Newspaper wants to use my photos

<p>Hi, </p>

<p> Recently I answered a post to work as a freelancer for a local newspaper, it is a free, 6 page publication in need of photographers. I spoke with the editor and after taking a look at my portfolio he told me he actually wanted to do a 2 page spread, one page with photos I have already taken to showcase and the other with photos they would like for me to take around the area. They want to pay me 20 dollars per photo (its my first time working with a newspaper and would like to know if this is fair) but where my main question comes in is, how would I handle the copyright for the images I have already taken and they wish to use in their article, and also what kind of copyright agreement would I use to work with them, I would like to maintain the rights to the images I take while I shoot future assignments since they want me to photograph upcoming events as well. Is this possible or do newspapers always ask for a work for hire contract. I am trying to find out as much information before I actually go through with any of this so I want to make sure I ask the proper questions and make sure I negotiate correctly before proceeding.</p>

<p>Thank You<br>

-Gabriel</p>

 

Gabe, congratulations on getting started in the world of photo journalism. . . There are mountains of posts

here on photo.net about pricing, work for hire, business of photography, how much to charge, contracts,

copyright, etc., start by doing some digging . . . Second, and depending on how you learn, maybe first,

go check out the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) site . . . they also produce a book

called, "professional business practices in photography," get a copy and read it. . . Google is also your

friend. Google "business of photography" "photojournalism business" "how to run a photography business"

"how much should i charge," and so on . . . Start with a better foundation of the issues, then come back

and ask more pointed questions . . . There are a lot of great people on this site that will help, but you have

to help yourself first . . . get cracking . . .

<p>Having worked for 11 newspapers -- some real big and some real small, I would suggest that maybe the editor is not interested in any more rights than to use each photo once. But you never know. The trend today is fror publishers to try to gobble up every right they can think of. You need to do some good old horse trading. Figure out what you want and go from there. Tony (above) has some good suggestions. I hate to tell you this but some small newspaper don't pay anything at all. And $20 a shot might be straining the editor's tiny budget.</p>

My experience with small papers is that his offer is actually about right. They will want rights to the pics to use as often as

they like. They may use them more than once. An end of the year thing for example

 

You need to get your feet wet and this is va great opportunity. I can tell you that there. Are plenty of people who will work

for the press pass alone. Have fun and read the other threads carefully. There is a difference between what a newspaper

can publish without a release and what you can sell to other sources.

 

Welcome to biz. As the APPA says, "f8, and be there".

Twenty bucks per picture used is pretty

good in my experience. They will

probably want to be able to use them

more than once but unless you are an

employee you will own the images.

Newspapers are some of the most fun

you can have with a camera, most days

interesting and sometimes incredibly

dull. Depending on where you are they

might be able to get passes to all kinds

of sports events not to mention all of

the mischief, murder and mayhem that

goes on. Good luck with it.

 

Rick H.

<p>Thanks so much for the replies, I am definitely reading up as much as possible since I want to get off on the right foot, unfortunately I posted my question since I am on a deadline for next week and this is happening a bit quickly. I am currently reading Best Business Practices for Photographers and have been using the NPPA website to find answers to what I need but I will definitely check out the ASMP site as well as digging in through the forums here. Again thank you all for your replies and any other information on literature or other resources is greatly appreciated. </p>

<p>-Gabriel</p>

<p>I started off at $5 per published photo with a $10 minimum payment for each assignment. But that was circa 1975 working part-time for local papers in high school. Thirty years ago when I worked for UPI, around $100 per assignment was the going rate for UPI or AP freelancers. Haven't kept track of newspaper rates since then, but in the Washington, D.C., the going rate for somebody doing newspaper-like work shooting conferences and meetings and such is around $150 an hour.<br />For the most part, if somebody offered me $20 to go out and shoot a photo and let them publish I'd laugh in their face or hang up on them. By the time you get ready, travel wherever it is, shoot, get back, turn in your pictures, etc., that's less than even minimum wage. Insulting on its face.<br />But, having said that, freelancing for a small local paper has some advantages that have monetary value beyond what they're paying you up front. Being a photographer for a local paper, especially in a small community, gets you out there at activities all over town and very quickly gets your name known, both through in-person contacts and your photo credit on published photos. If you work it right, it gives you the opporunity for networking that can lead to other paying work -- work that will pay much better than $20 a picture. It is also an amazing way to get a huge amount of experience shooting everything you can imagine. If you're a beginner, they are paying for your education. And it gives you a set of clips to show when you go seeking work at better paying publications.<br />At $20 a picture, I would set a few groundrules as a condition for working for that rate:<br />1) Insist that rights to the pictures remain yours. Make clear that they are not work for hire. Newspaper may keep them on file and use in the future. But each time they are published is $20. So if they publish them again in a year-end review, that's another $20 they owe you. If you shoot a headshot of the mayor and it becomes their standard file shot, you get paid each time it runs.<br />2) Insist that they run a photo credit with each and every photo. Doesn't have to say copyright (would not be standard practice in a newspaper) but should read Photo by Gabriel Vargas or whatever wording you agree on.<br />3) Reprint rights stay with you. In other words, if somebody likes the picture of them that ran in the paper and wants a copy, the paper tells them to contact you to get a print and you charge what you like. Newspaper does not have the right to sell copies or to give away copies. Or you can let the paper handle the sales but they sent the reprint order to you. You decide how much to charge for prints and let them do a markup on that if they want but make sure you're getting paid for reprints. This can be very lucrative, especially if they send you out for things like class pictures or baseball team pictures, etc.<br /><br />Despite what looks like a ripoff up front, this can be an excellent opportunity if you handle it right. Good luck.</p>

<p>I started off at $5 per published photo with a $10 minimum payment for each assignment. But that was circa 1975 working part-time for local papers in high school. Thirty years ago when I worked for UPI, around $100 per assignment was the going rate for UPI or AP freelancers. Haven't kept track of newspaper rates since then, but in the Washington, D.C., the going rate for somebody doing newspaper-like work shooting conferences and meetings and such is around $150 an hour.<br />For the most part, if somebody offered me $20 to go out and shoot a photo and let them publish I'd laugh in their face or hang up on them. By the time you get ready, travel wherever it is, shoot, get back, turn in your pictures, etc., that's less than even minimum wage. Insulting on its face.<br />But, having said that, freelancing for a small local paper has some advantages that have monetary value beyond what they're paying you up front. Being a photographer for a local paper, especially in a small community, gets you out there at activities all over town and very quickly gets your name known, both through in-person contacts and your photo credit on published photos. If you work it right, it gives you the opporunity for networking that can lead to other paying work -- work that will pay much better than $20 a picture. It is also an amazing way to get a huge amount of experience shooting everything you can imagine. If you're a beginner, they are paying for your education. And it gives you a set of clips to show when you go seeking work at better paying publications.<br />At $20 a picture, I would set a few groundrules as a condition for working for that rate:<br />1) Insist that rights to the pictures remain yours. Make clear that they are not work for hire. Newspaper may keep them on file and use in the future. But each time they are published is $20. So if they publish them again in a year-end review, that's another $20 they owe you. If you shoot a headshot of the mayor and it becomes their standard file shot, you get paid each time it runs.<br />2) Insist that they run a photo credit with each and every photo. Doesn't have to say copyright (would not be standard practice in a newspaper) but should read Photo by Gabriel Vargas or whatever wording you agree on.<br />3) Reprint rights stay with you. In other words, if somebody likes the picture of them that ran in the paper and wants a copy, the paper tells them to contact you to get a print and you charge what you like. Newspaper does not have the right to sell copies or to give away copies. Or you can let the paper handle the sales but they sent the reprint order to you. You decide how much to charge for prints and let them do a markup on that if they want but make sure you're getting paid for reprints. This can be very lucrative, especially if they send you out for things like class pictures or baseball team pictures, etc.<br /><br />Despite what looks like a ripoff up front, this can be an excellent opportunity if you handle it right. Good luck.</p>

<p>I was getting $15 to $20 per image, and they typically ran 2 images a week. Sometimes more if they needed some filler material.</p>

<p>I always got a kick going to a particular high school. They would cut out images and articles and post them on a board in the lobby. Now that I think about it, I should have given them full rez images with my name platered on it... hmmm.</p>

<p>I think the weekly kept the rights, I just don't recall.</p>

<p>I held back some of my best of the best.</p>

<p>I second the notion that this will be a great marketing opportunity. You will cross paths with politicians, businessmen, mothers, families... you can win statewide and national awards and gives you cedibility... all great chances to build a portfolio for both commercial and portraits.</p>

<p>I keep telling beginners that a press pass is a liscense to build a portfolio and network.</p>

<p>I hooked up with a few local magazines that would post party pics from fundraisers, Christmas parties, etc... you learn real quick the movers and shakers. They can become potential clients.</p>

<p>One other thing.. be prepared for alot of people to expect free images.</p>

<p>Some parents I would just give them the sports images...... no biggie because many could/would never buy them.</p>

<p>The newspaper had me shoot a full page ad for a Car dealership. I took off work, spent the afternoon with the weekly's sales person. I gave the car dealer a $250 bill... it almost cost me my "job" because they had been told it would only cost $25... LOL I quit counting how many weeks that ad ran...</p>

<p>Shot a bluegrass concert... the promoter mentioned that he wanted a disk as I walked inside. Got some great images. When I tried to sell him a disk for $100, he threatened me with bad WOM. I can almost guaruantee he tried to sell the images.</p>

<p>It was enjoyable. Free access to concerts, boxing, minor league baseball, and all the high school and civic functions you cam imagine.</p>

<p>Have a plan on how to deal with sales and rights to the images.</p>

<p>The biggest challenge will be remaining creative week after week. Good luck!</p>

<p>@ Craig</p>

<p>Great info and ideas</p>