image pricing question

[surfg1mp]

Whats the going rate for images that a weekly paper could buy from you.

Reason for the question is i have been in contact with a few local papers about them buying images, and they have asked what my rates are.....i have no idea!

EDIT...ok sorry just checked its for a monthly lifestyle magazine. I guess the price would be alot higher but also the quality would be alot higher also. Probably find it hard to get accepted but still would like the going rate.

[robski]

Lee

I have no idea of what a local newspaper would pay for images but I suspect next to nothing.

In my last job for many years I supplied systems to regional and national newspapers so I have a reasonable idea on what makes a regional newspaper tick.

You have to remember that regional newspapers were hit hard by the Recession last year and dramatically cut back staffing levels (40 to 60%). I was a victim of the knock on effect.

If your local paper laid off all their photography staff then you may stand a better chance in selling images to them. I have known cases where it was down to the journalist to take photos and journalist were the first to be culled in the many rounds of redundancies that took place last year.

Discounting the above you have to consider How News Worthy your images are ! An editor is only going to fork out hard cash if he feels the image will increase sales and circulation. Think about why photos of Princess Di ( or some other celeb) was on the front cover of national papers when there was no front page news. Prime reason why local papers do a tour of schools to get class shots and do baby competitions because they know parents will buy copies of the paper to see their little darling in print. If the image is of high news value the quality is not of great importance. I've seen very poor camera phone shots on the front page.

With regard to the glossy life style magazine I suspect they have very little to do with the product ( third party and agency) other than book the adverts. Remember a newspaper is not about news it is an advertising machine because that is where it's revenue comes from.

PS. It maybe be better to work freelance and they send you to a job to take photos for a story.

[surfg1mp]

Thank you for the reply robski.

The newspapers i contacted had there own photographers and dont buy images.

The glossy showed an interest but wanted to know my prices. I have a book on image prices but its quite old and i wonder how relevant the prices are today.