http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio An entire Lightstalkers thread via RSS/XML. en-us Hi, I work for a new magazine for young, very trendy, with nice paper and photographic quality, called Blackpool. (www.blackpoolmagazine.com) We come out 4 times a year and publish on everyone a 6 to 10 pages portfolio. This time i'm looking for Black and White very strong story, and very nice pictures. So if you are not interested in money, cause we are very poor and want to publish your story, can you get back to me with lightboxes links, please. Thank you so much, I have 10 days ahead of me... cheers, nathalie Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:07:47 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio I dont understand this.... The magazine can afford very nice quality, but cant afford to pay photographers AT ALL? Arent you guys making some money off of this? So basically, you want to make money off of a photographer's pictures, but not pay them? Im not super interested in money. If I was, I wouldnt be a photographer, I would be a lawyer or banker or doctor. But I am interested in money enough to feed and house myself while I do my work, something I feel isnt so much to ask. So if that means that Im interested in money, then so be it.... Im as interested in exposure as the next young photog, but comon.. really, if we start giving up our work for free to mags we are all fucked and have no future. Nath, I dont know you and am not trying to personally attack you, but I feel like I just got my face spit on. Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:50:16 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118389 you get what you pay for, i suppose? Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:03:42 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118391 sometimes i wish someone would pay me to spit on their face, so many work for nothing opportunities that i could probably live off of the spitting. i was waiting for this post to get slammed, i suppose people are tired of even bothering. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:09:55 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118414 but I'm still surprised still there are people like nath who have the guts to ask for pics for free. there should be a clear cut regulation before u log on to lightstalkers. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:55:45 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118425 But Sudhanshu its not that it should be forbidden only for Lightstalkers. Actually such a request should be turned down heavily whether asked at LS or outside. These are insulting to a photographer. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:10:32 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118430 am I feeling anger all around??? YES... and I know why. I know photojournalism is having real hard time... and i swear i am the first one that will fight to get you money for a publication. But this time I can't, the reason is that we all work for free(photographers, stylists, journalists, make up artist, hear dressers, graphists, illustrators, picture editors, etc… ) to do the magazine. we want to give space to artists, who still publish 8 pages portfolio now days??? we want and try hard to create a new community that will grow up together.. Your work is hard and deserve to get paid, I know, and hoppefully one day, i'll be able to contact you with a different post. But this one, also deserve to be on LS, sorry for the offense in first place. Have a good day. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:14:50 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118432 bye Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:47:56 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118449 Yet I can't help but wonder how many LightStalkers contacted her offline... Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:21:44 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118452 you know, the first time I saw this post there were no replies yet and I couldnt help thinking, you poor bastard, you're about to get roasted alive, asking something like that in this neighborhood. Ah well, live and learn, I guess... Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:55:11 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118464 Can I get some free copies of the magazine? Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:38:22 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118476 Why all this anger??? I love photography. i admire photojournalists' work. And i fight next to you photographers since I work in this industry. I have published and paid a lot of photographers, sometimes using this network, that I found a fabulous idea, at least, to get to know new photographers. This time and for the first time, i can't offer money, but i can offer a nice 6 to 10 pages on nice paper that would be seen (and free copies of course). And certainly remember the name of the photographer, so i'll be able to make him work in the future. I will respect your work, and never use it without your authorisation. Does this post make me a bastard?? who knows, but the answers make me think that we often think too fast to think right. let's go back to deal with agencies.. because the only thing i can possibly do in my position is give you work. i am not the one who decides rules... Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:35:41 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118484 it's nothing personal nath, it's just not a good time to be asking for anything for free. i agree that a high quality multi page spread all for the story you (the photographer with something to say) wants to publish is pretty impressive but... no one gets paid? you have advertising in your paper (you do on your site so i assume you must). i find it hard to believe that it all goes towards printing, somewhere someone must be making some money. if you as the photo editor aren't making any money then i would talk to someone about that. yes i want people to see my photos, thats the point of taking them but i have trouble figuring out why i should provide your magazine with "content" and not get anything back. i noticed you have been here for a while which surprised me as there have been several people torn apart for asking for photos for free. you have been let off pretty lightly. good day, i hope you guys can figure out your finances and start getting paid. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:58:47 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118486 nathan, i admire your composure and ability to remain reserved in the face of hostility. and whereas i don't agree with giving work away for free, unless for some cause or reason that i find personally and morally just, i can respect your professionalism and goal. my next question to you is without sarcasm or ill-intent. rather, it's an honest and (i hope) reasonable question coming from a photographer to you, a representative of some manner of the publication you posted for. if the quality of your is so high, and you choose to only solicit in a manner that does not compensate the one giving you your content, does that not imply you are at risk of receiving subpar work, and therefor damaging the potential of your magazine of distinguishing itself as a previewer of talented artists in this industry? the reason why fashion mags like vogue and vanity fair can afford to hire major photographers is because those photographers produce a level of photography that is regarded as high-quality and promotes the image of the magazines themselves as vehicles of the best in that particular industry. of course, you will have some resources that can afford or don't mind donating their work, but if the majority of the industry is in the same boat, you are then reducing your resources to a smaller share. i doubt you needed that explained, seeing as you've taken on the often difficult and thankless task of pushing a new photo magazine into a unstable market. which then begs the question, if you knew that already (or were at least partially aware), why would you spend so much money on making the paper so high quality if your content is going to represent you more, both to photographers as well as appreciators and future viewers? that's marketing 101, i reckon. but this answer makes me think we often think too fast to think right. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:59:15 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118487 Ok.... I am going to risk crucifixion and sounding like a fence-riding politician here.... (please bear with me) I am part of a different web forum in which an issue like this came up recently. Everybody jumped on the attack, (as I did in the beginning with my face spitting comment) and quickly raised hell about a certain high profile magazine that wasn't going to pay a college shooter for his pics of the so-cal fires. Now, a certain photographer whom is very respected in the field, jumped on and said we were all wrong... heres the reason.... According to him, if the magazine is doing a feature ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER, and not just soliciting for free content (ie, they werent doing a story about the fires, and using his pics, they were doing a story about him, and using his pics) then it is kosher to kick in the images, free of charge. Now, I can see the reasoning in this logic. If it is a feature about the photographer that Nath wishes to do, and not only that, but she is doing this on her own time to promote artists, and she herself isn't taking pay... then I think im gonna have to flip to the other side on this one..... Nath... Lets be blunt and honest here, is this a story about the photographer you are trying to do or a search for free content? I think thus far Nathalie has composed him/herself (not making that mistake again Sascha!) in a professional manner, and has been a pretty longtime LS member, which would lend me to respecting his/her reply. I eagerly await either crucifixion, or hopefully, we were all just wrong. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:38:50 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118489 no need for crucifixions, that was what i was getting at as well with the idea of having a full spread all to one's self could be excellent if it is in their interest to do so. mistake again? was i placed in the wrong sex at some point in the past? i don't recall. i think the beard in my profile picture gives me away, though i suppose one can never be sure. without even thinking about it i stick to "one, they, their, you" ciao. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:12:35 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118491 Thank you Brian, This is of course a feature about the photographer introducing his/her work with a portfolio, and presenting him or her with a text. My mistake, I should have precise. i learn from my mistakes, and next time i will give all the details, I promise. by the way, i'm Nathalie.(she) Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:19:38 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118492 yes... the beard mos def does it... although you never know these days.... I am from San Francisco, so I have learned to be careful... even with a beard.... :) Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:21:24 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118493 Alright, let's take a charitable view and accept that Blackpool are trying to do their best and that they're putting the quality of their output first - which is what we all do, right? So it might be worth it, to give a little daylight to a story that's languished in the drawer for a while. My concern is more to do with the kind of story they want. All we know is it should be black and white, and good (fair enough) - but that's hardly enough, is it. Having had a brief look at the website I wouldn't have a clue what they're looking for. So how about it Nath - can you be a little more specific? Do you want a story about AIDS in Nigeria? Landmine victims in Bosnia? The latest street fashions in Camden? Portraits of South Central hip-hop? What? Cheers, PHC. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:35:14 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118497 Here we are... discussion, exchange, that is LS... AIDS IN NIGERIA is a bit hard maybe, but latest street fashion in Camden or portraits of south central hip hop could fit. Basicly we can puplish, war, street life, party, drugs, gangs, portraits, everything that youngs (18-30) can appreciate. we try to alternate BW and colour, so we can publish different type of work. With always the same idea, of introducing new talents with no restrictions in the content, except maybe really bloody hard news. Because we are not a news magazine, as we publish only 4 times a year. but we are not affraid to see what's going on in the world.. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:54:21 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118502 sorry for the name mix-up. i'd still like to open up a discussion concerning the question i presented. maybe i'll start a new post, seeing as the point of this one has shifted with more information. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:07:47 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/black-and-white-portfolio#118503