New Tumblr Exposes The Pay Rates of Publications

New Tumblr Exposes The Pay Rates of Publications

Recently, a professional photographer decided to share his years of experience in print with other photographers around the world. However this experience isn't shooting techniques, or how to interact with those involved with the shoot. Instead, this focuses on the pay scale you can expect from each publication, and its asking for you to help submit your experiences too.

 

The general idea of this is transparency. Too often in our business, we hide our prices, and encourage our clients to contact us for a price sheet. Magazines and other print often work the same way, as their prices likely fluctuate from issue to issue and from each individual story.  However, this website is meant to give a breakdown on about how much you can expect from each individual publisher.

 

Some of the notable prices are from USA Today,  at $400 for print & online rights and Associated Press at a $200 standard day rate.  Take a quick look, and contribute if you have any experiences to add.

 

Who Pays Photogs on Tumblr.

 

[via reddit]

Zach Sutton's picture

Zach Sutton is an award-winning and internationally published commercial and headshot photographer based out of Los Angeles, CA. His work highlights environmental portraiture, blending landscapes and scenes with portrait photography. Zach writes for various publications on the topic of photography and retouching.

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26 Comments

People complain about Fstoppers' latest articles so much lately. And, when something valuable like this comes along...crickets.
Anyhow, this is an interesting reveal here. Especially for those looking into tapping into this market and unsure of how to price themselves for clients.

 Eight sentences... barely worth a reply.

It's the value that matters, not the length.

Is that what you tell your girlfriend?

No it's what I tell your mom.

You're right Kahleem, this type of article is valuable for people that are interested in tapping into this market. I think the reason that there are "crickets" is because most people that show an interest in the business of photography do it as a form of virtual reality entertainment. They like to fantasize about it but don't actually possess the motivation to do anything about it. Their make-believe world is threatened when difficult truths related to the actual profession are ignored and rejected (like the impossibly low pay of most editorial work.)

Thank you for providing this informative article. 

Horrible rates.

National Geo Books, 1/4 page, 50,000 press run, world rights, $100. 

Well, you know, Nat Geo isn't about photos.  ;-)

Interesting project! Thanks for sharing it.

and how are these values curated? 

 "submissions"

Interesting project, but i don't know why the cost are so much different with mine..
I was shoot for Guardian, AP and wall street journal before but not like that worst!

 Trolling does not exist on the internets.

Yes, horrible rates...

Remember those low rates when considering all of the people teaching you-can-be-a-pro-photographer workshops etc. At best, the majority of their portfolios are filled with editorial and small commercial shots that couldn't have possibly provided enough money to actually live on....so how are they really making a living? Think about it.

it's dog eat dog. Everyone is a photographer and no one understands pictures, it's a win win situation for the publishers.  think about it. not that many years ago, we only saw pictures on billboards,magazines, newspapers and brochures, shot by photographers commissioned by picture editors and laid out by designers. Now folk see 200 images before lunch on social media, the trees can't be seen for the woods. And, you know what.......Know one cares.

This is why I've turned my attention to another industry entirely. I only use my photography skills as an added bonus. Instead of the client hiring an external photographer, they can hire me for an additional fee.

Right on, you've got the right idea IMHO

Most publications 

Did you guys grab this article from SLR Lounge? http://www.slrlounge.com/who-pays-photographers-a-listing-of-experiences...

Most publications use photo agencies for content and are dependent on being "serviced" images from PR people that hire a photog inhouse. Most have a monthly subscription or only buy if it's a big name. Most agency photographers that don't have access to a-list events are lucky to make enough to cover their parking shooting on speculation. I'd rather be inhouse and paid upfront than shoot on spec. Agencies will buy out images when they think they'll actually sell so the photog doesn't make a good commission and it's %100 commission when the event and talent list is crap. Crap commissions can be as little $0.80 to $2 or $5 bucks for web. $350+ for print if you're lucky.  http://RudyTorresRocks.com

Stock photography agencies have a nice office very expensive rent;because they make a lot of  money with our pictures ,we send them pictures they sell them and  they don't pay us.Happen to me;when I called them they told me ohh we have some money  for you, then they sent me like  $30;they steal our pictures and as I said before they make a lot of money selling ours pictures,but they don't pay us. I saw some of my pictures displayed in a add,when I called the stock agency they said "that are no your pictures,but then they removed the pictures off the add. They are cheaters.There is a organization that are nothing but a bunch of cheaters;they tell you that you won a award on a picture that I submitted;but I had to pay them to see the award with my picture;then they make t-shirts;calendars,drinking glasses ,and other stuff with your picture and then they sell all that stuff using your pictures but they don't give you a penny. They steal from photographers; I  shot the pictures and they are the one making the money, bunch of cheaters. So I stop submmiting my pics to stock photo agencies or any other organization. IFPO make money on us we have to pay them to publish our photos;instead of the photographer makes the money is them making the money with my pictures

IFPO=International Freelance Photographers Association. I got out of this organization hundreds of years ago

That pic up there is copyright protected don't try to steal it now

if you guys know about a good organization that don't cheat on us, let me know to submit  my work. I am here
jortiz406@yahoo.com

is anybody saying «let's move to switzerland»? 
well I'm less than 2 hours by car from there... :D