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03/17/2008 06:00:38 PM · #1 |
Written by an anonymous person on the net.
This post probably won't be answered or read, too many people are concerned about things that just don't matter, but, for that one person that wants to change their lives, or get some sort of a start, this is for you.
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PJ Economics 101: How to Make Money with a Spec Image or
PJ Economics 101 The Basics: How to Make Money with a Spec Image
(PJ= Photojournalist)
Hello Forum. I am a new member here and this is my first post. As you donât know me, I will give you a little âbackstoryâ to set the scene. I intend to post several threads in the next few days that cover various topics related to how a PJ (freelance, part-time, staff, etc.) can maximize their income. I am not âsellingâ anything (no workshops, seminars, tapes, etc.).
The questions (for your opinions) are at the bottom of this post.
Please consider these lengthy opening remarks as simply an introduction to the topics and my personal POV. Future threads I post in this theme (PJ Economics) wonât repeat this information and will be much more succinct and without my personal POV or background. But, I think it will be helpful here as an introduction. Before anyone complains, I have decided to post these threads under a nom de plume and believe that is best for several reasons. Anonymity is not used here to hide anything or any bias or any relationships. Disclosure: I donât work for any agency or any paper or any media source. I have no axe to grind and no hidden agenda.
It is a serious topic/post/thread intended to stimulate a discussion on how an independent (freelance) PJ can make a better living by making more money with their PJ photography and stories. The questions are sincere and I hope the discussion will have sincere contributions too. I donât post this here as a âtrollâ or as someone who has a bias one way or the other. I donât post it as an âexpertâ or with some dogmatic position either. I write this despite 90 years of combined professional experience in my family in the fields of journalism, newspaper & magazine publishing, advertising, marketing, professional photography, and art gallery management.
I donât post it claiming I have more or better experience than you. In fact, I am sure I could learn something from any of you, including people who are fresh out of PJ school or just starting their careers. I may ask some very general or basic questions in a thread as I believe that will allow others (of any experience level) to learn the best way possible. I also donât consider any sincere question to be stupid. And I hope this series of threads (PJ Economics) will help others now or in the future when they visit this forum. That is my reason for posting here in the first place. I believe the shared knowledge will help others.
I have spent several hours reading this forumâs archives and generally respect the experience, dedication, skills, and talent of many members here. It seems to be a good community. It is apparent that many of the members of this forum (but not all) are dedicated to photojournalism that is focused on âconflictâ and the human condition. Some go to great distances, experience risks and difficulties, and still produce interesting and compelling images. I also suspect that most of the members here, whether full-time professionals or students or part-timers, would want to learn how they can turn their talent for story telling/reportage and image making into a better paying avocation or profession. So, whether your âbeatâ is the local scene or the most remote place you can imagine, I think this discussion (and future Econ Topics) will help. Even if you are not a PJ and may be an âartistâ who sells your work via galleries or other outlets, I think these Econ topics may help.
The forum allows us all to share information that can help someone else and to openly discuss important topics from various points of view. I generally believe we all (newbies to experts) can learn something from one another. Sometimes it may be as simple as how someone else with a different POV would approach the very same topic. In short, I donât think any one person has all the answers. Instead, I think there may be many different answers and they may come from many different sources and levels of experience. I also believe âold dogsâ can still learn some new tricks. I also believe that sometimes the âold waysâ are not the best ways. The changing media (internet, blogs, agencies) and new opportunities for selling images/stories mean we need to constantly look for ways to create value with our talents.
I think this topic âHow to Make Moneyâ is a good one for discussion here too, because most people who enter the PJ world are discouraged by the hard economic realities. I have heard countless times: âDonât go into journalism because there is no money in it.â In short, it is hard to make a living strictly on freelance PJ work and the resulting fees. Even beginning staff photographers soon realize that most media outlets (papers) donât pay much for a salary compared to what their peers are making. Yet, if you are involved in this challenging career, you know it is a âcalling.â While there may be many ânon-monetaryâ rewards for entering or staying in the profession (e.g. travel, freedom, intellectual stimulation, great memories, strong friendships, fame, glory, adventure, experience, etc.) letâs just focus this discussion on the nitty gritty issue of how to turn an image into money. With the money made from your images and stories, one can always pursue new personal projects, or simply pay the rent and buy groceries.
As important as âmaking moneyâ is to any âartistsâ survival, it always seems to me that âHow to Make Moneyâ is often avoided by even the most dedicated academics (e.g. professors of PJ). It appears to be a big mystery topic seldom discussed and even more seldom understood. For that reason, it may be that the person who just joined a paper or magazine a few years ago has more insights in this topic than someone who has been teaching at a college level for many years.
Here is my premise: While the PJ profession is one that is not lucrative (as say being a doctor), there are ways to make money (or maximize income) within this profession (as in any profession).
Please respond to this question: âWhat can a freelance PJ do to Maximize Income from spec Marketable Images?â
By this I mean âSellingâ the PJ product (images and/or story). I do not mean taking a full-time job as a waiter. :)
For this thread/topic please concentrate on the very basics of how an independent PJ can take an image created (on spec) and turn that image into a âpayingâ image with âmaximized return.â I have other PJ Econ topics in mind for later threads covering other aspects of the âeconomicsâ of the PJ career, but for this one, I would like us to concentrate on the following scenario for illustration:
1. You go to a conflict zone (e.g. Iraq, Congo, Tibet) as an independent (freelance) PJ
2. Assume you own the copyrights and may sell your images as you see fit. In other words, you were not working in a contracted position as a staff photographer. The images are yours to market and you have no agent or agency. It is up to you to âmarketâ your images. Assume you have no established contacts in any media outlet. Your images (for this scenario) are âglobalâ in subject matter (e.g. Iraq) and may have a global market (not strictly local).
3. You take thousands of shots and get a few that make a nice âphoto essayâ and one or more that are very powerful and have great impact. You see these few âpowerful or iconicâ images as âworth their weight in gold.â You might consider your answer in two parts as some of the images are âtimelyâ (breaking news images) and some are âtimelessâ (editorial images perhaps).
4. You want to get the best âreturnâ (money) for your image(s).
5. What should you do?
Message edited by author 2008-03-17 18:01:36.
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