How many of you have sold.....

[777heavy]

Hi i haven't been here in a while.
But over the summer i have taken so nice photos and i am in a position where a realy need to make money.
So i was wondering if any of you have ever sold your photos to newpapers or magazines?
I am not a major photog i just do this as a hobby-i have never sold any of my pics before.
Is it a major legal ordeal to sell photos?
I shoot w/ a FZ-20
Thanks

[JSPhoto]

Can't count the number I have sold....

Selling photos can be a pain depending on the subject matter. Shots of people sometimes has it's own legal issues. Athletics has a whole nuther set of issues, which can be different for each level of sports from peewee on up through pro sports.
Selling photos from NASCAR can get you into legal issues with them...I guess being billionaires they just want more $$.

I freelance for newspapers and even some sports websites, each has their own set of rules. 99% of my work is sports action so if thats what you have I can give ypou some help. The other 1% is nature.

JS

[777heavy]

Do you work for the newspaper or do you just go up to them when you think you have a shot that is good enough..Do you have any other pointers on selling photos?

[JSPhoto]

Do you work for the newspaper or do you just go up to them when you think you have a shot that is good enough..Do you have any other pointers on selling photos?

I got started by taking the sports editor a CD of photos and he liked them, been freelancing for them ever since (4.5 years now). They give me assignments and I go shoot them. I used to take the card in or a CD I made on the fly with a laptop. Now I just go home and email them 5 or 6 shots. I also shoot for several other papers on occasion and sometimes shoot the same event for two papers. Nice getting double pay for the same job.
The paper I shoot for the most has just one photographer on staff, and with 4 high schools it's more than he can cover so I get plenty of work. They use a couple other shooters but I get the most work as I'm reliable (according to the sports editor).

Through the 4+ years I have gained a lot of contacts, at schools, race tracks and so on. I have shot pro hockey, football and the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 for the paper.

Just call the sports editor and talk to him, not the staff photographer.... they get touchy about these kinds of calls.

JS

[777heavy]

Well i am not realy that experienced to shot at something like the indy 500.
I am just looking to make some money not to fo this for a live.
But on average how much do you photos cost?
I am under 21 so do you think the papers would still accept my shots even though i am under 21?
What do they like to see as of shots?

[JSPhoto]

Well i am not realy that experienced to shot at something like the indy 500.
I am just looking to make some money not to fo this for a live.
But on average how much do you photos cost?
I am under 21 so do you think the papers would still accept my shots even though i am under 21?
What do they like to see as of shots?

I don't think age has much to do with it. As for how much you get it depends on the paper, each one pays differently, some pay by the day, event or shot. Some pay mileage some do not. I can't say how much or how they pay in your area.... you won't get rich though

As for types of shots they want, here is an example of some types of shots (just the sports pics) http://www.photo.net/photodb/member-...user_id=819658

Some of these have been in papers.
They really like expression shots of athletes as well. One of my best was after a sectional soccer game, a player down on his knees, hands in his face in the middle of an empty field, the goal off to the right.... just an empty field,black background and this kid. It was his last game as he was a senior.

JS

[777heavy]

Are the chances of getting accepted high or low?

[JSPhoto]

Thats something I can't answer, each editor is different and works under a different set of guidelines when it comes to freelance writers and photographers.
You need to show them your best work, and that is what they should go by in their decision.

I'm in a fortunate situation where I am, having almost every kind of sport available, and a paper that covers 90% of it at least once a year. Certain things they cover heavier than others, and fotunately for me they like my work in those things. I am the only local freelance photographer they use regularly now, mainly because I have been reliable, even getting called 10 minutes before an event.

JS

[777heavy]

What was the most any of your photos have been sold for to the papers?

[JSPhoto]

What was the most any of your photos have been sold for to the papers?

Unless your shooting for a very large paper you won't get a whole lot, and if you shoot an event and nothing is used you won't get anything. I really don't like going into the payment amounts but here is the way a couple of ideas:

Paper #1: pays $19 per shot run.... no mileage
Paper #2: pays $25 an event + mileage from the "office" to the event location.

Now if paper #1 runs two shots thats $38, while paper #2 pays the $25 whether they run one shot or 10, but they pay mileage which, even if it's .26 cents helps offset the driving costs.
Now what I do is track each jobs mileage. Lets say it is 50 miles from my home and 45 from the office. I get paid for 45 miles at .26 cents mile... I loose out 10 miles on the round trip, but the govt. allows .44 cents a mile, so I take the difference from what the paper pays and the govt. allows and use the difference on my taxes as well as the unpaid miles and then I get to deduct that difference. It all works out in the end mileage wise no matter which paper I shoot for.

This dosen't seem to be like much, until you start doing it, and hopefully then, as you get known you can get more work either from the one you shoot for the most or by a competitor.
Basically get your foot in the door, within a year you will be known in the community, which can lead to bigger and better things.

One thing, don't sell photos or post them on websites without first getting the OK from the editor at that paper. This can lead to copyright issues. With one paper I can do what I want with any photo they did NOT run, the other doesn't care at all either way. Again, each paper is different.

JS