes already turned down the credit option last weekend. I considered for a while then remembered all the stick I would get on here :lol:
 
Is there any scope in contacting an agency and trying to deal with them to hawk the photos to a newspaper rather than doing it on your own? Is a newspaper more likely to buy off an agency?
 
cornishboy said:
Is there any scope in contacting an agency and trying to deal with them to hawk the photos to a newspaper rather than doing it on your own? Is a newspaper more likely to buy off an agency?
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nope.. you lose a chunk of the fee.. if you own the picture your better doing it yourself.. an agency brings nothing to the deal..
 
Just spoke to one of the guys at the local paper. He's interested in receiving pictures from tomorrow nights game. Also said if I let him know where I will be over the next few weekends he'll make sure their press guy doesn't go so they don't double up.

So fingers crossed for a few goals for Hebburn tomorrow night, some good celebrations and someone to put a few new bulbs in the floodlights :D

Thanks for the sound advice guys.
 
starkas said:
Just spoke to one of the guys at the local paper. He's interested in receiving pictures from tomorrow nights game. Also said if I let him know where I will be over the next few weekends he'll make sure their press guy doesn't go so they don't double up.

So fingers crossed for a few goals for Hebburn tomorrow night, some good celebrations and someone to put a few new bulbs in the floodlights :D

Thanks for the sound advice guys.
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well done.. you got your foot in the door ..... deffo well done :)
 
Yeah, I'm pleased with that. He also said they were happy to provide a platform to help give me more exposure. I asked about payment too and he said they don't have a big budget but will pay as they need good action and cele shots.
 
starkas said:
Yeah, I'm pleased with that. He also said they were happy to provide a platform to help give me more exposure. I asked about payment too and he said they don't have a big budget but will pay as they need good action and cele shots.
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I am not normally big on talking about payments.. but in this instance you must because he is stopping a staff photogrpaher from going according to your post... thats less work for the staff tog who could be snowed under and glad of it or less work and his job in jeapordy..
 
and I wanted to make sure that he didn't think I was going to supply for just a credit.
 
Well the light isn't going to be good and Hebburn have lost their last three games conceeding 19 goals. So I'm hoping they are going to be up for it.

I'll be at 6400 iso from the start, as I was last Wednesday and will have to pick out the good bits of floodlit pitch.
 
Glad to see your papers do the right thing. The locals around here just went with the usual "we don't have the budget" line when asked.
 
The locals around here just went with the usual "we don't have the budget" line when asked.
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Same here, called mine yesterday, got the "We don't have much of a budget for freelancers" b****r :(
 
surely somethings better than nowt, might open doors in the future too
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Well, I spoke to a photographer who gave me the photo editors e-mail, sent one off yesterday. I'll give them another call if I haven't heard back by end of next week. Fingers crossed!
 
Last nights match was postponed so. Spoke with the local journo today there are two matches they are interested in receiving pics from at the weekend. One is a 2.30pm kick off and the other is 3pm.

So should I try to cover the first half of the first match then get across to the second match in time to cover the second half? Or just cover one? Depends on the weather too as both pitches are not good at draining but if both are on....
 
when i use to do the local RU and RL i found i was possible to do both with 1/2 hour diffrence in KO time but it would depend on how many pix your client requires from each game.Also are you paid per pix used ? if so and they will pay for pix from both games go for it, but if they are only going to use from one game better not to bust a gut for no extra.
 
Haven't gone into the detail of how many images etc. But knowing what they generally put in I would doubt if they will use more than one per match but I would intend to send half a dozen for each.

I think they will pay for images from both - they have a budget but is not huge.
 
Had pics published last night and tonight in the local paper. Both were cele shots cropped to about 2 inches in width. My contact is on holiday this week so pleased that these have still been published.
 
Sometimes thats what happens Simon, pictures get used in stupid ways. Its great that your getting your pictures used. Congrats
 
Thanks Brad. I'm not too bothered how they use them just good to have an outlet. Spoke to the sports editor today and agreed payment terms for the images they have used so far and also anything going forward. Not a huge amount of money but it is a start, a foot in the door that will hopefully lead on to other things.

I've only really been doing this since mid Jan so I'm pleased with making progress.
 
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