First Mag Cover & More

Not sure if this is the proper place, but it involves photo marketing for sure.

After about a year of pursuit, I was asked to shoot the cover, individual and group photos for a regional Northeast PA magazine. the pub is distributed throughout 10 counties in the area, and puts out more than 30,000 copies a month.

Well, the June issue is finally out and it features an eco-friendly/green theme. We did the shoot near a very long, VERY swinging swinging brigdge, with the nine models chosen for their roles in the eco-friendly movement here.

The cover photo, and all individual and group photos in the story about the cover beginning on page 5 are mine.

http://www.happeningsmagazinepa.com/currentmagfiles.html

So here is the bonus/marketing part two. While the fee magazines like this can pay is nominal, as an added bonus to me, the publisher put together a full-page ad about my photography, using images I had previously sent them!! (page 125 I believe.)

While the pay may have been nominal so to speak, the magazine saw to it to give me ad space worth more than $1,200. A nice bonus from some great people.

Thanks for reading!

Now THAT is an ethical publisher! May there be many more. Cash is not the only possible compensation as photo rates drop. Ads certainly have value as you point out.

Doing "reverse" math, consider this: We budget 5% of our annual gross income to advertising, so your $1200 ad is equivalent to what would normally (for us) only be possible on a $24,000 income. Considering that ad would only be a small part of your overall ad effort, it implies a much larger income. As much as we spend on ads each year, we've NEVER been able to afford $1200 for any single ad campaign.

I'd frame tear sheets of all your work and put it on your wall. Nice display of work well done and a reminder of a great experience.

Congrats!

Thanks Hank, agree on all counts. I was a bit nervous, there is not a photo on my website with a person in it--not that I haven't done anything like that, but it's not my idea of fun... and there were nine people there to involve. Then I saw the big bridge and almost ran away. ;) But it was so great to work with these people, and then to do that for me. The publisher has a very good rep for treating the photogs right--whether it be purchasing their art, promoting them, or an ad, as in my case.

Now it's not some national pub, but it was a great experience and I will follow up on saving it.

Bill,

Congrats on the publication and ad page - beautiful photos. I'm often a little wary to go outside of the comfort zone at people's request, but it usually turns out ok!

As for the "free" ad space, it costs them nothing to give to you (except he cost of an additional page) but obviously has serious value to you. I'm "donating" several of my images to my boss for use in his book for free (the publisher doesn't want to pay) but the tradeoff is a solid writeup about me and my work so I'll take it.

Oh hey! There's your footbridge!!
Congrats!
Troup

Congratulations, Bill, on your excellent photos for the magazine. Really nice ad page, too. Hat's off to you.

Thanks all! I wasn't sure whether to post it or not, this isn't my first time in a mag, and I realize it's certainly not a national thing by any means, but what the hey... plus I wanted to point out how a good publisher can make doing things like this very worthwhile.

And now as a result of meeting someone at the shoot, I get to donate another photograph!!! Kidding, it's for the Nature Conservancy so it's all good. Great experience too.

I think you've introduced an interesting and worthwhile model I'm certainly going to apply: When a pub can't (or won't) pay reasonable fees, negotiate for other forms of compensation IN ADDITION TO the cash being offered.

It would have to be a pub reaching a significant share of our client base before I would consider such things entirely in lieu of cash, but it's a nice way to get suitable compensation on top of a low payment. Your regional mag in PA isn't likely do me much good in such an arrangement, but my own regional mag (Alaska magazine) would get serious consideration.

Very Nice coupe Bill. When I was in the IT business, we used to clamour for any kind of a writeup, or opportunity to get into a publication for recognition, which is always hard to do. This is a nice twist on that approach that can have far reaching benefits as a photographer. There was nothing in IT I could "give" the publisher in exchange for print recognition, but as photographers, we have a lot to barter with in exchange for that recognition, as well as the cash.

Garry
Toronto, Canada

Thank you Garry and Hank. It was indeed a nice surprise. I think having a built a semi-relationship in terms of knowing my work w/ the publisher certainly helped.

It's hard to say I've seen any tangible results yet from the ad and cover/indi/group photos, but I'm pleased with how it all played out. Yes, IT would certainly be another animal I would think Garry!

That's awesome! Congratulations on both the cover and the ad. Guess that just goes to show you that perseverance can pay off. I am so impatient when it comes, I want to open my own gallery with pet photography studio and I want it all done yesterday. Keep living the dream...

http://www.dajdesignsphotography.com

Congrats Bill! That's fantastic. I am glad everything worked out and it is a wonderful and encouraging story. Just out curiousity, how did you "pursue" the publisher for a year? Thanks for sharing.

Michael

Thank you Michael! First, I got to know her thru some phone calls and emails. I would then occasionally send her images I felt would make nice backdrops for interesting cover photos. And as a writer/editor offered my services to do an article with accompanying photos--as well as any other editing needed.

She was especially enthusiastic about one of my photos, "The Foot Bridge" (posted on NPN) and eventually asked me to send a selection of "summery" images they could use if an ad page opened up due to any last-minute advertiser cancelations.

So finally, I received a phone call from the Associate Editor asking if I would be interested in shooting the cover and group/individual photos for their June eco-friendly issue at $XXX rate. We both acknowledged that the rate is very low, but the exposure and experience made it worthwhile. I did the shoot, they were very pleased, and as a surprise to me--they took some of the images I had sent the publisher and gave me a full-page ad in the pub, normally a $1200 space!

Not always, but sometimes persistence pays off!!

Proving once again that who you know (and therefore how you behave) is the best foundation for business relationships! Well done all around Bill! I can forecast that this will be the FIRST job with them rather than the only one. That's the point of good business relationships. We probably derive over 50% of our income from repeat customers, most of whom don't even consider other photographers for the jobs.

Thanks again Hank and all. And yesterday I received a nice note from the publisher saying that this issue is one of their best received in awhile, along in the mail I also received a laminated print of the cover and of my ad page.

Yes, I have a feeling I'll be shooting for them again!

I'd frame the note along with the laminate, then keep it in view of other potential clients. I can guarantee that they'll respond even more to your positive relations with the publisher than your notable photography. That's the cornerstone of your rep!

Very exciting indeed! Congratulations. Every job is a new step to a better job and that's the way it's been working for me. Great cover photo as well as the others.

Thanks Cheryl, that's very kind and best wishes to you in your pursuits as well. And thanks again Hank, I agree!

Just a follow up, I had two more shoots to do this past weekend for the same magazine. Not guaranteed a cover, but I'm going to try and convnince them verbally and with the results!! :)

That's what we call a ROLL! Gotta love the long term client relations.

Another sale today as a result of the ad they gave me, which will result in exposure in Philly and locally.

Keep them coming Bill!

I see a BUSINESS growing before our eyes.

Thanks Hank, things are happening... we'll see!