A photography magazine has just contacted me and they are considering publishing one of my images in their reader's section. They select a couple of images every month from images which have been submitted online, but only one of the published ones appears to receive a prize. In response to their request for a high resolution image, I have drafted the following. I am hoping that they will consider other images of mine in the future, so I was trying to be as kind as possible. Do you think the following is OK?:
"Dear Sarah,
I am delighted that you are considering my image "Gold Coast" for the next Feedback section! Thank you very much!
Sarah, I am a semiprofessional photographer with the intention of going professional in the near future. As a rule, I submit my images for publication with 1) the hope that they get published! and 2) that if my images are published, I am paid for their publication or I receive an equivalent in terms of camera gear or other equipment.
Would you please be so kind as to let me know whether photographers are paid or are awarded prizes if their images are published in the Feedback section?
Could you also please let me know what requirements you have for a high resolution image?
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
Christoph Fischer "
Posted by Ed Dubois on February 28, 2009 at 2:31 PM
Seems like a polite and friendly inquiry to me Christoph. You haven't said no, you've only asked for clarification. I guess the decision you'll have to make when you get an answer is whether or not any remuneration they provide, or none if that's what they offer will be worth it for you. Of course publication is a form of publicity that could help you in the promotion of your work. A boat salesman friend once told me never to say no (within limits of course) but to keep the negotiations open. I've found that helpful more than once.
The question of use of images by publications for little or no payment has been discussed before. Some magazines are particularly aggressive about demanding free work from photographers (though they wouldn't dream of asking their own staff to work for free). The last time this came up for me with a magazine editor that tried to tell me publication in their magazine (for free of course) would be such great publicity for me I responded that I was happy to provide free images for non-profit societies. All I asked was that they provide me with their non-profit society registration information and I would be happy to comply. I'd done a little checking first and found that they had high-priced office space in the heart of the downtown business district - a very no non-profit setup!
Anyway, the upshot of this was that the editor decided that perhaps a "stipend" could be arranged since she insisted they didn't pay photographers for their work. Since my bank account can't tell the difference between a stipend and any other type of check I said fine, we negotiated the "honorarium" and I got paid... but we never called it a payment. Kind of a silly game but that's what she needed to save face or whatever.
Hope you're successful.
Posted by Steve Foss on February 28, 2009 at 3:35 PM
Christoph, as you describe it, I reckon the "feedback" section won't pay. Most glossy mags that I'm aware of that allow readers to send in their work (so the mag can publish their assessment of the best of it and make readers feel more like participants) don't pay for that. However, go to the mag's Web site and give it a look. Usually they are clear about those distinctions in their "submission guidelines" or similar explanatory material, and if they are, you don't have to put the inquiry in your letter but can simply decide on your own whether any publicity generated from having a photo credit on your work but no pay is worth it to you.
Standard "high res" digital image submissions for glossy mags are 300 ppi, but the Web site should detail that in the submission guidelines too.
If by looking at the Web site you can answer both those questions, you need not dwell on either one in your polite letter, but can simply use the letter as a response. In fact, unless the editor specifically asked for a yea/nea response, you may consider not responding beyond a simple thank-you, because by submitting it for publication you already are asking that it be published. Photo editors tend to be busy people who because of chronic understaffing at many mags have a LOT of work to do and not much time to waste on chit-chat. Those I've come to know (and I used to be one myself), value succinctness.
Thank you Ed and Steve for your helpful comments! I have decided to go ahead and send the E-mail as I drafted. Since I want to have a good relationship with the editors of this magazine, I think it is best to send them a polite inquiry as drafted.
Again, I'm a newbie on here (and only a few years in the photo business) on a trial registration, but I find the level of knowledge and help offered, already rewarding. May have to consider full-time membership!!! Thanks folks.
Discussion
4 repliesA photography magazine has just contacted me and they are considering publishing one of my images in their reader's section. They select a couple of images every month from images which have been submitted online, but only one of the published ones appears to receive a prize. In response to their request for a high resolution image, I have drafted the following. I am hoping that they will consider other images of mine in the future, so I was trying to be as kind as possible. Do you think the following is OK?:
"Dear Sarah,
I am delighted that you are considering my image "Gold Coast" for the next Feedback section! Thank you very much!
Sarah, I am a semiprofessional photographer with the intention of going professional in the near future. As a rule, I submit my images for publication with 1) the hope that they get published! and 2) that if my images are published, I am paid for their publication or I receive an equivalent in terms of camera gear or other equipment.
Would you please be so kind as to let me know whether photographers are paid or are awarded prizes if their images are published in the Feedback section?
Could you also please let me know what requirements you have for a high resolution image?
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
Christoph Fischer "
The question of use of images by publications for little or no payment has been discussed before. Some magazines are particularly aggressive about demanding free work from photographers (though they wouldn't dream of asking their own staff to work for free). The last time this came up for me with a magazine editor that tried to tell me publication in their magazine (for free of course) would be such great publicity for me I responded that I was happy to provide free images for non-profit societies. All I asked was that they provide me with their non-profit society registration information and I would be happy to comply. I'd done a little checking first and found that they had high-priced office space in the heart of the downtown business district - a very no non-profit setup!
Anyway, the upshot of this was that the editor decided that perhaps a "stipend" could be arranged since she insisted they didn't pay photographers for their work. Since my bank account can't tell the difference between a stipend and any other type of check I said fine, we negotiated the "honorarium" and I got paid... but we never called it a payment. Kind of a silly game but that's what she needed to save face or whatever.
Hope you're successful.
Standard "high res" digital image submissions for glossy mags are 300 ppi, but the Web site should detail that in the submission guidelines too.
If by looking at the Web site you can answer both those questions, you need not dwell on either one in your polite letter, but can simply use the letter as a response. In fact, unless the editor specifically asked for a yea/nea response, you may consider not responding beyond a simple thank-you, because by submitting it for publication you already are asking that it be published. Photo editors tend to be busy people who because of chronic understaffing at many mags have a LOT of work to do and not much time to waste on chit-chat. Those I've come to know (and I used to be one myself), value succinctness.
Good luck!
Thanks again for your suggestions!