working with a publication/magazine

[michaelnotar]

just recently a local magazine has contacted me about my services and am curious to know how it usually works (copyright, reprints, royalties/usage) as i am accustomed to working with ad agencies/ADs.

the publisher contacts me to shoot various products or people/owners of local restaurants/wine hang outs (the mags are about the local restaurant scene etc). so they pay me, designs an ad for a client or sometimes not and wants/is accustomed to having the right to resell it (the ad with the photos or the photos alone) to the client multiple times without paying me. most of the time they want to trade ad space for my services and then have the same as above.

seems vary one sided to me. the publisher has even mentioned that if they pay the photographer, then dont see reason to give anything back for a cut of resales etc, only if the photographer worked for free, for trade for ad space that they will give them the opportunity to make any more off of the photos. one time the client wanted a portrait print for their office and only gave the photographer the opportunity to sell the print since they had worked for trade to the publisher for quite a time.

[Mike Keller]

This is not a real magazine, more like one of those promotional things that publicize a community, have a little bit of editorial but try to sell to the companies being featured. They do a story, the company buys an ad, they can purchase an extra run of just the story and the ad pages. Just walk away.

[michaelnotar]

YES! exactly you nailed it. its a magazine but they find things to write about, kindof adventorials for local companies. they do it to try to get the locals to also buy ads from them that they create on spec. they usually come to me asking for a great deal or to trade for ad space and then design the ad and sell them the space. if they pay me they expect to resell the ad to them (no problem) but give the client the photos for them to do what they wish or sometimes the magazine keeps them to resell to the client to make money without letting me know or paying me anymore.

i dont think i will work with them again, unless i am paid in full and my terms are met as far as reproduction, copyright, and royalties. last year i shot 1/2 day for them ,and created an ad by my ad agency which cost me $600, so i lost roughly a $500-600 shoot and another $600!

[Kevin_M_Cox]

I'd walk away also. Since you own the copyright to your photos, you should be the one dictating how they can use and resell them.

Editorial Photographers is a great resource for magazine photographers.
Editorial Photographers
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