Can I get paid for this?
swintonphoto
Registered Users Posts: 1,664 Major grins
I run a photo studio doing mostly weddings and portraits with occasional commercial jobs. However, I also love taking my camera along to sporting events, local community events, etc. I do it because I enjoy it. Does anyone here know anything about being able to try to submit these images to newspapers or sell them to the AP or anything? I don't know if it is even possible.
Also, I would love to photograph more at restricted events such as college sports games, concerts, etc. Can a guy like me get a press pass to photograph at things like that?
Any insight on any of these issues?
Also, I would love to photograph more at restricted events such as college sports games, concerts, etc. Can a guy like me get a press pass to photograph at things like that?
Any insight on any of these issues?
0
Comments
http://www.youtube.com/user/NYCFilmmakersGroup
http://www.meetup.com/NYC-Filmmakers-and-Actors-Meetup-Group/
and gridrunner - I sent some inquiries off to local papers and the AP.
Does anyone else know anything about how to get started as a freelance photographer? Press passes, selling photos, etc?
http://www.jonathanswinton.com
http://www.swintoncounseling.com
Emails are easily ignored. Whether a newspaper uses freelancers or not is dependant upon the individual newspaper. I freelance for a local newspaper who relies primarily on freelancers since it's a lot of 'soft' news. The major local paper does not use ANY freelancers - just their own staff. They will only publish a non staff photo if it's particularly newsworthy and they couldn't get their staff there.
Getting press passes is another matter entirely. First let's clarify terms - "pass" vs "press credentials". Two different things. The "press pass" identifies you as a member of the press. But it does NOT guarantee you any access to an event - i.e. it doesn't get you into a college or pro sporting event or a concert or whatever. Events like that require an "event pass" - issued by the organization holding the event. Those passes are set up by the newspaper editor contacting the PR department for the event and getting your name on the list. This can be done regardless of whether or not you have a "press pass".
Press credentials are often issued by law enforcement and a given paper may only be allowed so many credentials (which is the case for the community paper I work for). So, the paper I work for does not have an available credential to provide me. But, my editor makes the necessary calls for event passes when I need them.
Now, because freelancers may not have "press passes" there have been a couple of organizations pop up that you can sign up with and get a press pass. They aren't really a news organization - it's just a scam so they make money and a photographer gets an "official looking" press pass. The problem is: for most events that pass doesn't get you in - your name needs to be on the sheet. And, quite frankly for most community events it's not even necessary.
So, find the contact numbers for the photo editors of the papers nearbye and call and ask if they work with freelancers. Then go from there.
Does anyone know about freelancing for any bigger national things like the AP or sports websites like espn.com? Maybe it's out of my reach, but, hey, I figure at least I should try!
http://www.jonathanswinton.com
http://www.swintoncounseling.com
Steve
www.steveknightphoto.com
I would say start with freelancing for your local papers first. Get a reputation within the publishing ranks. Hustle and impress the editors. AP, other publications and circulations will call editors when there is a story happening in your town and they need art. If you impress the editors, they will recommend you.
Also, get emails for the papers and submitt your pictures to the papers with cutlines. You will get noticed more if you write cutlines as it creates less work for the paper. If you see a local event, parade, etc, take pictures and get names of cute kids and send those in. Send in the best 2-3 pictures. If it's an event, write about the who, what, where and when. Doesn't have to be a story, but it has to be explained. Papers are ALWAYS looking for "standalone art" that don't have a story, but do have detailed cutlines. Give them options on layout. Give both vertical and horizontal cropping. You can have a great picture, but if it doesn't fit in the space, thay can't use it if they can't work around it. Many papers will have an e-mail account strictly for reader submissions like school events, community events, etc. that they go through. You will probably get more recognition sending them there than you would to an editors, writers personal email if they don't know you. They go through the reader submission account for pictures to use. Editors and writers go through their email for different reasons and it's not to look for pictures.
I started out by submitting pictures (for free) to the paper and it led to freelancing with one paper, and full time with it's sister paper. If you get a freelancing gig, get credentials that make you legit. It will open a WHOLE world of opportunities for you that you would not otherwise get. In my situation, the paper i freelance for owns the pictures I send in, but I can keep and do whatever with the pictures I don't. Of course, the pictures I do full time are owned by that paper as they pay me for my time, not picture.