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We’ve compiled a list of what different news organizations have paid freelance photographers, and we’re including copies of actual contracts when we have them. Keep in mind that this information reflects what those organizations have paid in the past, not necessarily what they currently pay, or what they’ll offer you. Please use this as background information only. Telling clients that you found this information here will do you more harm than good. Please send updates to [email protected] if you find more recent information. Thanks!
New York Times (still photos)
Shoot Fee: 200.00
Expenses: mileage, parking, tolls
Licensing: shared copyright (client pays photographer 50% of third party sales)
Exclusivity: photographer can license the pictures to other clients after 10 days for published pictures and 24 hours for unpublished photos
New York Times (video)
Shoot Fee: 200.00 for most sections, 350.00 for the Travel section, often negotiable
Expenses: mileage, parking, tolls
Licensing: work for hire
Exclusivity: photographer has no rights to the images
USA Today
Shoot Fee: 375.00
Expenses: milage, parking, tolls, 25.00 for digital transmission
Licensing: don’t know
Exclusivity: don’t know
Wall Street Journal
Shoot Fee: 200.00 up to 4 hours, 400.00 up to 8 hours
Expenses: none
Licensing: use forever by WSJ and their parent company, Dow Jones & Company, plus third parties
Exclusivity: photographer can license the pictures to other clients after 21 days
Newsday
Shoot Fee: 250.00/day (sometimes with multiple assignments)
Expenses: none
Licensing: all submitted photos are work for hire
Exclusivity: Newsday conveys to the photographer the non-exclusive right to license the photos to any third party
Washington Post
Shoot Fee: 350.00 – 400.00/assignment
Expenses: mileage, parking, tolls
Licensing: use forever in Washington Post, WP News Service, Bloomberg News, will pay 50% of any other sale
Exclusivity: photographer may not relicense the photos to other clients
Doylestown PA Intelligencer
Shoot Fee: 75.00 for stills, an extra 25.00 for video
Expenses: none
Licensing: one-time use
Exclusivity: photographer can license the pictures to other clients
Business Journal
Shoot Fee: 150.00
Expenses: none
Licensing: work for hire
Exclusivity: photographer has no rights to the images
Gannett
Shoot Fee: 65.00 for a quick assignment, up to 200.00 for full day
Expenses: none
Licensing: work for hire
Exclusivity: they will consider letting you use your photos
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Shoot Fee: 175.00 for reportage, 275.00 for lit portrait
Expenses: mileage, parking, tolls
Licensing: one-time use
Exclusivity: photographer can license the pictures to other clients after 48 hours
AARP Bulletin
Shoot Fee: 600.00
Expenses: digital processing fee, strobe rental, mileage, parking, meals, tolls
Licensing: one-time use
Exclusivity: photographer can license the pictures to other clients
Associated Press
Shoot Fee: 150.00 – 200.00/assignment for most assignments, 200.00 for longer assignments like football games, 50.00/picture for spot news
Expenses: none
Licensing: work for hire, but photographer gets 35% commission on third party sales (outside of the AP network)
Exclusivity: photographer has no rights to the images
Reuters
Shoot Fee: 250.00 for short assignments, 350.00 for long days
Expenses: mileage, parking, tolls
Licensing: use forever of selects, photographer gets 30% commission on sales (outside of the Reuters network)
Exclusivity: photographer may license outtakes to other clients
AFP
Shoot Fee: 150.00 – 180.00/assignment
Expenses: don’t know
Licensing: work for hire
Exclusivity: photographer has no rights to the photos
Getty Images News Service
Shoot Fee: 125.00/half-day, 250.00/full-day, more for long days
Expenses: mileage, parking, tolls
Licensing: use of any kind, including sub-licensing to third parties, for 1 year, which automatically renews unless cancelled by Getty or photographer
Exclusivity: photographer may not relicense the photos until 1 year after termination of the contract
Getty Global Assignment
Shoot Fee: Getty takes 35% commission on editorial assignments, 40% commission on commercial
Expenses: per assignment
Licensing: per assignment
Exclusivity: per assignment
Bancroft Media (UK)
Shoot Fee: they’re a picture agency, not a client, shoots are on spec, split 50-50 on all sales
Expenses: none
Licensing: n/a
Exclusivity: photographer may license outtakes to other clients
Religion News Service
Shoot Fee: don’t know
Expenses: don’t know
Licensing: use only in connection with RNS and their licensees
Exclusivity: photographer may relicense the photos 90 days after first publication by RNS
CNN
Shoot Fee: 600.00
Expenses: don’t know
Licensing: use forever on CNN properties
Exclusivity: photographer may license the photos to third parties after 30 days from first use by CNN
NPR
Shoot Fee: 400.00
Expenses: 150.00 digital processing, mileage, parking, tolls
Licensing: use forever for NPR, plus for third parties in connection with NPR content
Exclusivity: photographer may license any pictures to other clients after initial publication by NPR
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