Can you sell pics to 2 newspaper?

<p>Hello everyone,<br>

I'm hoping my question is in the right category. I am currently a student in photography and while I'm only at the very beginning of my courses, I sold pictures to a local news paper and I need help. <br />Not really knowing what I was doing, I contacted 2 newspaper with my photos (A boat on fire viewed from different angles at different steps of the fire)<br>

The chronicles and the West end times.<br>

I emailed both of them at the same time. The West end times told me they would take my photos, and asked me to drop a cd at their mailbox. I did so and I didn't hear from them for 4 days. When I did, they only told me they picked the CD up. Nothing else. Very short and, to me, unprofessional conversations.<br />The chronicles replied to me right away and asked me to go to their office the next day. I met the editor in chief, she looked at my photos, told me they would use 2, that they would pay me 16$ each photos. Asked me to do an invoice and told me they would love more of my shots if I witness more events. Very professional meeting which pleased me.<br>

I have many questions if I may.<br>

Because I sold my shots to the chronicles, does this mean they have the exclusivity? Will I lose my chances to work for them again if they see my shots on the west end times?<br />As of right now, I don't know if the west end times will use my shots or not. They don't tell me anything. <br />Can I ask the west end times to not publish my shots? If so, how exactly do I say that?<br>

I didn't sign or say anything about the copyright of my pictures. <br />What do I do now?<br />Given the opportunities, I'd love to work for the chronicles again, as they are more professional and also, the west end times is 70% advertising. The chronicles, is more of a real newspaper.<br>

Thank you very very much for your help.</p>

<p>Ana,<br>

While my day job is in PR now, I spent 15-plus years with newspapers and wire services, starting off as a photographer and then as a writer. I started by freelancing news photos just as you're doing now. As a freelancer and in absence of any written contract to the contrary you are free to sell your photos to whoever you like, including selling photos of the same event to multiple publications. In fact, selling the same photo on variations on the photo to as many clients as possible is one of the ways that you make this profitable, as you can see if you only got $16 per photo. There are of course some gray areas. If you go shoot something on your own, you are free to peddle it wherever you can. But you should be clear with the paper buying (actually licensing) a photo about what they are getting. If they want exclusive use of the that particular photo and don't want you to sell it elsewhere, they have to pay extra for that. If they don't want you to sell any photos at all from the same event (you presumably made more than one shot of the fire) elsewhere, then they have to pay even more. Some papers won't mind if you sell to another paper far enough away that it's not their competition, but will object to you selling to a paper nearby. Now if you get sent on an assignment by a paper, that's a different story. They would definitely not want you to sell to their competition. They may or may not care if you sell to a non-competing paper but you need to have that discussion up front. As far as the photos from this event, if the West End paper hasn't already used them they're not going to. Sounds like these are weeklies rather than dailies since the Chronicle could wait until the next day to see you. But generally news photos get decided on on the spot, the same day they are shot. Today's news is tomorroow's fishwrapper as the old saying goes.</p>

<p>Thank you Craig,<br>

No I took the photos on my own, and wasn't on a newspaper assignment. They didn't mention anything about exclusivity. Thing is, the West End Time won't give me anything. No money, no mention.<br>

While the other journal will mention my name and pay me, and my goal is to always give them my photos so that they eventually hire me for assignments.<br>

How do I ask the other journal not to publish my photos? They have the cd with my pictures on it, but don't tell me anything.<br>

Thank you.</p>

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<p>How do I ask the other journal not to publish my photos? They have the cd with my pictures on it, but don't tell me anything.</p>

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<p>I don't think you can guarantee that now if you have given them the photos. If they do, they will probably credit you and pay you but I think that if they haven't used them by now, they're not going to. You could ask for your CD back but I don't think I would bother.</p>

<p>Its possible the West End Times have the misconception that you're not any kind of photographer, rather just a member of the public who happened to be at the right place at the right time. If your shots are used at all, they will likely credit you, but not necessarily pay you.</p>

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<p>Very short and, to me, unprofessional conversations.</p>

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<p>I agree, but consider it might have been a very busy week for them. </p>