No credit :( - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

07/24/2005 10:25:04 AM · #1

Yesterday I got my first photograph published in the Florida Times-Union (newspaper). It was HUGE, full color, and on the front page of the sports section. I sent the photographs in, and talked to the journalist several times, I understood how my shots would be used (I thought).
Only problem.... the byline says "Special" instead of giving me credit for the shot and worse... the online version of the same article gives a staff photographer credit for the shot. I'm bummed!

This was the shot used:

The full article

What do ya do? Demand a retraction? Guess I'll just chalk it up to experience. :(

deapee

Kodak V803

07/24/2005 10:28:38 AM · #2

Oh I'd be quite angry about that...maybe not so much as not getting credit, it was probably an oversight...but for giving the wrong guy credit on the online one, I'd definately contact them.

ClubJuggle

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

07/24/2005 10:39:28 AM · #3

If you are not a staff photographer, and did not sell ownership of the photograph to the newspaper, the photograph should have been published with the correct byline. You would be well within your rights to contact the newspaper and demand a correction published both in the newspaper and on the web site. Just be sure to approach it in a calm and professional manner, especially if you wish to continue to do business with this paper.

-Terry

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

07/24/2005 10:43:01 AM · #4

Thanks, Terry. That is what I thought too. I will call the staff journalist tomorrow and talk to him about it. He had expressed interest in buying some of my sports shots during the upcoming football season, but I don't want to do that if this is what will happen.

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

07/24/2005 10:45:09 AM · #5

It's the staff photographer who actually wrote the artical, so I expect he just put his own name down out of habit. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to change it when you contact him :)

KiwiChris

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

07/24/2005 10:46:20 AM · #6

Hi-ho,

having had this happen to myself on more than one occasion now...

Call the journalist, and ask that the online credit be corrected, or the photo removed from the site. If there is not immediate traction/responce get hold of the editor.

If you weren't paid, make it clear that you were 'working for the byline' and that you are very dissapointed. If you were paid, that's life.

If you didn't get paid, the editor/journalist might offer you some freelance work at another event to make up for the missed byline. It is very unlikely a paper would publish a retraction for a missed byline, but they are often keen to repair broken goodwill with potential contributors...

Cheers, Chris H.

07/24/2005 10:47:43 AM · #7

Originally posted by Konador:

It's the staff photographer who actually wrote the artical, so I expect he just put his own name down out of habit. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to change it when you contact him :)

Yeah, I think so. He seemed a very reasonable guy. Even gave me some tips for taking sports shots that are more marketable to the newspapers.

Just a bit of a bummer for my first experience with them.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

07/24/2005 10:50:02 AM · #8

[quote=KiwiChris] Hi-ho,

having had this happen to myself on more than one occasion now...

No, I wasn't paid. And thought I had made it very clear to the journalist that I only wanted the exposure. I will definitely ask for the online version to be corrected so I can save a copy for my portfolio. More freelance assignments would be nice too! :)

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

07/24/2005 10:50:12 AM · #9

I didn't get any credit when one of my shots first appeared in a newspaper, as I assumed they would put one in on their own, but I made sure in the future to specifically mention it at the start and end of the email in which I send the photographs.

mystical_princess

Canon EOS-5D

07/24/2005 10:50:58 AM · #10

Very nice shot, and I would contact them, hopefully it was a mistake.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

07/24/2005 11:10:49 AM · #11

Also, if you have Photoshop, fill out the "File Info" section, which is specifically designed for news photos: there are spaces for Caption, Byline, Keywords, AP (Associated Press) Categories, etc. With that stuff part of the file, they'll have a harder time proving it's not their mistake.

Congratulations, and like others have said, stay calm and approach it professionally, and as if it's an honest error.

jtf6agent

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/24/2005 03:34:55 PM · #12

Sick the big guy on him !! I would have been devistated if that happend to me. My first shot for the local paper here wound up on the front page. If I hadn't been given the credit I would have been crushed. I would bring it up to the writer and editor. They can't change the daily paper but they can change the online version.

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/24/2005 04:17:45 PM · #13

ok, first...take a deep, deep breath.

tomorrow morning, you will want to call dede smith, photo director for the times-union (904-359-4662), and tell her you need some help. tell her that you are really excited that they just ran a photo of yours, and that [insert reporter's name here] was interested in you shooting some more, and that you would like to do it some more, and you would like to talk to her about possibly freelancing some. tell her that you also need to get a W9 form, so that you can get paid. then tell her you need help clearing up the photo credits, and explain the situation. believe me, she knows the picture--she knows about every single picture that runs in the paper.

they will probably very quickly correct the online version; i highly doubt they will do anything about the printed version.

this is a very simple thing to happen, and it comes from the mechanics of how images are submitted to papers, and their publishing processes. as best i can tell, all major papers use photoshop cs, and they use the FileInfo for captioning. if they get a image without any captioning in the FileInfo, this it is an absolute crapshoot as to whether proper credit will be given. when the typesetting (albeit digitally) is being done, this is where they are looking, and if they don't find anything, then they'll give it their best guess.

sorry that it happened, hope that this helps. you've gotten some good advice. the main thing is just to stay cool. it's how people see you handle pressure and adversity that gives them an idea as to what they can count on out of you.

one last thing: if you make any suggestion whatsoever that this was something other than an honest mistake, you can probably kiss goodbye any future hopes of their using your work. these people are professionals, and they have absolutely nothing to gain and everything to lose by trying to screw a contributor.

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/24/2005 04:47:01 PM · #14

Some excellent advice here guys! And thanks especially to Skip. I knew you guys would know the right way to handle this situation. I am new to newspaper contribution, so the advice is very much appreciated. I do want them to treat me as a professional, so of course that is the way I should interact with them.

Thanks again!
Cindi

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

07/24/2005 08:42:40 PM · #15

you're welcome, cindi!

one other note to anyone else interested in opportunities like this: most larger papers have a photo director or head of photography. that is the person you want to be talking to. they are the ones who hire both staff and freelancers, hand out assignments, as well as lending a large hand to picking the images that go in the paper. sometimes you can get things in the paper without going through the photo director, but if you want to do it on a regular basis, sooner or later, that's the person you have to talk to. not only is the photo director ultimately responsible for quality control, but they are also responsible for the photography budget--and it's highly unlikely a reporter will have the authority to hire out freelance work (unless, or course, you don't mind working for free).

pixieland

Fujifilm FinePix S602Z

07/24/2005 09:35:17 PM · #16

Please update us on the outcome of this. I like to hear bout real life problems and the outcomes.
Thanks

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/29/2005 12:01:15 PM · #17

so, what's the latest on this? something good, i hope!