Freelance Writing Rates Are In The Gutter, But Freelance Photographers Have It Worse

Feb. 22, 2011 - PRLog -- The tech sector is abuzz with stats that predict U.S. e-book sales will grow from $313 million in 2010 to $2.7 billion by 2013. While this is excellent news for freelance writers who ghostwrite e-books and articles for clients, pay rates for ghostwriting and content writing have slid dramatically in the last five years -- and they continue to slide, as companies outsource writing gigs to foreign countries, like India and Nigeria.

Brian Scott, a professional freelance writer and photographer who writes for FastCashPhoto.com , attributes the lackluster pay rates to emerging “content farms” which demand writers to write 500-word articles for $4 a piece or less. Prior to the Internet, a writer could earn at least $200-$300 for a 500-word article. The Internet has change all of that -- permanently.

While freelance writers complain about the poor pay rates, freelance photographers have it worse. The recession and poor economy have hit freelance photographers the hardest, compared to freelance graphic designers and freelance writers. Photographing weddings -- the most lucrative and most popular photography service -- has been cut in half -- literally. A photographer used to charge $1,500 and upwards to photograph a single wedding; the economy has forced photographers to reduce their rates to $700 or less for the same services to stay competitive. Pay rates for other photography jobs have also slid dramatically. These days, many job ads beg photographers to shoot for free for portfolio experience or work within restricted budgets.

Most photography services are local, which is not the case with graphic design and writing. Most photographers shoot locally, within the city they reside. Restricted to offering services locally, instead of globally, clients are fewer and freelance photographers fiercely battle one another to gain “one-shot” non-repeat clients. Couple these disadvantages with the fact that photographers maintain more expensive overheads than other freelancers. Constantly having to upgrade photography equipment, cameras, lenses, software, and computers adds unrealistic costs compared to what they earn. While most freelance graphic designers and writers can work comfortably from a home office, freelance photographers must drive to the client’s location, dragging along their equipment, as well as spending money on out-of-pocket expenses for gas and having to set up their photography sets.

“Freelance photographers are getting headlocked and kicked squarely in the butt. Low-paying clients are laughing in their faces and giving them wedgies behind their backs,” said Scott. “I have a lot of empathy for freelance photographers right now. There is not much they can do to change the situation until the economy recovers.”

Scott suggests freelance photographers look at other venues to earn money globally, from the comfort of a home office. “Photographers can look into contributing stock photography to agencies, and perhaps, partnering up with professional freelance writers to offer photography services for their articles.” Another way, Scott suggests, is to submit photographs to reputable magazines -- especially nature and wildlife magazines -- which pay high rates for photography. A simple search for “photography submission guidelines” on Google is a good start.

Visit Brian's website, www.FastCashPhoto.com to learn more about making money in photography. Brian also maintains a Facebook Writing Group at www.Facebook4Freelancers.com

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FastCashPhoto.com is a free website to help amateur and professional photographers start a photograph career or business and learn how to make money with their photo services.

Photo:
https://www.prlog.org/11321995/1