Photography is America’s number one hobby with camera manufacturer Canon announcing they have shipped their 100 millionth (since 1996) compact digital cameras in August of 2008, following Sony which hit that mark a few months earlier. With tough economic times hitting the newspaper business, publishers are turning to those hundreds of millions of photographers to get exclusive photos and video, from the average citizen.
Now this is a smart business move for the newspapers and TV stations it is a stupid move for those photographers that are practically giving away their work. Most “iReporters” or “Citizen Journalists” as they are usually called get little or no compensation for their images. I think that is not right at all, and those news organizations benefiting from their exclusive “iReport” images make their news organization look good… not you. Here is an excerpt from the CNN iReporter Terms and Conditions:
“By submitting your material, for good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt of which you hereby acknowledge, you hereby grant to CNN and its affiliates a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide license to edit, telecast, rerun, reproduce, use, create derivative works from, syndicate, license, print, sublicense, distribute and otherwise exhibit the materials you submit, or any portion thereof in any manner and in any medium or forum, whether now known or hereafter devised, without payment to you or any third party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event CNN licenses your material as stand-alone content outside of CNN’s programming to third parties unaffiliated with CNN, CNN will pay you a percentage of the license fees it actually receives according to rates determined by CNN’s licensing division, ImageSource.”
I must point out thst the terms do state that if CNN licenses your material to third parties you will receive a percentage of the licensing fees, but to me that is not good enough! [private_pro]
A large metro newspaper can have as much as 20-25 staff photographers with only a handful working each day. Most of those photogs are so bogged down with assignments for feature stories and sports that it is sometimes hard to break away for breaking news.
At one point I made 100% of my income doing spot news photography I now work for a large newspaper in Florida but I still do freelance assignments when I can. Making your full time income from stringing is no easy task; it takes hard work, good timing and luck. An established stringer in a large metro market can make good money but living in a smaller market you can also generate some nice cash part time.
Most newspaper will pay $50-$250 an image that is published with magazine and television sometimes paying more. National newsworthy stories can double or even triple that amount if you capture the right image. Obviously being at the right place at the right time is key to getting those money shots. When taking assignments for a publication day rates can be $250-1000 a day depending on the publication, type of job and skill level of the photographer. Those with the most experience and a impressive tearsheet of published work can fetch higher day rates and licensing fees. Using the internet you can market your services worldwide bringing in photo assignments weekly in addition to spot news you capture.
News is all around and happening 24-7 so by listening to scanners, getting tips or spotting things on your own you will have the advantage to the staffers. The key to making the most money is getting the shot that newspapers need but don’t have. One of the greatest advantages of being a stringer is the ability to sell your images to multiple magazines or newspapers especially if it is a national news story. There is money to be made but being in the right place at the right time is what will make you the big bucks. As you read the articles in this site you will increase your chances of getting the money shots and high day rates needed to cash the big checks.[/private_pro]