You may notice when reading your local newspaper that there are a couple different types of photo credits. Following the photographer's name may be "staff photographer" or the name of the newspaper, indicating that he or she is employed there. Or, the credit may say "contributor" or "special to the (insert newspaper name)": This indicates a freelance photographer. Someone who regularly contributes freelance photos to a publication is known around the photo desk as a "stringer." And some freelance photographers -- by building a reputation and client list -- can make more money than staff photographers.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varies
Here's How:
- Determine your specialty: Are you going to shoot the prep sports games that never get adequate coverage from the staff photographers at your local paper? Are you going to work in the middle of the night, keeping a police scanner on to be out at the scene of fires and crime scenes when staff photographers on day schedules will be home asleep? Bearing in mind that a newspaper only has so many staff photographers to send out across the city at a given time, where are there gaps in coverage that you may be able to fill?
- Work on your news judgment: What is news? Are you trying to sell photographs of international interest to a newspaper that focuses more on local Rotary club meetings? Are you trying to sell a photo of a local ribbon-cutting to a newspaper that concentrates more on state politics? News judgment isn't just determining what constitutes news to a certain publication, but picking out the elements at the scene that tell a story. Is the story the burning house, or the family clutching each other as they watch their home go up in flames? Are you going to take a wide shot of a migrant camp, or focus in on a weathered face?
- Show your stuff: Do not expect to be able to go to a newspaper, say you want to freelance for them, and be handed an assignment. You are known by your good work, so start by sending a photo editor a handful of your best shots. Make sure they are large enough for a newspaper to work with, as the editors will decide how they want to resize a shot or crop it, and make sure your shots are high-resolution JPEGs. Send your work cleaned up in Photoshop.
- Write good captions: When out taking photos, get names of subjects whenever possible. Print them on a notepad, and ask the subject to spell out his or her name. The captions accompanying your photos should each include who, what, where (including city and state), and when: day of the week, month, date, and year.
- Be clear on exclusivity: For starters, submit to one publication on the understanding that they would have exclusivity. Set a number of days in which you'd need to receive a yes or no answer on buying the shot, and politely inform the paper of this. If there is a time peg on the photos -- in other words, they go with an upcoming news story or event -- let editors know this up front.
- Read the fine print: If purchasing photos from you, a newspaper should offer some sort of a contract that not only stipulates pay (usually upon publication), but reuse terms and rights. Read this carefully before signing. If you become a regular stringer for a publication, you may enter into a one-time contract that stipulates payment and reuse terms for all photos the paper decides to buy from you in the future.
- If it's breaking news, act fast: When unexpected events happen, such as disasters, a newsroom will be going crazy trying to coordinate coverage and get on-scene photos. If you're out there shooting the events, skip the step of e-mailing your photos and waiting for a response. Get on the phone and call the city desk or the photo desk, tell them where you are and what shots you've got. Ascertain interest before sending your photos. If they're not interested, call the next publication. If it's a big event, don't be afraid to try national publications.
- Build relationships: Get to know editors at all of the publications in your region. With a solid body of work, as well as a reputation for accuracy and efficiency, they'll soon start to call you with assignments.
- Alert editors in advance of plush photo opportunities: Going to Florida to snap pics of the space shuttle launch? Accompanying a writer on an exclusive interview with a political figure? Line up your buyers in advance, letting them know exactly when your photos will be coming in, what the news hook is, etc. Find out whether the publications prefer horizontal or vertical shots, or what elements they may specifically be looking for in your photos.
Tips:
- Double-check captions for correct spellings, and mark hard-to-spell names with a "CQ," telling editors that the spelling is correct.
- Try to predict the news: If an annual rally broke out into violent protests when it was held the year before, for instance, be sure to be there for the sequel.
- Shoot a wide variety of shots, then pick the very best from those to send to editors.
- Keep on top of local news to see which topics are of greatest interest to readers and editors.
What You Need:
- A good digital camera and related equipment
- A notebook to write down names and other caption information
- Software to process photos
- A Web site or blog on which to display your work
- A cell phone to keep in touch with editors
- A police scanner to keep on top of breaking news