Freelance Photojournalism

MTN-Freerider

My guess is that it comes to freelance work, the old "if you have to ask you'll never know" rule is in effect. Regardless, I want to take a stab at it.

The closest I have to "experience" is doing a little (I guess this counts as freelence) photography for the Crimson White, the University of Alabama's student newspaper.

All I did was track down the editor of photography and ask him if he needed a new photographer. Since I had no experience, and wasn't a journalism or photographer major, he didn't have a place for me on staff, but he has been giving me a few assignments here and there. So far I've been enjoying it.

I'm just wondering if it is possible for me to do a little freelance work at this point?

Who should I talk to?

Should I tell them I'm a student photographer, or approach them as just another freelance journalist?

Should I ask if there's anything they need me to do, or should I just go out, take some pictures, and then try to sell them?

Should I shoot digital or film (I shoot digital for the school paper, but I like film better)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance to whoever helps me!

Shay Stephens

Make it happen
You don't have to wait for someones blessing to go take photos and sell them. If you want to take photos and sell them, then get out there and start shaking the tree.

MTN-Freerider wrote:

My guess is that it comes to freelance work, the old "if you have to ask you'll never know" rule is in effect. Regardless, I want to take a stab at it.

The closest I have to "experience" is doing a little (I guess this counts as freelence) photography for the Crimson White, the University of Alabama's student newspaper.

All I did was track down the editor of photography and ask him if he needed a new photographer. Since I had no experience, and wasn't a journalism or photographer major, he didn't have a place for me on staff, but he has been giving me a few assignments here and there. So far I've been enjoying it.

I'm just wondering if it is possible for me to do a little freelance work at this point?

Who should I talk to?

Should I tell them I'm a student photographer, or approach them as just another freelance journalist?

Should I ask if there's anything they need me to do, or should I just go out, take some pictures, and then try to sell them?

Should I shoot digital or film (I shoot digital for the school paper, but I like film better)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance to whoever helps me!

wxwax

A couple of things.

First, as Shay says, you don't need anyone's permission to shoot public events.

Second, get in touch with the print outlets most likely to want your shots. Check with their photography department. Offer your services as a freelancer. More than likely, they'll want to see samples.

Even if they reject you, find out how they like their stuff delivered. No reason why you can't assign yourself to public events, then give them your piccies. Just be sure not to misrepresent yourself as being "on assignment" when they haven't hired you.

Lastly, don't be surprised if they insist on owning the shots.

Angelo

with all above and shoot digital for this... no one has time to develop film, make prints, scan prints to plate... editors will want instant file transfers 2 minutes after you took the shot


save film work for your personal satisfaction

Art Scott

with all of the above....and just want to add.....go out and shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot and HONE your skills.....if there is a photojournalist that you admire study her / his work.....hit the libraries and study what you can find......know your subject anda gain find out how your prospective buyers want the files delivered...rgb, srgb, raw or cmyk....if your looking at newspapers they will probably want b/w.....very little is printed in my local paper that is color and the local here will not give a by line unless you are on their payroll...which sucks.....but according to them the $10 they want to pay for a pic they come to you for should be good enough as all you did was push a button.......You might consider cheaply selling your work to build up a few pieces of "published work" ......then add that to your portfolio......use what ever assignments the school paper gives to build that portfolio....BUT BUILD AN EXTENSIVE PORTFOLIO.....physical and also online....burn them to CD to send out.....but never give away total rights to your work.....retain some rights to the work..even if it is just the right to use in your portfolio..unless it is something you don't care if you ever see again.

Good luck.

mercphoto

Art Scott wrote:

with all of the above....and just want to add.....go out and shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot and HONE your skills.....if there is a photojournalist that you admire study her / his work.....hit the libraries and study what you can find......know your subject anda gain find out how your prospective buyers want the files delivered...rgb, srgb, raw or cmyk....if your looking at newspapers they will probably want b/w.....very little is printed in my local paper that is color and the local here will not give a by line unless you are on their payroll...which sucks.....but according to them the $10 they want to pay for a pic they come to you for should be good enough as all you did was push a button.......You might consider cheaply selling your work to build up a few pieces of "published work" ......then add that to your portfolio......use what ever assignments the school paper gives to build that portfolio....BUT BUILD AN EXTENSIVE PORTFOLIO.....physical and also online....burn them to CD to send out.....but never give away total rights to your work.....retain some rights to the work..even if it is just the right to use in your portfolio..unless it is something you don't care if you ever see again.

Good luck.

$10? Wow. The Hill Country News (north of Austin, TX) will pay $50 per photo from a freelancer. You get credit. And you keep the copyright. Their circulation is about 25,000 twice per week.

MPerdomo

mercphoto wrote:

$10? Wow. The Hill Country News (north of Austin, TX) will pay $50 per photo from a freelancer. You get credit. And you keep the copyright. Their circulation is about 25,000 twice per week.

That's how schools generally operate.

Im pretty lucky that I get paid per-assignment (anywhere from $10-25, depending on assignment).

I love shooting for my school newspaper. The other staff photographers are insanely fun to hang out with, and my editor loves me because I bat "cleanup" with all the assignments no one else will take (i take the editorial portraits and speeches....my coworkers take all the sports assignments)

Art Scott

mercphoto wrote:

$10? Wow. The Hill Country News (north of Austin, TX) will pay $50 per photo from a freelancer. You get credit. And you keep the copyright. Their circulation is about 25,000 twice per week.

The Wichita Eagle has at least a 100,000 and is a daily....sold on stands all across the state......so it is fairly huge and could have afforded much more.
Since I quit photo'ing back in '92 I have no idea how the Wichita Eagle does it now...it may have went up......
I too took their offer once just to get published...then I spent the $10 on copies of the paper to give to family and friends....I still have my copy and the original slide.....
Since I was at tons of concerts and celebrity benefits (and had a great repoire with many of the celebs)......I guess they thought I would just share my work for free.....as I told them.....I prefered a credit line to $10......and ask they not call for my work unless they were willing to give me crediit.......That was my stock answer even after I quit photo'ing and I really don't know what I'd have done if they would have conceded as I hadn't taken pics for over 10 yrs the last time they called.

MY thoughts were .... they were trying to take advantage of the freelancers in the area, and since I had been able to get into places their photogs had been unable to get into it even made me a little angry.....On the Judds final tour....I spent a little time on the tour bus prior to the concert....and during the concert I had permission to do walk around shooting (the concert was a seated only concert....no standing or going to the stage).......

I do know of at least 2 photogs in the area that will "give" them away for free and I have talked until I was blue in the face with both as to how they are hurting the freelancers in the area..... and just like those people that will smoke in the non smoking areas, they don't care..........and unfortunately they are also Younger than I and most of the other freelancers in this area...........................

mercphoto

Art Scott wrote:

MY thoughts were .... they were trying to take advantage of the freelancers in the area ... I do know of at least 2 photogs in the area that will "give" them away for free and I have talked until I was blue in the face with both as to how they are hurting the freelancers in the area.

Fundamentally what you are doing is resisting change, and that is futile. While what they are doing might hurt your income, there is nothing they are doing that is illegal, unethical, or immoral. People give away photos for free. Big deal. People give away software for free (which I get paid to write). People give away financial advice for free. Heck, the Internet gives information for free, the most valuable asset there is. Why turn yourself blue over it?

Art Scott

mercphoto wrote:

Fundamentally what you are doing is resisting change, and that is futile. While what they are doing might hurt your income, there is nothing they are doing that is illegal, unethical, or immoral. People give away photos for free. Big deal. People give away software for free (which I get paid to write). People give away financial advice for free. Heck, the Internet gives information for free, the most valuable asset there is. Why turn yourself blue over it?

No I wasn't resisting change.....and yes you can get dang near anything for free if you look hard enuff.....how ever I have seen these 2 who are a little older than when I was talking to them about giving there stuff away for free and now they are haveing a tough time getting paid for any photo work they do....all because they built a rep of doing it all for free....which I thought was very funny........

mercphoto

Art Scott wrote:

No I wasn't resisting change.....and yes you can get dang near anything for free if you look hard enuff.....how ever I have seen these 2 who are a little older than when I was talking to them about giving there stuff away for free and now they are haveing a tough time getting paid for any photo work they do....all because they built a rep of doing it all for free....which I thought was very funny........

You will find that newbies will get both sides of the free debate. Some will tell them to give nothing away for free. Others say give it as a foot in the door. I had one event photographer tell me to make sure to give each podium finisher a free 4x6, he swears by it. Who am I to judge? He makes his living doing this. Others will say give nothing away, not even thumbnails to the event promoter to use on his website.