First Freelance for Magazine...help please

[clos]

All,

I was recently offered some freelance photogaphy work for a local US publication :). This is my first attempt at making $$ with my camera and am not sure what to charge and how.

The magazine is a monthly minority culture type publication covering local DC events and businesses. They would call me up let me know what the stories are for the month and ask for relevant photos.

They want me to charge them a fee for every picture they use. Is this how it is normaly done? How much should I charge per picture?

They currently use stock pictures that cost them $200 and up.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. You can email me directly if this is beyond the scope of this forum.

Please help, I am extremely excited :) and want to make sure I am going about this as professionaly as possible.

Thank you.

Clos

[soumya63]

For medium size news paper at Bay Area, California catering for 3 to 4 cities, the rates hover around $40.00 per photograph. Camera, film, Car, gas, physical hazard all yours!

Most of them prefers digital now. For newpaper they do not need TIFF file. Email the jpeg file to their newsdesk and remember never ever try to edit your photographs! In photo journalism, absolutely NO editing. Only allowable manipulation can be levels and curves and cropping.

If it is not photo journalism, then it may be different story. The above rates and rules may not apply.

Soumya Mitra

http://www.mitraphoto.com

[clos]

Are you kidding me!...and I say that out of disbelief not disrespect or appreciation for responding.

I can make more cash cleaning toilets at McDonalds, hmmmm, let's see $5/hr for 6 hours plus benefits...yup, better at McDonalds.

I hope, I pray you are mistaken...

The magazine I am referring to is currently paying $250/picture for stock photographs. Even if I charge $125/picture I am still saving them 50% and giving them original work that they can still reject and pay me nothing. No no no you must be mistaken.

Please anybody, now more than ever I need some guidance. Please ground me.

I think I need a drink.

-Clos

[KarlJones]

Why not get the same $200 to $250 they currently pay for stock images? They would be able to buy photos of their choosing from someone they actually commissioned to get the photographs they want instead of settling for stock. I assume this is the reason they approached you in the first place. They would be getting more for their money. You know how much is in their budget and what they're willing to spend. No need to cut it in half.

That first job is call for a drink. One to celebrate with, and one for the nerves. Good luck.

[soumya63]

clos wrote:
Are you kidding me!...and I say that out of disbelief not disrespect or appreciation for responding.

I think I need a drink.

-Clos

:-) I know how absurd is that figure and I have reacted the same way. Sad but true, the Photo Journalism world is not high paying for 'stringers' to newspaper. Most stringers have a day job and they do these assignments at their spare time. I guess, most members in this forum, who are buying Canon 1Ds or L lenses are not photographers by profession. Every one has a day job or work in some other high paying profession and pursue photography as hobby and fun. According to my humble opinion, keep your day job till you start earning almost same through your photography assignments.


If you intend to build a career in Photojounalism, which is different ball game than portrait, landscape and those cute ooh ahh-generating images, then tighten your belt, grit your teeth and jump in. It is not a rosy path. But if you have the caliber, contacts and perseverance, you may someday reach the pinnacle of success.


Also remember the cruel fact that, to be successful, quality hardly matters! All that matters is your presentation and publicity. Hone up your marketing skill and build contacts.

Good luck.


Soumya

http://www.mitraphoto.com

[normsmith]

I have been a part-time freelance photographer for many years. One thing is sure...if you accept less than their "going rate" for stock photos you will probably never get that rate. Ask for $200 per image for One-time publication rights. If they laugh at you and offer less consider saying "no" politely.

If they want your photos they will pay a decent price. A lot depends on how big their subscription list is and how much their ad rates are.

Check out Google for "stock photo rates" There are numerous sites, forums, and lists that discuss this topic.

Newspapers are not worth dealing with.

Norm

[RGorrill]

Whatever you do, don't give away your work to anybody, no matter what is promised. If you start out cheap then it is extremely difficult to bring your prices up to what your work is really worth.

I work on the basis of several rates. One is a full day rate at $1000 per 8 hour day or $500 for a half day of 4 hours. My third rate is $300 for the first 2 hours and then $125 per hour thereafter or fraction thereof.

Material costs are charged off as actual expenses and are added to the bill. For those that would pooh-pooh what I have stated I just completed an assignment for a college magazine and I did the job in 2 hours and sent them the digital files. They used 3 images in the article and paid one week after they received the files.

Bob