Lower and Lower Magazine Rates, Accept them or Negotiate?

It seems the rates magazines are willing to pay for an image is declining more and more. Do you accept the rate they pay or try to negotiate with them? I've had several images published in regional magazines and have just accepted the rate. Opinions anyone?

Zack, your right on prices being offered have declined in some areas. By no means would I just accept what is being offered. I have done some negotiating with a regional publication that recently changed publishers and now offer lower rates. I was successful in negotiating my price, and am going to stand firm on the lowest rate that I will accept. I had to do my own pr work to let them know why I believe my work is worth what I ask. But in the end the ball is in their court. Lots of photographers are willing to virtually give their work away simply for notoriety which hurts all.

Remember power comes in numbers and we all have to be willing to stand our ground when it comes to our work. If publishers are only willing to buy cheap images, then that's what they shall get, cheap images. I guess time will tell.

Stand firm, good luck.

Another problem is just about every naturalist carries a camera capable of quality pix nowadays and most of them are perfectly happy to give their pix away gratis to be seen in their favourite magazine.
It's only when we produce something special that we can negotiate, birds on sticks, however rare or 'pretty' just go into gallery type pages.

I agree with Colin. Rare images can be negotiated. Run of the mill images are a dime a dozen and thats what there selling for these days. When I first started selling my work 23 years ago I made my own contacts and negotiated my price. The market today is saturated and the prices for stock will continue to slide. You may want to sell to notable publications and vendors at their reduced rates in order to build your client list. The more notable clients you have the better marketing tool you have to push your own endeavors. Sometimes it becomes a two way street.