Local Rag asking for images

We donated time with past weekend to photograph an event to raise money for Special olympics. We were fine with the donation and doing the work on spec. I just received an email from one of the volunteers and she works for a rather large prominent local rag with an estimate circulation of about 20k monthly. They would like to use 4-6 images for a story they are going to publish in 2 months. We were hired to cover this event.

Of course I get the "you will get credit" line in the email. With all the threads on getting published and whether that takes place of actually getting paid has me thinking. One goal this year is to get published and this would be a great magazine to start off with. Now my issue is, I would like to get paid and my instinct was to fire off an email saying "great! what is your compensation package?" but I have a strong feeling that as soon as I pop that question, they will move on and find other photos from someone else.

I was thinking $200 for each photo with a one time run license. 4-6 photos could be $1000. Money is nice, but the getting published part is also nice. I guess I am on the fence because this is a prominent rag.

So should I fire back a how much email? or supply the images and chaulk it up to free promotion? I have read through EP.com on this as well, thats where I got the average rate from. How many of you would forgo payment for publicity in a large magazine?

20k circulation includes Barnes & noble, books a million, borders, and other stores. Its not a free magazine either.

Thoughts?

If they charge people that read their mag, pay their writers, and pay their printer, they should pay you.

I would suggest going for the gold - literally. $$$ get paid!

cory1848 wrote in post #9543215
Money is nice, but the getting published part is also nice.

Last I checked money buys real food, whereas getting published without pay might gain you 5 places in the soup kitchen line.

zelseman wrote in post #9543248
If they charge people that read their mag, pay their writers, and pay their printer, they should pay you.

+1

Charge what you feel is reasonable. You did the work.

cory1848 wrote in post #9543215
but I have a strong feeling that as soon as I pop that question, they will move on and find other photos from someone else.

I sit on both sides of that fence - we publish free newspapers, and I also supply copy and images to a separate ccmmunity newspaper company.

We pay for every image. Granted, it's not a lot, but the photographer feels good that his or her work has value, and is rewarded for choosing to supply us images.

Conversley, I expect to get paid by the company I supply material to. I hear you when you say how cool it would be to be published, but while it a buzz seeing your photos in a magazine, working for free doesn't pay the bills or allow you to add or upgrade camera equipment. That 'feel good' factor is a great deal better when it's followed by a check, big or small.

In your email, don't get too pushy or fancy - just ask what the publisher's standard rate is for images. Along the line of "Thanks for the opportunity, I'd be rapt to supply the images you requested. Can you please advise the exact deadline, what image specification/format you require, and also your standard rates for images."

If they want your work bad enough, they'll pay. If they don't, I'd hazard a guess and say they're probably not worth dealing with.

Of course with the 'Special Olympics' and 'volunteer' tags attached they might try and pull the 'for a good cause' card, which might make the money issue a bit more of a challenge.

Let us know how you get on, and good luck

Bosscat wrote in post #9543382
Last I checked money buys real food, whereas getting published without pay might gain you 5 places in the soup kitchen line.

Yes and that is my initial thinking as well. However, I need to also consider the networking side of this as well. What connections can be made and how can this benefit me in other ways besides money. So thats what I am wrestling with. If they say no pay, well then I have nothing out of it. No exposure no bragging rights etc.

Any suggestions on sending an email that fishes for this info without turning them completely off?

Tbirder wrote in post #9543438
I sit on both sides of that fence - we publish free newspapers, and I also supply copy and images to a separate ccmmunity newspaper company.

We pay for every image. Granted, it's not a lot, but the photographer feels good that his or her work has value, and is rewarded for choosing to supply us images.

Conversley, I expect to get paid by the company I supply material to. I hear you when you say how cool it would be to be published, but while it a buzz seeing your photos in a magazine, working for free doesn't pay the bills or allow you to add or upgrade camera equipment. That 'feel good' factor is a great deal better when it's followed by a check, big or small.

In your email, don't get too pushy or fancy - just ask what the publisher's standard rate is for images. Along the line of "Thanks for the opportunity, I'd be rapt to supply the images you requested. Can you please advise the exact deadline, what image specification/format you require, and also your standard rates for images."

If they want your work bad enough, they'll pay. If they don't, I'd hazard a guess and say they're probably not worth dealing with.

Of course with the 'Special Olympics' and 'volunteer' tags attached they might try and pull the 'for a good cause' card, which might make the money issue a bit more of a challenge.

Let us know how you get on, and good luck

Thanks! Appreciate that. Just what I am looking for...Will sleep on it and reply in the morning.

When I shoot for Make A Wish, I give them the files to use for their promotion. In this economy, many charites are have a difficult time. I would give the photos to the mag BUT tell them the article MUST include a paragraph about you donating your time to the Special Olympics. People may not read the byline but they will read the article. Giving them shots for this type of article is different than any other type. Your generosity will lead to other,paying, work from people associated with the charity.

Mike R wrote in post #9543534
When I shoot for Make A Wish, I give them the files to use for their promotion. In this economy, many charites are have a difficult time. I would give the photos to the mag BUT tell them the article MUST include a paragraph about you donating your time to the Special Olympics. People may not read the byline but they will read the article. Giving them shots for this type of article is different than any other type. Your generosity will lead to other,paying, work from people associated with the charity.

We gave a disk of images to the event and the Special Olympics for future use in any upcoming events they may run, that we dont have an issue with. You make a good point though, I am not sure if this is promotion for the event, or for the magazine. How would I find that out? I dont think I would be asking the question if it were running in the newspaper. I would probably give the files without question then, but this being a higher class rag, not so sure. Maybe I will send the suggestion email from Tbirder and see what response I get. I like the "must include paragraph" idea though. Thanks

As far a drumming up business...i don't know about that. Ask a friend (non-photog) who took a photo in ANY magazine they read in the past month. Chances are they are not going to know, much less know to google their name, pull up their site, and the decide weather they like you or not...and all this is IF they are looking for a photographer...You are not going to get business from the magazine either, once they get it for free, that is all they will expect.

cory1848 wrote in post #9543614
We gave a disk of images to the event and the Special Olympics for future use in any upcoming events they may run, that we dont have an issue with. You make a good point though, I am not sure if this is promotion for the event, or for the magazine. How would I find that out? I dont think I would be asking the question if it were running in the newspaper. I would probably give the files without question then, but this being a higher class rag, not so sure. Maybe I will send the suggestion email from Tbirder and see what response I get. I like the "must include paragraph" idea though. Thanks

Check with your contacts at Special Olympics. If they are not behind the article, then charge.

bigjon0107 wrote in post #9543801
As far a drumming up business...i don't know about that. Ask a friend (non-photog) who took a photo in ANY magazine they read in the past month. Chances are they are not going to know, much less know to google their name, pull up their site, and the decide weather they like you or not...and all this is IF they are looking for a photographer...You are not going to get business from the magazine either, once they get it for free, that is all they will expect.

Not the magazine, but from other events associated with this event. Friends are not going to be the ones hiring me.

If getting published will feel good, then being published AND being paid will feel better.

cory1848 wrote in post #9544251
Not the magazine, but from other events associated with this event. Friends are not going to be the ones hiring me.

Right, I was using your friends as an example of a normal person. You mentioned stuff about gaining exposure, people dont remember the name of a photog that is in a byline - usually.