How much to charge a newspaper

kensutz

A local newspaper wants to use 2 of my photos in the paper this week. It's coverage of an Eircom league match so I'm wondering how much I should charge for usage of my 2 pics.

Thanks

City-Exile

All papers will have a set rate.
Ask them what they pay & invoice them accordingly.

P.

kensutz

I did that P just to cover myself.

City-Exile

Talk to them about other games & see if you can get a regular gig with them.

kensutz

There's 3 local papers in Waterford. One I submit photos to every week and have a meeting with them this week about away games. The other 2 are tough nuts to crack since they have their "own photographer".

City-Exile

It's a tough business.
I'm picking up the jobs other photographers don't bother with.

shepthedog

If its any use to you I know some papers pay €40 per event covered.. So perhaps that would be a good start?
City Exile is the resident experienced guy in this boards here, so perhaps follow his advice..
Be good to get a regular gig with them but still should be paid.

nilhg

I think I might have said this here before, but my eldest girl is PRO for the local GAA club and as part of her job has to send in (free) reports on local matches to all the local papers.
One of the sports editors liked her reports and used to ask her to cover some of the more senior club matches on a fee basis. She was delighted, saw it as getting an excuse to go to matches she wanted to go to anyway (and free entry) but that wasn't long wearing off, she had to juggle her other (paying job) and put petrol in a car and saw no money for an absolute age, it was like getting blood from a stone. She got to know some of the other folks working for other papers and they were in the same boat.
My advice is to get as much as you can (that won't be a lot) and make sure they are paying you regularly.
Don't fall into the fan with a typewriter (or camera) syndrome.

Sorry to be so negative....:(

Eirebear

nilhg wrote: »

I think I might have said this here before, but my eldest girl is PRO for the local GAA club and as part of her job has to send in (free) reports on local matches to all the local papers.
One of the sports editors liked her reports and used to ask her to cover some of the more senior club matches on a fee basis. She was delighted, saw it as getting an excuse to go to matches she wanted to go to anyway (and free entry) but that wasn't long wearing off, she had to juggle her other (paying job) and put petrol in a car and saw no money for an absolute age, it was like getting blood from a stone. She got to know some of the other folks working for other papers and they were in the same boat.
My advice is to get as much as you can (that won't be a lot) and make sure they are paying you regularly.
Don't fall into the fan with a typewriter (or camera) syndrome.

Sorry to be so negative....:(

I went through this very same problem wioth coverage of local soccer before i moved back to scotland, and i was the fan with a typewriter AND camera for them.
Never trust a newspaper editor.

City-Exile

It's normally anything up to 6 weeks before the cheque drops through the letter box, but this isn't unique to newspapers.
As for juggling my job & my hobby, I am pretty much working 7 days a week. The money won't ever cover my costs, but the experience is invaluable.

Eirebear

City-Exile wrote: »

It's normally anything up to 6 weeks before the cheque drops through the letter box, but this isn't unique to newspapers.
As for juggling my job & my hobby, I am pretty much working 7 days a week. The money won't ever cover my costs, but the experience is invaluable.

try 6 months after youve agreed to verbal contract to cover a specific amount of events and given them your bank details.
This wasnt just sport either, they were getting news coverage and social stuff out of me also.

Dont let that put anyone off though, i was pretty green in all this and let myself get pushed about quite a bit.
The experience was invaluable though.

City-Exile

I send an invoice as soon as possible.
Some papers are better than others.
It's never a quick turn-around though.

I guess the fact that I was doing it for free, for so long, I guess I don't ever find myself watching for the postman.

Eirebear

City-Exile wrote: »

I send an invoice as soon as possible.
Some papers are better than others.
It's never a quick turn-around though.

I guess the fact that I was doing it for free, for so long, I guess I don't ever find myself watching for the postman.

I wasnt working via invoice CE, that was the problem i was somewhere in between on and off their official staff as a "Junior Journalist & Photographer" (looking back i reckon the union would have been happy with me eh!?)

City-Exile

If I'm not sure of the people I'm dealing with, I'll make sure to ring them to confirm that they got the invoice.

Eirebear

City-Exile wrote: »

If I'm not sure of the people I'm dealing with, I'll make sure to ring them to confirm that they got the invoice.

makes sense.
As i said im not trying to put anyone off here, but when your new to it all you need to be on your guard because they WILL take it as far as they can with you.

I gained a lot of valuable experience, both in general photography and also how everything works in the newspaper business, so i wouldnt change a bit of it.

City-Exile

I've been working around the world in IT for over 10 years, so I guess it toughened me up a bit, so I'd have enough confidence/cheek to ask for what I'm entitled to. It's certainly not for the timid, but it's not all hardship either.

kensutz

Exactly Peadar, I had what I call "cheek" to ask the newspapers if they wanted some stuff and luckily enough I haven't had any setbacks yet. The one newspaper I deal with regularly have a pricing structure in place. The other newspaper is uncharted territory to me but it was down to the cheek of asking them if they wanted what I had and it worked.

whyulittle

City-Exile wrote: »

All papers will have a set rate.
Ask them what they pay & invoice them accordingly.

P.

A paper has approached me to cover a game for them, and asked me what are my prices. Charge per game or per photo printed? What would be a reasonable rate, or just go back ask them for their regular rate?

City-Exile

whyulittle wrote: »

A paper has approached me to cover a game for them, and asked me what are my prices. Charge per game or per photo printed? What would be a reasonable rate, or just go back ask them for their regular rate?

Depends on the paper.
If they asked you to cover the game, then you charge for the game, plus mileage, regardless of whether they print anything or not.
The rate is less for regional papers, with a small circulation, than a national daily.

Thirdfox

How about something like this?
http://www.londonfreelance.org/feesguide/photo.html

City-Exile

Prices are a bit higher than what the Irish papers would pay a non NUJ photographer.

Thirdfox

I suppose one would mark down the prices here due to smaller relative size to the UK papers...