The money to be made in the Football League ...£££ ...er... no ...ppp

That argument only works for archive images though. Live images are transmitted directly to the desk, the titles don't have to go looking for them. In fact they are swamped.
 
That argument only works for archive images though. Live images are transmitted directly to the desk, the titles don't have to go looking for them. In fact they are swamped.

Well yes and no.. I have seen match reports in papers where I know they ahve been sent images but prefer to use older archive... I know three photogrpahers sent pics to the daily mail from the accringotn plymouth match last weekend.. yet they used a getty image of the scorer from ground unknown and match unknown.. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...scores-winner-against-Accrington-Stanley.html
 
Yep, as we're talking about the national titles, but in general desks don't go hunting for images for live sport. It happens but not often.
 
Last two league matches I have got the money shots.. proper goals and celes.. pics send as soon as goals scored.... The SUN who to be fair are the only ones that really cover league 2 used one pic for each match... Not mine.... old stock head shoulders :( Min would have fit perfect in space used...

Looks like unless your the featured match then even they are cutting back...

I will keep sending as I send to my local paper so its just a matter of adding the nationals emails in the cc .. thats all the extra effort i need to put in... I ahve given up on shooting spec a while ago... anyhting in nationals is a bonus thats all.. I find little point in going to a match jsut to try and get a national shot... Does anyone actually find it worth it other than bigger agency shooters or rip off rex suppliers ?
 
Last two league matches I have got the money shots.. proper goals and celes.. pics send as soon as goals scored.... The SUN who to be fair are the only ones that really cover league 2 used one pic for each match... Not mine.... old stock head shoulders :( Min would have fit perfect in space used....

That Tony, confirms what I said in a previous response, The National' budgets are no longer a gravy train for freelancers!

The desks are given a limited budget now from which to acquire Images.

First to be picked will be the editorial/journo chosen pick of games depending on league position/news worthiness etc where, if not on a commission. we all hoped to be at ;), these will get "new image use" but will still go to the bigger agencies if they get a decent/explanatory image.

Next is the smaller coverages where a newsworthy event could get a "live" use.

The rest are as you say mainly covered by stock images which, as a rule, are already on the systems from Getty etc.

The market for freelance "Spec" shooting IMHO is all but dead and picking up a commission now from a National is very very rare.

I have given up chasing games and am semi retired from pro Football so if not on a commission I only cover a local game now & again if on Spec. Regards Graham
 
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The market for freelance "Spec" shooting IMHO is all but dead and picking up a commission now from a National is very very rare.

100% agree with you

I have given up chasing games and am semi retired from pro Football so if not on a commission I only cover a local game now & again if on Spec. Regards Graham

I am still making a living from football but grass roots junior level and lots of it. plus my local paper for accy stanley and bits :)
 
Sounds like it's near impossible to fulfil the criteria to get a dataco licence nowadays then? I nearly set off down that route but realised early on it wasn't going to be worth the time and effort money wise...

Stick to National League (or lower!) I say, do it for fun... I gave a pic to Guiseley AFC for a portion of chips and a coffee. Great deal for me I'd say. :)

Side note, I wouldn't actually feel comfortable doing any kind of business with the daily mail or the sun/mirror etc. anyway....
 
Then I go and spoil it all by getting published in the Sun this morning... sat wthtin talking distance of the getty guy .. the ONLY reason I got published ahead of him is the shape of the picture wouldn't you agree ?

sunluton.jpg
 
Ha ha ha - you've sold your soul Kipax!

Not for the first time.. Anyone being picky who they sell to is either very succesful and well off or a bit slow in the head :)
 
Each to their own, I was just stating that I wouldn't feel comfortable doing business with certain papers that in my opinion pedal utter rubbish and hate on a daily basis. Yea, lucky for me I'm not in a position where I need to sell any sports stuff. Just a hobby for whenever I can be bothered... I'm a commercial studio photographer.
 
Each to their own, I was just stating that I wouldn't feel comfortable doing business with certain papers that in my opinion pedal utter rubbish and hate on a daily basis. .

Good for you
I have a family to feed and bills to pay.. i couldnt care less what they print so long as they pay me.. REAL WORLD!
 
We all have bills to pay. Fair play to you. Shame, I think the "REAL WORLD' definitely still has space for people to care about where their work ends up and who they do business with. :)
 
Just got paid by Rex for 'various' photos ...£1.37 and a whole £5 for one picture used on the Guardian website. It is really an insult to the profession that agencies sell work for so little. With kit insurance and that £5million public liability insurance demanded by Dataco to pay for on top of petrol and time and data cards etc it really is a joke and an insulting one at that to expect me to send in a good selection of match photos from a top of the league team, not a team struggling at the bottom, or one that's not firing in good goals, all for £6.37. So all you who think you will get rich quick as a sports photographer should seriously take up baking if you knead to make dough.

It's an insult on any level!
 
We all have bills to pay. Fair play to you. Shame, I think the "REAL WORLD' definitely still has space for people to care about where their work ends up and who they do business with. :)


Not if you cover UK sport as a photojournalist it doesn't. At least as far as the end user is concerned.
 
Why do you pros bother with sports photography if the returns are so low? If prices continue to fall could there come a point where no photographers turn up to events?
 
Why do you pros bother with sports photography if the returns are so low? If prices continue to fall could there come a point where no photographers turn up to events?

Because I make a living out of it.. there only low if your stupid enough to sell them low..
 
would it be rude to ask the amount you got for your shot also was it cropped to fit the space?
 
would it be rude to ask the amount you got for your shot also was it cropped to fit the space?

they not only cropped it they moved the ball down a bit :)

I wont know for about 4 weeks how much.. would say 75 to 100
 
So to summarise from a further discussion with the guy from Rex that I deal with, he has changed my rights to keep my photos away from the low payers. My photos only appear to those outlets that have official log in capabilities.
I used to be able to see my photos on the Rex site by simply searching without logging in. I cannot do that any more. Some photographers seem to swamp Rex with all the photos they took at that particular game without just selecting their best half dozen and these ones appear on the general public site of Rex by the page and are available for whatever low price the buyer will pay.
I have had a recent payment that was considerably higher than the one I started the thread with and the guy tells me there will be more next time cos the records show at least one national has used me three times so far this month. The upload to the Rex site is automatic, but if a price is set, then only the higher payers get to see those and if the recent payment and the one to come are anything to go by, it seems that my photos are now appearing in front of the right picture editors.
My advice to budding photographers would be, set a standard, both in the quality of image that you select to send to an agency and in the price you expect to be paid for your work.
 
Thanks for the information very helpful.It shows what can be done if photographers insist on proper payment.Well done.
 
The main reason the money has gone now in football (sport) photos is because there are way to many weekend warriors that are to happy to GIVE away pho's for FREE just so the can have ego trip from name in the press. IMO.
 
The main reason the money has gone now in football (sport) photos is because there are way to many weekend warriors that are to happy to GIVE away pho's for FREE just so the can have ego trip from name in the press. IMO.

There are also 'weekend warriors', or chaps on 'spec' out there that work their behinds off to put together a very decent portfolio which will allow them to progress up the ladder. They aren't all just looking for their name in lights.
 
shocking to pay photographers this little when getting great shots takes a lot of skill and time to perfect it!
 
would it be rude to ask the amount you got for your shot also was it cropped to fit the space?


£130 just got paid..

its a small pic so not bad..... people keep posting saying its shocking we get paid so little.. WE DONT ..if people choose to sell them cheaply to places like rex then thats up to them..
 
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