How much is one photo worth for a news article?

Hi All -

A while back I posted a photo on flickr (and here) of myself and called it "Too old to hire, too young to retire". Well, it turns out that CNN Money wants to do an article on the subject and give the article the same name ...and guess who they might interview for the article! I got an email from them today asking for my phone number, along with a number of others so I'm not 100% sure I will be but I think there is a high possibility considering the title similarity.

Anyway, should I ask if they want to buy the photo for the article or just give it to them if they want to use it? If so, for how much? Even with the fiscal cliff extension my unemployment comp is due to run out in a couple weeks. Since the overall percent of unemployed people is down in Wisconsin, the federal gov't decided we are not entitled to the extension. So, if I can make a $ off the photo, it would be a godsend!

Denise

The problem with selling images to someone big is that they get discounts. From what I've seen of Getty, if 'Jane' wants your image for her cookbook cover, she might have to pay $50. Great. But, if Hallmark, who has a bulk image agreement, wants that same image, they'll get it for $0.43.

I imagine CNN buys enough stock images that they have some sort of bulk agreement too. Ask for any sort of reasonable price, and you won't get it, since they can find a similar image for pennies.

It doesn't hurt to try to sell them the image, but don't get your hopes too high.

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Originally Posted by DavidEccleston

The problem with selling images to someone big is that they get discounts. From what I've seen of Getty, if 'Jane' wants your image for her cookbook cover, she might have to pay $50. Great. But, if Hallmark, who has a bulk image agreement, wants that same image, they'll get it for $0.43.

I imagine CNN buys enough stock images that they have some sort of bulk agreement too. Ask for any sort of reasonable price, and you won't get it, since they can find a similar image for pennies.

It doesn't hurt to try to sell them the image, but don't get your hopes too high.

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Yeah, I already had a feeling that would be the case. I think I would just let them use it for free, IF they want it but I'm sure they have access to an over-abundance of photos to choose from.

Hi Denise,

Another way to maybe look at this is as an investment. By going out of your way to make sure they have a great experience with you they may devote a significant portion of the piece to your story. You never know, a job offer could materialize from the coverage. There may even be a local outlet interested in picking it up. The local paper in my neck of the woods is always looking for content.

If you don't sell it use it to promote yourself. Not sure what type of job you are looking for, if it is outside of photography get a link to your resume with the picture. Either along with the photo or in the watermark. If you have a LinkedIn account, point to that and beef up the profile. That will show what you are looking for and give a mechanism to be reached. Maybe some offers or interest will come your way.

Eric

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Originally Posted by PatrickH

Hi Denise,

Another way to maybe look at this is as an investment. By going out of your way to make sure they have a great experience with you they may devote a significant portion of the piece to your story. You never know, a job offer could materialize from the coverage. There may even be a local outlet interested in picking it up. The local paper in my neck of the woods is always looking for content.

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I am considering contacting our local newspaper. It would be awesome if a job did materialize out of it!!!

I just received another email from CNN and she will be interviewing me Monday late morning!

This sounds like great news Denise. The money for a photo will be nothing compared to the potential employment opportunities that could come from the interview.
I wish you all the best with this one. You go girl.

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Originally Posted by Steve U

This sounds like great news Denise. The money for a photo will be nothing compared to the potential employment opportunities that could come from the interview.
I wish you all the best with this one. You go girl.

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Thanks, Steve!! Hopefully, something good will come out of it even if it is to bring more attention to the problem people like myself are faced with!

Congrats Denise. If nothing else, this is an amazing compliment for your photography.

Denise,
I was trying to find the photo, but could not find it on your flikr site. If you have a link to share it would be most appreciated. The title is very good. It gives me that (Jethro Tull) "Too old to rock´n roll, too young to die" association. Make sure they give you credit for both the photo and the title when they publish, it would be good for you.
Good luck & fingers crossed!

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Originally Posted by eldarhau

Denise,
I was trying to find the photo, but could not find it on your flikr site. If you have a link to share it would be most appreciated. The title is very good. It gives me that (Jethro Tull) "Too old to rock´n roll, too young to die" association. Make sure they give you credit for both the photo and the title when they publish, it would be good for you.
Good luck & fingers crossed!

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Thank you! I took the photo down a few short weeks after posting it. It was one of those things you look back at later and think OMG, why did I post that!? It was taken during a moment of frustration and after I calmed down, I just didn't like seeing it all the time in my flickr thread. Even though it is just a head shot silhouette and not even that good, when I look at it, it does make me sad and then I start to worry and get frustrated all over again.

It was raining outside that is why the window looks nasty.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8514/8...ac56182b_c.jpg
Despair by Denise Trocio ( www.dtrociophotography.com), on Flickr

Good luck tomorrow Denise!
Ps: I still think it's a great photo even though it has quite a depressed feeling to it. I understand why you wouldn't want to see it each time you visit Flickr. But that's also why it would do great on an article.

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

I just received another email from CNN and she will be interviewing me Monday late morning!

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Awesome :o

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

It was raining outside that is why the window looks nasty.

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Well it is a nasty situation. :(

But I think the image is great.

Thanks for sharing. As they say, a picture tells more than a thousand words. Combined with the title, it is very powerful.

Please make sure to tells us how it goes. I think you have lots of fingers crossed for this one ;)

Eldar

Well, I spoke with the reporter at CNN this morning and I got a better idea of what this is all about. I told her I would let her know by tomorrow morning if I want to do it. I think I will probably end up passing on it.

They want to do a full article which would include a 200 word essay written by me. It would include a full head shot of myself (not a silhouette like above) and the article would include my name and location.

So, no $ for the photo and it looks like no article either. :(

But it would be exposure, and then potentially a job from somebody. Even if they're just hiring because they're hoping for positive PR by hiring 'the too old to hire woman', it's still income. It can't hurt.

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Well, I spoke with the reporter at CNN this morning and I got a better idea of what this is all about. I told her I would let her know by tomorrow morning if I want to do it. I think I will probably end up passing on it.

They want to do a full article which would include a 200 word essay written by me. It would include a full head shot of myself (not a silhouette like above) and the article would include my name and location.

So, no $ for the photo and it looks like no article either. :(

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Not paid? Just fame? :confused:

Agree with David. Nothing to loose IMO. Plus you get in contact with new people

Keeping my fingers crossed for you Denise

Arnt


Arnt

Really debating this one! I could use 100+ words to promote myself and my skills but ...it could backlash from the other 100+ words. Who is going to want to hire someone that shouted age discrimination from the CNN rooftops!?

And I do apologize now that it has gotten away from the topic of photography! But, if I do change my mind and go for it ...I will be depending on you guys to help me decide on my headshot photo for the article! Sure could use Sean as my photographer for this!

Denise, I haven't had the terms and don't know the situation as you do, but I also think it might be a good thing to show yourself to the business.
I only know CNN from tv, but a quick look at CNN money makes me believe it's a serious platform for companies and interested people. Not some sort of small regional forum, where I too wouldn't be too happy posting my lifeline plus headshot onto.

As I get the idea that you are invited to a serious platform, I would personally suggest to take the chance and hopefully get something out of it. As for the essay I would think a positive look at your situation would work better than to list all the negatives on being unemployed and having difficulties finding work.

Anyway, I think maybe getting a few hundred bucks for the photo would have been a better choice for you at the moment, but this might just as well turn into something that you will get a lot more out of.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Denise 200 words that might have a positive influence on your employment prospects is a good investment. I agree with Jan's thoughts above. You have excellent communication skills and this could be a very good vehicle to highlight and promote not only yourself but the plight of many middle aged people.
You have sacrificed a lot to just maintain your home since becoming unemployed and you have worked very hard to find work, genuine effort and endeavor deserves to be recognized and rewarded.
Hope you go through with this, good luck.

Thank you!

In case anyone is wondering how this all came about, I had emailed the writer about a month ago thank her for this article she did to bring attention to the subject. Also, this is exactly what the set-up would be for the article about me ...

http://money.cnn.com/gallery/news/ec...ess/index.html

Now that you see it in similar print ..still have the same opinion? I thought it was great ...when it was about other people!

I see your point - publicity is a good thing, but 'I have given up' is not a message you want to send to potential employers...especially when it's not true!

Yep, see what you mean, but it would be interesting to know if that gentlemen now is employed and his beaten down job seeker story was just a very clever marketing ploy.
While you can certainly identify with that blokes feelings, you are a fighter Denise and i agree with John, you haven't given up.
As far as headshots don't forget your picture at the Kenny Rogers concert....I haven't :)

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Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

I see your point - publicity is a good thing, but 'I have given up' is not a message you want to send to potential employers...especially when it's not true!

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Oh, most definitely I would not give it that approach! I have more of the approach like, "this is the experience, skills and dedication that employers are missing out on by not hiring me" angle!

If you keep it straight and positive, you get your name out there and maybe some possibilities come up. Convey that you have not given up and that you still have skills to bring to the table.

If I hire someone, I want to see what they can bring to the table, not the baggage. As long as the story can show you can help a company succeed and not focus on the negative aspects, it could bring you some opportunities. Just have a resume or LinkedIn profile ready so if inquiries come you have something to point to.

Eric

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Originally Posted by Steve U

Yep, see what you mean, but it would be interesting to know if that gentlemen now is employed and his beaten down job seeker story was just a very clever marketing ploy.
While you can certainly identify with that blokes feelings, you are a fighter Denise and i agree with John, you haven't given up.
As far as headshots don't forget your picture at the Kenny Rogers concert....I haven't :)

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Actually, I was thinking maybe this one to show I wasn't always old! Granted it's a scanned photo taken with an old p&s but whatcha think, Steve? :cool:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8248/8...be258094_c.jpg
Me by Denise Trocio ( www.dtrociophotography.com), on Flickr

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Originally Posted by EricPvpi

If you keep it straight and positive, you get your name out there and maybe some possibilities come up. Convey that you have not given up and that you still have skills to bring to the table.

If I hire someone, I want to see what they can bring to the table, not the baggage. As long as the story can show you can help a company succeed and not focus on the negative aspects, it could bring you some opportunities. Just have a resume or LinkedIn profile ready so if inquiries come you have something to point to.

Eric

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Thanks, Eric! Yes, on a serious note I am very professional and would most definitely be able to present myself as such! The skills, dedication, loyalty and experience is there along with a very solid work background. I'm just not sure this article would help any locally.

Hubba hubba. This reminds of that one about the two women with equal qualifications apply for the same job. Who gets the job?
I'll clean it up a bit here. ...
The cute one of course.
And that would be you Denise. :)

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Originally Posted by Steve U

Hubba hubba. This reminds of that one about the two women with equal qualifications apply for the same job. Who gets the job?
I'll clean it up a bit here. ...
The cute one of course.
And that would be you Denise. :)

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Now fast forward about 20 years later and that is exactly what got me in the situation I'm in now! Go figure!

My guess is they already have their story mapped out. So how you present yourself and story may never come across the way you intend. They will cut and edit your words to present the story in the way that they want it to come across. That may sound awful negative, but they do not go into these things without having the story line defined and laid out ahead of time (they need to sell the story to their bosses ahead of time to get resources).

Be careful you do not get run over by people with an agenda.

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Originally Posted by conropl

My guess is they already have their story mapped out. So how you present yourself and story may never come across the way you intend. They will cut and edit your words to present the story in the way that they want it to come across. That may sound awful negative, but they do not go into these things without having the story line defined and laid out ahead of time (they need to sell the story to their bosses ahead of time to get resources).

Be careful you do not get run over by people with an agenda.

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I do agree with you, Pat. I am not sure the end result would be beneficial for me.

After careful consideration and reading the comments made by readers on the previous article on this subject, I declined the offer.

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

I do agree with you, Pat. I am not sure the end result would be beneficial for me.

After careful consideration and reading the comments made by readers on the previous article on this subject, I declined the offer.

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Good on you Denise. To be honest I was expecting something a lot more positive and a better opportunity(therefor investment) in your future. However when I just only read the brief intro and saw the words "there's only so much rejection a person can take", "beyond fed up", "hopeless"....I was feeling the exact same thing for the guy who's story I didn't even read yet. With the added photo, my judgement of the guy was done before I even read the story and it mirrored the words written in the intro. And when I started to read his text it went only downhill. Definitely not how you want to market yourself.
I get the feeling this is just a way of showing a struggling type of unemployed people(without any benefits other than "amusement") instead of giving attention to them in a positive way to show that they still got the will to fight for it despite their "age" and situation.

I hope you get better chances soon Denise.
Ps: that photo rocks ;)

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Who is going to want to hire someone that shouted age discrimination from the CNN rooftops!?

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An employer who wants to take a stand against that sort of thing, that's who. Or one that knows exactly what it wants, and doesn't want to train someone new. I work at a small company of less than 15 people. Of those, three are "semi-retired" folks who are invaluable to us because of their experience and years in the workforce (in sales, safety, and clerical). None of them work a full 40 hours per week, but they get paid, have benefits, and exactly match what we need from them. Our company does not want to hire a full-time youngster for these roles. I guess all I'm saying, Denise, is that there are jobs out there of all shapes and sizes. You'll find one.