Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/04/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Unfortunately Philip I think your paper is an exception rather than the rule these days. When I was in college in the early 80's I made my money working as a stringer for one of the Nashville papers. They paid me on a per assignment basis and I generally did 5 to 7 a week. Not a lot of money, but it was enough and the experience was great. I did a paid internship and went to a staff position before I graduated college. Now the one remaining newspaper in Nashville wants photos for free..oh for a photo credit...sorry...and they can re-use them all they want. I am a member of the local camera club and at one point the then president began a thing with this paper where members would do assignments for the paper for experience and a photo credit...no money...I was furious and ran for VP of the club and got that practice done away with...to me if you are good enough to do a shoot for someone then you are good enough to be paid...period. We as photographers are seeing the results of "I don't need it done right...just good enough and I'll fix it in photoshop". Too many amateurs are out there who care nothing for making a living from photography...hell they just do it for fun and if they can get a photo credit in a magazine or newspaper that is great! Whoo hoo!! They do not realize that a few years ago the magazine space rate on that image may have paid for a very nice night on the town or nice weekend trip......I used to do about 90 percent editorial magazine work...now it is maybe 10 percent. I have talked with presidents of photo agencies and they confirm that is not just me, the market has drastically shifted and in many areas shrunk or disappeared because of this. As one person told me a few weeks ago...we have gone from being craftsmen to being tradesmen....we no longer deliver a thing of perceived quality, we just deliver a computer file and that to many is not worth very much. I am glad to have had my time in the business in the late 80's-early 90's...it was fun then...but now and they way things are??? I am glad to be mostly out of it. Philip Leeson wrote: > May I respectfully disagree? > Our small local paper has a number of good photos every now and again. > I have seen a large number of photographers here over the years. > Now, I doubt they're getting rich... > > <http://www.thonline.com/store/galleryBrowse.cfm> > > Phil > On Apr 9, 2008, at 1:34 PM, Tina Manley wrote: -- Harrison McClary Harrison McClary Photography harrison@mcclary.net http://www.mcclary.net ImageStockSouth - Stock Photography http://www.imagestocksouth.com Tobacco Road: Personal Blog: http://www.mcclary.net/blog