Press and Documentary thread

[BenBirchall]

In reply to a few comments and Q's......

Ed - Google your nearest news/picture agency, or any in the UK for that matter. They usually do a 50-50 split on sales. Some people balk at that offer, but they can feed every single market and publication around the globe, something which a one man band could never do. They'll tell you how to get a pic to them.

Jerry - PR don't have the rights to sell unless they contact you and ask first. If you say no then they cant, simple! If you say yes, then you can negotiate your own fee, which they will either accept or decline. Anyway, they're not a news agency and wouldn't have the resources to ping out an image to the various desks around the country.

Simon - I use a camera to take still pictures and a video camera for moving ones! A flippant answer, but to go into each situation and which lens I use would take me ages, and it's not a science either

Simon - I agree with OldBoy to a degree... Most 'moments' have a build up period to capturing the key event. Take the siege on the Iranian Embassy. The cameras were already there and trained on the window ready to shoot as the blast went off. I was at a soldiers funeral last week (seems to be one a week at the moment) and although the key shots only last a few seconds you're already there to capture them. It's during that time that photographers WILL labour over composition, lighting lens choice etc. There's a misconception that news photographers just stumble on stories and great images. That only happens for hard breaking news, which is where I fully agree with OldBoy and image quality is secondary to the photo.

Simon - For the balloons I took up 2 D3's. One with a 70-200mm f/2.8 fitted and the other with a 28-70mm f/2.8. I'm not allowed to post process anything beyond basic sharpening and contrast adjustments so I don't. In fact if I use an ND Grad filter in a photo or do a zoomburst effect I have to state so in the caption so our clients know how the effect was achieved. I can't even render anything mono, which is a pain! As for Photoshop... I don't use it anymore as I have the basic contrast and sharpening tools in Lightroom.

On a final note, don't underestimate the quality of the images produced by photographers working for the 'fast' world of newspapers and TV. All my shots are news pictures, including the balloons, which the Daily Telegraph used fairly large!

Ben

[Jerry WSL]

Originally Posted by BenBirchall

In reply to a few comments and Q's......



Jerry - PR don't have the rights to sell unless they contact you and ask first. If you say no then they cant, simple! If you say yes, then you can negotiate your own fee, which they will either accept or decline. Anyway, they're not a news agency and wouldn't have the resources to ping out an image to the various desks around the country.


Ben

I know I was taking the Biscuit!

[BenBirchall]

I know you were, but so many people on here still think the T&C's are nasty. People read those tongue in cheek comments and take them for facts. Sorry to be so heavy, but this site and Future aren't out to rip off anybody on here. Heck, if you want to see really grabbing T&C's just check out the BBC!!! And loads of numpty's send them free pictures every day of the week!!!

[simonfletcherphotography]

Ben,
Thanks for the insight into your equipment and more of a 'feeling' for the difference between 'grabbed' and 'composed' shots. Having combined what you have said with a study of your website, I reckon I've learned a lot. Many Thanks!
You say that news/picture agencies are the best bet for releasing photographs to. Do they expect you to write something about the photographs too - to tell a story? And, who sets the fee, do you ask for what you feel the photos/story is worth or do they tell you?
Simon

[BenBirchall]

Originally Posted by simonfletcherphotography

Ben,
Thanks for the insight into your equipment and more of a 'feeling' for the difference between 'grabbed' and 'composed' shots. Having combined what you have said with a study of your website, I reckon I've learned a lot. Many Thanks!
You say that news/picture agencies are the best bet for releasing photographs to. Do they expect you to write something about the photographs too - to tell a story? And, who sets the fee, do you ask for what you feel the photos/story is worth or do they tell you?
Simon

Glad to be of help. If you have a newsworthy shot/s then the story will be self evident or reporters will do the copy for the pix. The fee depends entirely on what the pic is of... It's usually sold for the agency's normal picture fee, which is usually set by the papers/magazines. More unusually, especially with exclusive stuff, the agency will set a fee or negotiate one on your behalf. That's what agency's do... They deal with the sale and distribution so you don't have to worry about it. They also know what a pic is worth and who will pay what for it.

Speak to an agency if you want specific details on payment methods and fees. However, don't start a conversation with that as your opening gambit!

Ben

[ether]

Originally Posted by BenBirchall

In reply to a few comments and Q's......

Ed - Google your nearest news/picture agency, or any in the UK for that matter. They usually do a 50-50 split on sales. Some people balk at that offer, but they can feed every single market and publication around the globe, something which a one man band could never do. They'll tell you how to get a pic to them.


Ben

Thanks
Ed

[OldBoy]

Originally Posted by BenBirchall

In reply to a few comments and Q's......

Simon - I agree with OldBoy to a degree... Most 'moments' have a build up period to capturing the key event. Take the siege on the Iranian Embassy. The cameras were already there and trained on the window ready to shoot as the blast went off. I was at a soldiers funeral last week (seems to be one a week at the moment) and although the key shots only last a few seconds you're already there to capture them. It's during that time that photographers WILL labour over composition, lighting lens choice etc. There's a misconception that news photographers just stumble on stories and great images. That only happens for hard breaking news, which is where I fully agree with OldBoy and image quality is secondary to the photo.

Ben

To be fair Ben I wasn't talking about Pro, whether press or freelance, but of ordinary photographers who whilst out with their cameras come upon an event like a fire or crash which is happening before their eyes. In those cases it a question of getting the shot regardless of composition, which was why I suggested having the camera set in auto or program mode, as you wouldn't have time to adjust the camera.

[BenBirchall]

Originally Posted by OldBoy

To be fair Ben I wasn't talking about Pro, whether press or freelance, but of ordinary photographers who whilst out with their cameras come upon an event like a fire or crash which is happening before their eyes. In those cases it a question of getting the shot regardless of composition, which was why I suggested having the camera set in auto or program mode, as you wouldn't have time to adjust the camera.

I see. And agree completely... I leave mine in Shutter Priority set to 1/500 sec for the 70-200mm and 1/250 for the 24-70mm with the ISO high enough for the lighting situation to avoid under exposure. I use these while shouldering the cameras, like you suggest, and change the Exposure mode when I begin a shoot.

[Jerry WSL]

I do that but I thought it was because I am a sh!t photographer!!

[simonfletcherphotography]

Thanks again for your 'pearls of wisdom' Ben.
What would you suggest if I were to take a shot at a 'local' event which may only be of interest to people 'up here' in The Highlands of Scotland (where all is peace and harmony - due to copious drams of God's Own Creation) - for instance at an Agricultural Show and a cow escaped the enclosure and made mahem with a tent?
Still the picture/news agency - or try to negotiate with a local paper?