How to sell on photographic work to press?

[Tugster]

If you start out for free, it is extremely difficult to get paid at a later date. Not imposible but very difficult.

Set your stall out as you mean to go on.

 

[Little John]

Tug is correct (most of the time) It is very difficult to get paid after you have done for free. I did the freeby thing for a paper to help the local cricket club. They were old photos they asked for and they never even used the photos anyway that I sent. I have since had more work from them and its paid work and another job this coming Saturday.

 

[BandyQuill]

You send them the full size picture without watermark. JPG compressed so its not too big.. 2500pixels at longest side and no bigger than say 1.5mb

You put all your details in the exif iptc ... a caption stating whats in the picture, where and when.. you then include all your details contact and payemt.. i put my bank transfer details in.. I also put a note saying no free usage.. if all that is in the pictures exif then you send it off with a brief explanation in the email

I would reccomend you tell them you accept there standard rates so long as not free

then sit back and wait.. If you do the above then no paper would use them pretending they didnt know... your covered to send them an invoice if they do... if your picture is used send a confirmation email then wait anyhting up to three months to get paid

thanks for this terriffic information ! sent an email a few weeks back after covering an event and didnt hear anything, i now see that its because i didnt follow a process that makes it 'easy' for them

 

[ma9mwah]

like KIPAX stated, these are the 'rules' that autosport ask for

Just a quick note, we need shots that are 500kb-1500kb and no more than three pics per email.