The latest trend in magazines to ask for submissions from photographers, but not pay them. That’s right, they want photographers to work for free because the exposure will be good for them. Well using the photographers photos is sure good for the magazine. Free content – what a great way to make money. Don’t pay for what you profit from, what if all businesses did this?
Imagine if a restaurant told a farmer give us your crops for free, it will be good exposure. The farmer would laugh in the owner’s face. So why don’t photographers? Because so many don’t even value their own work. And then they wonder how to make a living as a photographer. Well guess what? You’ve done it to yourself. You have devalued your work and created a trend where what you do is not worth paying for by these companies.
Some will say it’s just my hobby. I’m doing it for fun so why should I charge? Suppose some decided to do your job as a hobby and didn’t charge. Your employer got rid of you because she could get someone to do it for free. That’s what happening. Or the I’m not good enough to charge. If someone wants your photos, you’re good enough to charge.
News outlets are doing he same thing. Submit your photos of the news. We’ll even give you credit. And people flock to send them photos. So the news outlet has less and less staff photographers and stringers, because they don’t need to pay for photos any more.
Photographers just say no to free photos.
Now I know maybe 3 or 4 photographers in my local area might actually follow thru, But there will sadly be over a thousand that won’t. And worse yet, some of them are very talented, just giving it all away. Starving artists.
Orcatek Photography - Phoenix Arizona 