Be a local newspaper photographer?

Hi,

I live in a county of about 65,000 people. There is one large city paper (1+
million people), but also a local paper for my area. It also covers a
neighboring county as well. I was born and raised in this county for 45+
years.

Over the years our paper has lacked news worthy articles and photos. Of the
articles they do print, they waste space by making them cover large sections
of the pages. It's so overwhelmed with advertisements.

I am thinking about contact the paper and asking if I could be a
photographer for them. I already have a well paying full time job so I would
be doing it as a hobby.

My sell to them is to show them that their paper lacks very many local
photos. There is so much going on around town that they never seem to cover
with an article, let a lone photos. I know it's economics, but I wouldn't
cost them. I hope I could spruce up the paper.

Have anyone ever done this sort of thing? Or submit photos to their local
paper? Anything I should know first?

I believe I'm a pretty good photographer (35mm, Medium Format, Digital-DSL,
etc.) I have a portfolio of my work too show them if they like the idea.

Dave

"Dave" wrote in message
. net...

Have anyone ever done this sort of thing? Or submit photos to their local
paper? Anything I should know first?

Horses for courses perhaps, but our local crowd are always appreciative of
anything we can toss their way that's news worthy.

"Dave" wrote in message
. net...
Hi,

I live in a county of about 65,000 people. There is one large city paper
(1+
million people), but also a local paper for my area. It also covers a
neighboring county as well. I was born and raised in this county for 45+
years.

Over the years our paper has lacked news worthy articles and photos. Of
the
articles they do print, they waste space by making them cover large
sections
of the pages. It's so overwhelmed with advertisements.

I am thinking about contact the paper and asking if I could be a
photographer for them. I already have a well paying full time job so I
would
be doing it as a hobby.

My sell to them is to show them that their paper lacks very many local
photos. There is so much going on around town that they never seem to
cover
with an article, let a lone photos. I know it's economics, but I wouldn't
cost them. I hope I could spruce up the paper.

Have anyone ever done this sort of thing? Or submit photos to their local
paper? Anything I should know first?

I believe I'm a pretty good photographer (35mm, Medium Format,
Digital-DSL,
etc.) I have a portfolio of my work too show them if they like the idea.

Dave


I think you should go for it, but don't complain about the ads. Those ads
are what pays the bills. Convince them that if the paper had more photos it
would be more interesting to people, the circulation would go up, and they
can sell even more ads.

Good luck.

On Sun, 08 Jan 2006, at 01:22:55 [GMT GMT] (12:22:55 Sunday, 8 January 2006
where I live) "Dave" wrote:

I am thinking about contact the paper and asking if I could be a
photographer for them. I already have a well paying full time job so I would
be doing it as a hobby.

How would you juggle the full time job, and the free lance photography bit?

"Dogfart" wrote in message
news:9851121178$20060108175717@dontbotherspamming. com...

How would you juggle the full time job, and the free lance photography
bit?

Whilst enjoying his "life outside of the office"?

In article , Dogfart
wrote:

How would you juggle the full time job, and the free lance photography bit?

That was my original thought. A newspaper wants you to be there when
something happens, not when it's convenient for your schedule. Even
then, the pay isn't that great for being a glorified ambulance chaser.

Thanks everyone for your input and your questions. I don't have good writing
skills so I thought my photos could be like "Photo of the Week" type of
thing. Or, I could cover a local event and collect whatever info and submit
it anyway. I just have to meet with the editor of the paper and see where I
might fit in even if they want me. Also, I'd do it for free (Photography is
a very relaxing hobby for me).

Also about 75% of events in my town happen on Saturdays which I can cover. I
notice the paper lacks coverage of these events on Saturdays for some
reason. Maybe their reporters/photographers are off Saturdays and Sundays.

Thanks again and have a picture perfect day!
Dave




"John A. Stovall" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 01:22:55 GMT, "Dave" wrote:

Hi,

I live in a county of about 65,000 people. There is one large city paper
(1+
million people), but also a local paper for my area. It also covers a
neighboring county as well. I was born and raised in this county for 45+
years.

Over the years our paper has lacked news worthy articles and photos. Of
the
articles they do print, they waste space by making them cover large
sections
of the pages. It's so overwhelmed with advertisements.

I am thinking about contact the paper and asking if I could be a
photographer for them. I already have a well paying full time job so I
would
be doing it as a hobby.

My sell to them is to show them that their paper lacks very many local
photos. There is so much going on around town that they never seem to
cover
with an article, let a lone photos. I know it's economics, but I wouldn't
cost them. I hope I could spruce up the paper.

Have anyone ever done this sort of thing? Or submit photos to their local
paper? Anything I should know first?

Do you know anyone at the paper? If so talk them about who you should
contact.

You need to find out how they want the pictures prepared, size, format
and what caption information they'll want.

As for shots with an article, do you plan to write them?


************************************************** ***********

"I believe that all government is evil,
in that all government must necessarily make war upon liberty...

From "Mencken's Creed"
H.L. Mencken (1880 -1956)

I'd be inclined to look at it through their eyes - if it's something that
helps him look good, and helps the paper sell more copies, then why would
they turn down a free lunch?

Let us know how you get on?

I worked as the advertising photographer for a local daily paper and got to
tell you that while "spot" new photos happen, they are actually a small part
of the mix, you do a lot of setup shots, grip and grins, mugshots, feature
stories and on a weekly you'll end up shooting a lot of advertising shots as
well. It will increase the quality of the paper but only if they are ready
for the change, i.e., digital ready and perhaps fully digitally paginated,
otherwise you'll spend 10 per cent shooting and the rest of the time doing
prepress, printing/scanning or whatever.

Most weeklies won't pay except by the shots they actually use. You might
make some money selling reprints if you can work it out to retain rights to
your images but again most papers (and the Associated Press!) will try to
screw you with a work for hire contract where you relinquish all rights to
your work. And if you shoot digital (and you must shoot digital or spend
way too much time souping, scanning (BTW does the paper even have a film
scanner?)) they'll argue that you have no expenses. (They won't factor in
your equipment investment or time learning your trade on that one.)

And you need to be able to write as well, they won't have the budget to send
a reporter so practice getting the five w's down. Or at least learn to
write a decent caption.

--
darkroommike
"Dogfart" wrote in message
news:9851121178$20060108175717@dontbotherspamming. com...
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006, at 01:22:55 [GMT GMT] (12:22:55 Sunday, 8 January
2006
where I live) "Dave" wrote:

I am thinking about contact the paper and asking if I could be a
photographer for them. I already have a well paying full time job so I
would
be doing it as a hobby.

How would you juggle the full time job, and the free lance photography
bit?

Photography IS relaxing, photography on a deadline isn't relaxing.

--
darkroommike
"Dave" wrote in message
. net...
Thanks everyone for your input and your questions. I don't have good
writing
skills so I thought my photos could be like "Photo of the Week" type of
thing. Or, I could cover a local event and collect whatever info and
submit
it anyway. I just have to meet with the editor of the paper and see where
I
might fit in even if they want me. Also, I'd do it for free (Photography
is
a very relaxing hobby for me).

Also about 75% of events in my town happen on Saturdays which I can cover.
I
notice the paper lacks coverage of these events on Saturdays for some
reason. Maybe their reporters/photographers are off Saturdays and Sundays.

Thanks again and have a picture perfect day!
Dave




"John A. Stovall" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 01:22:55 GMT, "Dave" wrote:

Hi,

I live in a county of about 65,000 people. There is one large city
paper
(1+
million people), but also a local paper for my area. It also covers a
neighboring county as well. I was born and raised in this county for
45+
years.

Over the years our paper has lacked news worthy articles and photos. Of
the
articles they do print, they waste space by making them cover large
sections
of the pages. It's so overwhelmed with advertisements.

I am thinking about contact the paper and asking if I could be a
photographer for them. I already have a well paying full time job so I
would
be doing it as a hobby.

My sell to them is to show them that their paper lacks very many local
photos. There is so much going on around town that they never seem to
cover
with an article, let a lone photos. I know it's economics, but I
wouldn't
cost them. I hope I could spruce up the paper.

Have anyone ever done this sort of thing? Or submit photos to their
local
paper? Anything I should know first?

Do you know anyone at the paper? If so talk them about who you should
contact.

You need to find out how they want the pictures prepared, size, format
and what caption information they'll want.

As for shots with an article, do you plan to write them?


************************************************** ***********

"I believe that all government is evil,
in that all government must necessarily make war upon liberty...

From "Mencken's Creed"
H.L. Mencken (1880 -1956)