Larry Sessions:
>I work with a small publisher who hopes to publish a
>page-a-day birding calendar for 1997.

>** Give yourself some credit--if you are proud of the
>photo, we want to consider it for the calendar. **

** GIVE YOURSELF SOME CREDIT -- IF YOU ARE PROUD OF YOUR
PHOTOS, DON'T GIVE THEM AWAY!

>The economic reality is that in order for this amateur
>birding calendar to be feasible, payment must be in
>recognition and with a copy of the calendar only.

Sigh. OK, I'm an amateur photographer who occasionally
likes to see my stuff in print, but I DON'T give my stuff
away for nothing to folks who intend to make a profit
off of my submission. (I do give stuff to PAS, and the
like, for free but that I consider to be a donation to the
cause, much like volunteering to lead trips for free).

Notice that Larry WORKS for a small publisher. He doesn't
mention donating his time. The small publisher is trying to make
a profit on the calendar. Talking folks into giving photo
rights for free is certainly one way to cut production costs,
but it isn't considered an honorable way to do so in the trade.
Note that they also tell you they can't be responsible for
submissions, so send a dupe - at your expense! Sending dupes
is common practice - but so is being paid.

If you have quality photographs, send them off to a real calendar,
notecard, or magazine publisher. They don't pay well (calendar
rates are generally in the $100-$200 range, notecards in the $50
range, magazines all over the map) but: REPUTABLE PUBLISHERS
DO NOT EXPECT TO GET MATERIAL FOR FREE.

Having a tearsheet or calendar page from a publisher who doesn't
pay ain't going to enhance your reputation any, either (unless
you win a legitimate, and well-recognized, regional or national
contest).

Getting published ain't that hard. If you are desperate, try
your local urban daily newspaper - they pay.

I bet these folks will, if they do accept your image(s), demand
the usual one-year exclusive use right for calendars as well.

They state that, if you're interested in "becoming professional",
this is a way to break in. Note that giving stuff away is also
a way to depress the value of your work, and of the market at
large. There is a glut of nature images available at reasonable
cost, adding a glut of free images is just going to depress
the market value for all. Don't aid and abett these (hmmm)
mammalian fecal droppings masquerading as a publisher.

And, PLEASE, don't use tweeters to solicit for such (get to say
this twice in one week!) pond scum.

Oh, everything I've said above goes double for folks who offer
to publish your writing with no renumeration (except, of course,
our friendly local non-profits). I suppose these folks are one
step about the Vanity Press, but I'm not sure. At least the
vanity folks are honest about taking your money!



- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>