An overlooked tool for editorial photographers is Editorial Photography Estimator. The free version is still available but not the commercial version which included data for advertising photography. A new edition of the commercial version was supposed to have been released in 2011.

It’s very important to remember that Editorial Photography Estimator (EPE) is from 2001 and its numbers are out-of-date. However, the underlying concepts are still valid. Editorial fees, for both assignment and stock, are based upon the circulation of the publication and that publication’s ad rate for a full-page colour ad.

EPE lists hundreds of US magazines, some of which are no longer in business. Nevertheless, a photographer can update or create a new entry for any magazine they want, as long as they know that publication’s circulation and ad rate, both of which can usually be found online.

With all pricing software, never follow the numbers blindly. Software cannot account for a photographer’s location, overhead, expertise, talent, business plans, etc.

The EPE web site has a link to the documentation for the discontinued commercial version. This explains the logic behind both versions of the software. Some quotes:

It was obvious very quickly after creating this software, that photographers are  insanely underpaid.

The Estimator does not grant any discounts for multiple image use. While some publishers might try to get such a discount, such a system is not appropriate for editorial work nor has it been traditional to give discounts for multiple images.

To help with negotiating a fair editorial photo fee, EPE software also displays the photography cost per magazine copy. For example, if a $1,400 fee for editorial photography seems too high, when you consider that the magazine circulation is 200,000 copies, that fee works out to be only 0.7¢ per copy.

Editorial Photography Estimator is worthwhile if only for informational purposes.

Here are a few gentle ways to insult a fellow photographer:

• He’s a few pictures short of a slideshow.
• She’s obviously not working with a full frame.
• His zoom doesn’t extend all the way.
• Her flash isn’t firing on full power.
• Her shutter speed is a bit slow.
• His aperture isn’t exactly wide open.
• She’s dragging her shutter.
• He’s been spending way too much time in a darkroom.
• He’s working with a shallow depth of field.
• She’s not exactly high definition.
• “Low resolution” is his middle name.
• His lens cap is on.
• Her memory card is empty.
• She’s not exactly the sharpest lens in the bag.
• He’s not exactly the fastest lens in the bag.
• His camera is clicking but nothing gets recorded.
• Her camera is firing but the film isn’t advancing.
• He’s a couple of stops short of a good exposure.
• She still uses film.

Any more to add?

A 2007 USA study, with the catchy title of “Marketing actions can modulate neural representations of experienced pleasantness”, showed that marketing actions, such as changing the price of a product, can affect consumer enjoyment of that product.

The study used functional MRI to observe the brain activity of test subjects while they sampled differently-priced wines. The subjects were told the five different wines were valued at $5, $10, $35, $45 and $90. But unknown to them, there were really only three different wines: the $5 and $45 wines were the same; the $10 and $90 wines were the same.

Bottom line: the more expensive the wine, the more the test subjects enjoyed it. When the $90 wine was labeled as $90, the subjects liked it. But when it was labeled as being $10, they no longer enjoyed it. Subjects didn’t enjoy the $5 wine but when it was labeled as being $45 then they did.

To make sure the test subjects were being truthful about which wines they enjoyed, functional MRI was used to monitor brain activity. Levels of enjoyment can be seen by increased activity in certain parts of the brain.

What this seems to show is that consumers take (emotional) cues from the marketing surrounding a product. In this case, higher prices led to higher levels of enjoyment.

Many businesses already know this. But photographers need to learn that lowering prices in an attempt to get more business will backfire in the long run. Photo buyers will always associate cheap prices with low quality and no one enjoys that.

When a photographer discounts their prices, they’re only discounting themselves.

From time to time, newer professional photographers ask what they should do when a client is late to pay. The answer is easy: remind them to pay.

Okay, maybe it’s not quite that simple.

When a client hasn’t paid within whatever time period the photographer has set, (and the photographer is free to set any time period they want), often the reason is that the client has lost or misplaced the invoice or has simply forgotten to pay it. Yes, it would be nice if we could “forget” to pay the phone bill, credit card bill, cable bill …

E-mail the client and politely remind them that there’s no cheque in the mail:

Hi Jennifer,

Would you please check to make sure that my invoice #12345 (attached below) has been processed. It’s been 35 days and payment has not been received.

The invoice was for five business portraits done on November 15, 2011 and the finished pictures were delivered on November 18.

Could you get back to me today and let me know where we stand?

Thanks.

Often, that’s all it takes to get the client to pay the invoice. Most clients are honest and mistakes or delays do happen. It’s not a crime to ask for payment and you’re not begging for money.

If this doesn’t work then what to do next will be the topic of another post.

It’s very important that the photographer’s contract specifies the terms of payment. It must say that full payment is due within “X” number of days. Otherwise, the client can pay whenever they want. The photographer can set any time period they want. But note that some companies and government ministries require several weeks to a few months(!) to pay.

Always use a conditional statement that basically says, “only after you pay me in full do you get usage rights”. If such a statement is not used, a client can use the pictures and not pay. At best (at worst?), they’re guilty of non-payment of invoice. (I’m not a lawyer, etc.)

By using conditional statements, a non-paying client who used the pictures could be guilty of, at least, copyright infringement. For examples only:

• No rights are granted until Photographer has received payment in full. Any use prior to full payment shall be considered an unauthorized use.

• Grant of any reproductions rights to the Client is conditioned upon receipt of full payment by the Photographer.

Photographers can charge interest on late payments but keep in mind that the legal maximum rate is 60% per year. If no interest rate is specified then, I believe, it’s 5% per year.

A problem with charging interest is that a small percent number, for example “2% per month interest”, has little impact on the client since that number isn’t seen as “real money”. It might be better to impose a specific late fee. For examples only:

• All invoices are due upon receipt. A re-billing fee of $25.00 will be added to all unpaid balances after each thirty-day period.

• All invoices are due upon receipt. Late payments will be billed $25.00 per month as a re-invoicing fee.

If a fixed, monthly “re-billing fee” (or anything similar) is charged, that fee can’t exceed the legal maximum of 60% per year.

Or you could reverse it. When estimating and invoicing the client, add an administration or handing fee right from the get-go, along with a statement such as:

“This administration fee reflects our cost of having to follow-up on overdue accounts. If full payment is made within “X” number of days, this fee may be deducted from the total amount due.”

This is not a monthly fee, it can be as high as you want (within reason) and it gives the client a real incentive to pay on time.

Aggressive pixels – A picture shot extremely tight. For example: when all others are using a 70-200mm lens, the photographer using a 400mm is said to be shooting aggressive pixels.

American Idol Effect – A reference to picture sites like Flickr.

Autotard – A photographer who always has their camera on the “Auto” setting.

Available darkness – Working in a very dark location without flash. “The location was so dark, the pictures had to be shot using available darkness.”

Baby zoomer – A wide-angle zoom lens.

Bacon assignment – A job that pays much more than it’s worth.

Bobbleheading – When a photographer immediately checks every single picture they shoot right after taking it. The photographer takes a picture then lowers their head to look at the LCD review, then raises their head to take the next picture, then lowers their head to check the LCD, then raises their head to shoot, then…

Brandalism – When a photographer covers the logos on their camera gear with tape.

Brandroid – A photographer who uses the brightly-coloured, logo-covered camera strap that came with their camera. Such photographers also often wear the camera brand hat, the camera brand t-shirt and cover their equipment cases with the camera brand stickers.

Bricks and mortar shooter – A studio-based photographer.

Car-B-Q – When a photographer eats in their car between assignments.

Cash flow bandit – A client who’s late to pay.

Citizen journalist – Another phrase for “cellphone owner”.

Coin-operated – A freelancer.

Connectile dysfunction – When a photographer can’t connect to the Wifi at an event.

Co-opetition – When photographers from competing newspapers or agencies have to work together in a small photo area.

Crop dusting – Weeding out all the bad pictures before posting the images on a web page for the client to proof.

Critical mass – The number of photographers who have to complain before the event organizer finally takes action.

Crop-n-chop – Trying to salvage an acceptable image from a lousy photo by using creative or excessive cropping. Also called “chopshopping”.

Crowdsourcing – What a newspaper does to hamsterize its content. Also known as “being cheap and lazy”.

Data dump – Going to the washroom before the event starts.

Deferred success – When business is slow. “I’m going through a period of deferred success right now.”

Digisaurus – A photographer who uses a digital camera that’s more than two generations behind.

Digital diet – When a photographer’s spouse won’t let them buy another new camera.

Double-exposure – Eating two stadium hot dogs.

Draining pixels – Transferring image files from memory card to computer.

Electron hog – A photographer who takes up many electrical outlets by plugging in their laptop, big external drives, a few camera battery chargers, a cell phone charger, several AA battery chargers …

Early-birding – Arriving at an event several hours ahead of time to get a good shooting position.

Ego surfing – When a photographer searches web sites after an event to see how many sites are using their pictures.

Embedded – A photographer who’s shooting for the event organizers or sponsors.

Fairy Dusting – Applying a very high amount of sharpening to save a soft picture.

Fat focus – When a picture is tack sharp and then some.

Fauxtographer – A camera owner who relies on all the trendy photo apps.

Financial pit stop – Stopping at an ATM to get some cash.

Filmasaurus – A photographer who still shoots film.

Flashturbater – A photographer who flashes everything and usually at f16.

Flash-n-dash – A quick assignment where the photographer runs in, shoots a few frames and then leaves. Often applies to assignments that require only a headshot. Also known as a “drive-thru assignment” , a “drive-by shooting” or simply  a “drive-by”.

Flash it out – When a group of news photographers, all with flashes, has to scrum someone.

Flasherati – Another term for “paparazzi”.

Freelance flush – Near the end of the year when a publication or agency runs out of budget and cuts off all freelancers until the new year.

Glass envy – When photographers ogle each other’s lenses.

Hamsterize – When an agency uses many cheap or free photographers rather than hiring a few experienced photographers, and it expects sheer quantity to compensate for lack of quality, that agency has hamsterized its coverage.

Idiot fee – A legitimate fee that needs to be charged when dealing with some clients.

Imagineering – Planning for an assignment.

Job spill – When an assignment lasts longer than planned.

Karaoke Klickr – An amateur who copies other photographers’ published pictures then posts and brags about them on their Flickr page.

Late-birding – Arriving late at an event often because another assignment was scheduled right before it. “I’ll be late-birding the game tomorrow because I have to do the mayor’s press conference first.”

Left lane – Work faster. “I have to left lane this job since they need the pictures tomorrow”.

Lensing – To take photos. “I’ll be lensing a few business portraits tomorrow.”

Lens licker – An amateur who owns all the latest pro gear and uses it only to take pictures of the gear itself or of themselves holding said gear.

Monopod forest – A crowded photo pit at a large event where every photographer is holding a long lens on a monopod.

Not the fastest lens in the bag – A reference to a dimwitted photographer. (Also known as “Not the sharpest lens in the bag”).

Over-lensed – When a lens is too long to make a picture. “It happened right in front of me but I was over-lensed.”

Over-tooled – Bringing too much equipment to an assignment.

Photo-squatter – A photographer who goes to events for their own entertainment rather than for paying clients.

Pix for clicks – Shooting on commission for a cheap stock agency.

Pay wall – When an event changes from free media food to pay food.

Photo-op – A guaranteed waste of a photographer’s time.

Photosensitive – A photographer who can’t take criticism of their pictures.

Photo-toxic – Public relations flacks who get in the way.

Playoff princess – A photographer who doesn’t cover the regular season but only shows up to shoot the playoffs.

Podcasting – When a photographer marks their position by leaving their tripod or monopod in place. (Also known as “carding” – taping a business card in place.)

Quantum leap – When a Quantum flash battery falls to the ground. Usually requires quantum cash to repair.

Quadruple time – What a photographer would like to charge.

Quote Queen – A client who frequently requests photo quotes but never hires the photographer.

Re-pixelize – A reshoot. “I have to re-pixelize a building tomorrow if it doesn’t rain.”

Ringxiety –  What many freelancers suffer while waiting for the phone to ring.

Shutternaut – A photographer who shoots an excessive number of frames.

Spray job – An assignment that requires shooting anything and everything because the client doesn’t know what they want.

Stockalypse – A reference to cheap stock agencies and their photographers.

Subject failure – When a camera’s auto functions fail to produce a good picture.

Thin focus – A slightly out-of-focus image.

Toyographer – Someone who buys the newest photo gear and only takes pictures of their cat or dog. Also refers to people who use plastic toy cameras.

Treeware – A newspaper or magazine. “I’m doing some corporate photography for a business treeware in Toronto.”

Under-lensed – When a lens is too short to make a picture. “It happened on the other side of the field and I was under-lensed.”

Under-tooled – Forgetting to bring a certain piece of equipment to a job.

Visioning a photo – Another phrase for “photoshopping”.

Wardrobe malfunction – When a photographer wears jeans to a corporate shoot.

Webicide –  When a photographer has a crappy web site or no site at all.

WordPress Effect – When someone thinks they’re a journalist because they have a blog.

Xerox shooter – A photographer who follows and copies another photographer at an event.

X-rayed – A grossly over-exposed portrait where the person’s skin is totally blown out. “Geez, I really x-rayed that picture.”

Yacht race – A row of photographers all with gigantic (and expensive) lenses.

Yesterday – When some clients expect their pictures.

Zoomaphobic – A photographer who leans or moves forward (and blocks everyone behind them) rather than just zooming their lens.

Zombie shooting – Doing a number of quick, passport-like portraits.