Chapter II: Part 2

_Epworth Herald_, 740 Rush St., Chicago.

_Front Rank_, 2710 Pine St., St. Louis, Mo.

_Lookout_, Cincinnati, Ohio, uses photographs for covers.

_The Missionary_, Apostolic Mission House, Brookland, Washington, D.C.

_Sunday School World_, 1816 Chestnut St., Philadelphia.

_The Watchword_, Otterbein Press, Dayton, Ohio.

OUTDOOR MAGAZINES

Here is a group of magazines which is deeply interested in unusual fishing-trips, hunts, and such excursions--it wants material on the animals in water or air or on land, that its readers may bag them the more easily; it desires material on bird-dogs, on outdoor devices and tricks, on tennis, motoring, baseball, cats, dogs, golf, horses, yachting, and on every phase of outdoor and sport life. Photographs of men prominent in each line are wanted; prints of hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing, sailing, and everything connected with the big outdoors. Here is a large and remunerative market for open-air photographs and sport prints.

_Aerial Age_, 280 Madison Ave., New York, wants material on aviation.

_All Outdoors_, _Outing_, _Forest and Stream_, _Field and Stream_, etc., want the wide variety of outdoor material that appeals to any sort of sportsman. These magazines circulate widely, and a study of them will disclose their needs.

Dogs are the subjects of such magazines as _American Beagle_, 639 West Federal St., Youngstown, Ohio; _Dogdom_, Battle Creek, Michigan; _Dog Fancier_, Battle Creek, Michigan; _Dog World_, 1333 So. California Ave., Chicago.

Material about cats is welcomed by such as _Cat Review_, 196 Centre St., Orange, New Jersey.

Fishing material appeals to the general run of outdoor magazines, including _American Angler_, 1400 Broadway, New York.

Tennis appeals to _American Lawn Tennis_, 120 Broadway, New York, and the _Tennis Review_, California Bldg., Los Angeles, Cal.

Golf material is used by _American Golfer_, 49 Liberty St., New York, and _Golfer's Magazine_, 1355 Monadnock Block, Chicago.

Motoring appeals to a long list of such publications as:

_American Motorist_, Riggs Building, Washington, D.C.

_Mileage_, 4415 No. Racine Ave., Chicago.

_Motor_, 119 West 40th St., New York.

_Motordom_, 110 State St., Chicago.

_Motor Life_, 239 West 39th St., New York.

_Speed_, 809 Shipley St., Wilmington, Del.

Then there are a variety of different subdivisions of this class, the mere names of which are sufficient to disclose the great variety of material they use:

_American Checkers_, 1846 So. 40th Ave., Chicago.

_American Chess Bulletin_, 150 Nassau St., New York.

_American Cricketer_, Morris Building, Philadelphia.

_Baseball Magazine_, 70 Fifth Ave., New York.

_Billiards Magazine_, 35 So. Dearborn St., Chicago.

_Bird Lore_, 29 West 32d St., New York.

_Bowler's Journal_, 836 Exchange Ave., Chicago.

_The Horse World_, 1028-30 Marine Bank Bldg., Buffalo, New York.

_Spur_, 389 Fifth Ave., New York--raising prize winners.

_Yachting_, 141 West 36th St., New York.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MAGAZINES

These magazines pay more attention to the photograph itself than to what it pictures. Here is a market for artistic prints, for prints showing new working methods, and such material interesting to photographers. Artistic taste and technical accuracy are instrumental in getting you into these magazines.

_American Photography_, 428 Newbury Street, Boston.

_The Camera_, 210 No. 13th St., Philadelphia, Pa.

_Camera Craft_, Claus Spreckels Bldg., San Francisco, Cal.

_Photo-Era Magazine_, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.

THEATRICAL MAGAZINES

Theatrical magazines embrace the following representative few who desire prints of current news in the show world, new theatres, interviews with actors and actresses and photographs of them, etc.

_The Drama_, 306 Riggs Bldg., Washington, D.C.

_Theatre Arts Magazine_, 7 East 42d St., Detroit, Mich.

_Theatre Magazine_, 6 East 39th St., New York.

MUSICAL JOURNALS

Photographs of bands, orchestras, leaders, band-stands that are unique, artists, composers, etc., are used by this class.

_Musical Courier_, 437 Fifth Ave., New York, New York.

_Musical Enterprise_, Camden, N.J.

TRADE PAPERS

These include magazines published and devoted to every trade imaginable. One magazine will be cited for each division of trade, the title of which is self-explanatory, and which uses photographs in its particular field:

Advertising: _Advertising and Selling_, 471 Fifth Avenue, New York.

Architectural: _American Builder_, 1827 Prairie Ave., Chicago.

Automobile: _American Garage and Auto Dealer_, 116 So. Michigan Ave., Chicago.

Baking and Confectionery: _Baker's Helper_, 327 So. La Salle St., Chicago. _Western Confectioner_, Underwood Bldg., San Francisco.

Cement, etc.: _Concrete_, 314 New Telegraph Bldg., Detroit, Mich.

Drug, Oil, Paint, etc.: _Druggists' Circular_, 100 William St., New York. _Painters' Magazine_, same address.

Dry Goods: _Dry Goods Reporter_, 215 So. Market St., Chicago, Ill.

Electric: _Journal of Electricity_, Crossley Bldg., San Francisco.

Engineering: _Everyday Engineering Magazine_, 2 West 45th St., New York.

Financial: _Financial World_, 29 Broadway, New York.

Fraternal: See particular paper referring to particular fraternity or lodge in list given in Market Book.

Furniture: _Furniture News_, Wainwright Bldg., St. Louis, Mo.

Grain: _Grain Dealers' Journal_, 315 S. La Salle St., Chicago.

Grocery: _National Grocer_, 208 So. La Salle St., Chicago.

Hardware: _Good Hardware_, 211 So. Dithridge St., Pittsburgh.

History: _Hispanic American Historical Review_, 1422 Irving St., N.E., Washington, D.C.

House Organs: Some two thousand of these are listed in the market books named.

Jewelry: _Jewelers' Circular_, 11 John St., New York.

Labor: See particular division desired by consulting Market Book.

Law: _Casualty Review_, 222 East Ohio St., Indianapolis, Ind.

Lumber: _Lumber_, Wright Bldg., St. Louis, Mo.

Medical: See division desired, as Dental, Hospital, etc., in Market Book.

Military: _American Legion Weekly_, 627 West 43d St., New York.

Municipal: _American City_, 87 Nassau St., New York.

Printing: _The Inland Printer_, Inland Printing Co., 632 Sherman St., Chicago.

Railroad: _The Railroad Red Book_, 2019 Stout St., Denver, Colo.

Shoes: _Boot and Shoe Recorder_, 207 South St., Boston.

This survey gives a general idea of the wide market open to photographs which fall within each magazine's requirements. No attempt has been made to give the needs of magazines, or to present what is usually called "a list of markets." We have been concerned here with generalizing the market--pointing out to the reader who never sees most of the magazines named that they really exist and buy photographs. The purchase of a Market Book is necessary if one desires seriously to make his way selling photographs to publications.

"Study the magazine" is the bromide flung always in the teeth of the beginner. But what if one can't obtain copies of the magazines which print material which the reader may easily find? Then he has only to request from the editor a sample copy of the magazine, using the address gleaned from the Market Book--and he then has the best information as to what that particular magazine wants. And at a cost of only two cents per copy.

VIII

SHIPPING THE PRODUCT TO MARKET

When a print is to be offered to a local newspaper, the photographer starts out, sometimes, as soon as one hour after making the exposure, with the print in his hand, and, arriving at the desk of the city-editor, he allows him to examine it. In such a case, mailing the print would delay it; perhaps delay it until its interest has cooled, and so make it worthless. But when submitting prints to magazines one should always invoke the aid of Uncle Sam's mail-service, no matter if the editor lives just next door and the publication-office is but a block distant.

The shipping of your prints to their markets merits special consideration. If the photograph, after being wrapped, can be bent easily, it is apt to arrive at the editor's desk in a cracked and crumpled condition. Then the editor could not buy it if he wished. And, when it is returned, its maker finds it to be so mutilated that it is useless to try to market it elsewhere. Proper protection of photographs when shipping them is an aid to both editor and contributor.

Photographs which are 4 x 5 inches in size can be sent safely in a No. 11 envelope of heavy manila paper if a sheet of cardboard is placed in the envelope too. The cardboard prevents the breaking of corners, the bending, and the cracking of the print. For a return-envelope--_never omit to enclose an envelope addressed to yourself and adequately stamped for the return of the print if it is unavailable_--for a return envelope, a No. 10 manila envelope is the best.

Prints which are 4 x 5 inches or larger should be sent in larger envelopes--in clasp-envelopes. These envelopes can be obtained at stationers' in sizes suitable for almost any photograph. The envelope should be about an inch larger each way than the print. The print, as well as a piece of cardboard--which should be somewhat larger than the print--can be sent safely in the clasp-envelope container. _On no occasion forget to enclose a return-envelope, which should be self-addressed and stamped._ The return-envelope may be of the same size as the outer one; and, if it is folded, it may be easily inserted. The envelopes mentioned, I have found by experience, are the best containers that can be used for photographs that are to be mailed.

Never roll a print and insert it in a mailing-tube. If there is anything an editor does _not_ want you to do, it is that. Prints so sent never lose the violent curve they acquire in transit, and then they are no more amenable to reason than a temperamental mule. Prints should always be sent _flat_--never rolled or folded, nor in any other condition except perfectly _flat_.

The envelope should be addressed to "The Editor" of the particular magazine selected. Do not address it to the editor by name, for it might arrive at a time when he is on his vacation, and so it will follow him all over the country and perhaps become lost. There should be no enclosure other than the photograph; except, when it is necessary, a sheet carrying an explanation or a short article to be printed with the picture. Do not write a letter to the editor unless the photograph is timely and should have an immediate decision. The professional news-photographer submits his work without letters, and with no identification except his name on the back of each print--and it isn't what's on the back, but what's on the front, that counts.

Photographs properly require only third-class postage rates. The addition of a caption to the print, or any other written matter included with it, automatically raises the rate to first-class. Even if nothing but the photograph alone is sent, I advise the use of first-class service for several reasons: the print is then carried more quickly; it is handled more carefully; and the sender may seal the container, which he is unable to do with third-class matter. Always, then, send your photographs by first-class mail.

Editors do not maintain special funds for the purpose of paying for postage-due stamps. That is, if a package of photographs arrives at the editor's desk with the postage not fully prepaid, the payment by the editor of the postage due does not make his attitude kindly toward the work itself. There are a good many editors who will not accept contributions from the postoffice which have postage-due stamps attached because of the neglect of the sender to fully prepay the postage. There are a great many more editors who will not return photographs unless a stamped and self-addressed envelope is enclosed with the offering. The attitude is entirely justified, for the supplying of postage to careless contributors in such cases would cost a magazine hundreds of dollars every year.

Never send your photographs by registered mail unless their value is extraordinary; and never send them by special-delivery mail unless the prints are addressed to a newspaper and possess burning-hot news interest. To send photographs of average quality by either registered or special-delivery mail is a trick of the novice struggling for recognition. Use ordinary first-class service and the editor will feel more kindly toward you than if he is made to stop his work and sign a mail-receipt.

Not all photographs are accepted by the very first editor who sees them. Very often it is the fifth, or the tenth, or even the twentieth editor who buys them. So if a print comes back, immediately send it out again and again and again. _Don't stop, for the very next time you might sell it._ If it's a good print, there is an editor somewhere waiting for it.

IX

THE PRICES PAID

The most remarkable news-photographs ever made--they were exposed at the South Pole--brought $3,000 from _Leslie's_ (now no longer published) for "First Rights," and $1,000 more from International Feature Service for "Second Rights." Some photographers have realized hundreds of dollars from lucky shots; an extraordinary photograph may bring from $25 to $100; but the average price paid is $3.00; and, indeed, there are some editors who unblushingly offer as little as ten or twenty-five cents for prints; and some who find it impossible, unwise, or unnecessary to pay for prints at all.

Although the average price paid is not astounding, it is a good return on the cost of making; also, the abundant opportunities for salable prints compensate for what each cheque lacks. A photographer who is wide-awake and moving ought not to find it difficult to sell at least ten prints each week, if not more, when one considers the large number of available subjects and the multitude of magazines.

Newspapers pay for prints according to their breadth of circulation. A widely-read daily will pay more for photographs than one of small circulation. Very often, newspaper-editors prefer that the press-photographer send a bill for his services. If you are asked to do that, do not hesitate to charge a price you think is entirely just; but don't grasp the opportunity to profiteer. Better, discover the price asked by the newspaper's favorite commercial-photographer, and mark down your price accordingly. That is business; it isn't taking an unfair advantage.

Whatever the price that is paid, don't object if you think it is too low; accept the payment and seek a more remunerative market next time. This applies to magazines as well as to newspapers.

The prices paid by magazines vary likewise, but none of any reputation pays less than one dollar per print. There are many factors which decide the size of the cheque which the press-photographer receives. The first is the circulation of the publication, for its financial reserve depends on the number of buyers. The size of the print in some instances decides the price paid. Thus, one magazine pays $1.00 for prints of one size and $2.00 for larger ones. However, there are not many magazines who pay according to the size of print.

Sometimes, retouching must be applied to a print in order to make it suitable for reproduction; and, as the service of a retoucher is expensive, something is deducted from the photographer's cheque to pay for the work. _Popular Science_ is a magazine of that policy. The photographer can avoid such deductions from his cheques by supplying photographs of such quality that they will need no retouching.

If a photograph is offered for the exclusive use of one magazine it may bring a higher price than if it were non-exclusive. Thus, _Collier's_ pays $3.00 for non-exclusive prints and $5.00 for exclusive ones. Some few magazines rarely accept any print that is not exclusive; indeed, non-exclusiveness may be a reason for rejection. Calendar-makers and postcard-makers, of course, buy only exclusive rights. A publisher is always more favorably inclined toward an exclusive than toward a non-exclusive print; and, very often, the added favor means added dollars to the payment.

The use to which a print is put is also a deciding factor in payment. A print bought for use as a cover-illustration will bring home a bigger cheque than if it were used merely as one of many illustrations. Too, _Illustrated World_ pays $3.00 and more for prints used in its pictorial section, but $2.00 for those used in its mechanical department. Other magazines do not make this distinction.

After all, the price paid depends wholly on the usefulness and quality of the print. If, sometimes, as in the case of the _Ladies' Home Journal_, the payment is made with a view to the photographer's reputation, it is only because news-photographers of experience produce prints of a higher average quality than beginners do. But, if a beginner "delivers the goods," the editor is just as glad to pay to him the large cheque as he is to pay it to any one else.

A few examples of prices paid will be of interest. _Collier's_ pays $3.00 for non-exclusive prints and $5.00 for exclusive prints, and from $25.00 to $100.00 a page for layouts (spreads). _Illustrated World_ pays $3.00 for each print. _Popular Mechanics_ pays $3.00 and up, and $25.00 a page for layouts. _Popular Science_ reimburses at the rate of $3.00 for each photograph, and sometimes more. The _Saturday Blade_ pays $2.00 for each. The Thompson Art Company pays from $1.00 to $5.00. Underwood and Underwood pay from $3.00 and up, according to the value of the print. The Woodman and Teirman Printing Company pays at rates varying from $5.00 to $50.00.

"But when is payment made?" you ask. The answer is, "Either upon acceptance or upon publication."

By far, most magazines pay according to the more desirable plan--upon acceptance. As soon as such a magazine decides that a photograph is useful to it, it mails a cheque to the sender. Sometimes, a receipt is sent with the cheque, which the recipient must sign and return; but, more often, the cheque itself is the receipt. Payment upon acceptance is by far the more desirable method, for with it the worker is paid as soon as his work is done; there is no waiting for weeks and months for payment, as in the case of pay-on-publication magazines.

There are a few magazines who wait until the photograph actually appears in the pages of the publication before payment is made. In such cases, the photographer has no recourse but to wait until the editor is ready to print his contribution whenever it may be.

In the case of pay-on-publication magazines, notice is usually sent that the photograph has been accepted for publication and that it will be paid for as soon as it is published. Sometimes, no notice is given at all of publication or acceptance; and in that case the photographer must scan each issue of the magazine in order to find his contribution when it appears, or he must wait until the cheque arrives that denotes publication. Either method is uncertain; but there is nothing to do but to endure it. Some publications even wait for some time after publication before making payment, as in the case of the _Kansas City Star_, which pays on the fifteenth of the month following publication, and the _Saturday Blade_ which also mails all cheques the month following publication. This is a discouraging policy; but as the cheque always arrives in the end, there is little to be said in condemnation of it; the photographer is obliged to make the best of it.

The contributor should always keep a record of prints accepted and to be paid for on publication. Otherwise, by an oversight, a cheque for published material may never come, and the photographer may never miss it. Too, a cheque may arrive unexpectedly from a forgotten source and cause an attack of heart-failure.

The beginner does not achieve mountain-top prices except by a lucky shot now and then. Prices increase with your experience and your reputation.

The photographer who develops his "nose for news" until it can scent a salable photograph in every conceivable situation is the photographer who has the large cheques forced upon him.

The sky-high cheques come to the camerist who, night and day, through sunshine and storm, earthquake and cyclone, is always "hot on the trail" of the salable photograph that is tucked away somewhere, where only a keen scent and a large amount of perseverance can lead him; and when he arrives, the subject will be singing truthfully, "Shoot me and the wor-rld is tha-hine." There are enough of these subjects to shame the biggest choir on earth by their "singing." However, the photographer must know good music when he hears it.

X

ART PHOTOGRAPHS

An art-photograph may be either of two things: a photograph, itself artistic; or a photograph of some artistic thing. There are markets for both. Artistic photographs are used by calendar and postcard makers; also, by photographic magazines, and magazines given to the beautiful in art or literature. When submitting such photographs to makers of postcards and such, they should be submitted in the usual manner.

The subjects used by card- and calendar-makers are interesting landscapes, beautiful seascapes, pretty girls, attractive children, and animals, as every one knows. Such pictures are sometimes bought outright--indeed, they usually are; but some firms pay according to their value as indicated by the demand for them after publication. Thus, one firm pays on a fifty-fifty basis.

An example of beautiful photography, at the same time picturing an unusual or artistic subject, will usually find a market in a photographic magazine, as _Photo-Era Magazine_ or a magazine such as _Shadowland_. The _Architectural Record_ demands that its prints, although of architectural subjects, be artistic and beautiful. Indeed, there is such a wide market for photographically artistic prints of beautiful subjects that the photographer is doubly rewarded who can supply these, as well as hot-off-the-bat news-photographs.

Artistic photographs are printed on sensitive-paper of a surface suited to their subjects, and are trimmed so as to carry the correct compositional balance; and after, they are tastefully mounted.

Photographs which are not themselves artistic, but which are of art-subjects, may be prepared as are other photographs intended for publication. Such photographs are of statues, pictures, new art-museums, art-collections, paintings, mural decorations, drawings, and anything at all of interest to artists. Material of such sort is sought by such publications as _American Art News_, _Art in America_, _Art and Decoration_, and others that appreciate the very best.

In short, the photographer may market his game among a wider patronage if he can bring down birds of paradise as well as ducks and geese and the common denizens of the air.

XI

COMPETITIONS

Competition is the life of business. Certainly, then, an aspirant for honors from publishers experiences no lack of life. Often, however, after a print has proved unavailable for publication, when offered by the regular process, it may be entered in a photographic competition where current interest is not essential; and so, perhaps, even bring home a larger cheque than it could have captured otherwise.

The two leading photographic publications, _Photo-Era Magazine_ and _American Photography_, conduct monthly competitions. The monthly prizes for the Advanced Competition of _Photo-Era Magazine_ are $10.00, $5.00 and $2.50 in value of photographic goods. Although cash is not paid, a prize awarded will go a long way toward obtaining for the photographer a desired piece of apparatus, or in supplying sensitised material, developing-agents and such with which to produce photographs intended for other magazines. "The contest is free and open to photographers of ability and good standing--amateur or professional." The publisher of _Photo-Era Magazine_ assigns subjects for each month, as "Winter-Sports," "Speed-Pictures," and so on. Since the photographer must buy supplies in any event, the awarding of such to the amount of $10.00 is a distinct help.

_American Photography_ also conducts monthly photographic contests. For these no subjects are assigned. The prizes for the Senior Class are $10.00, $5.00 and $3.00, paid in cash. "Any photographer, amateur or professional, may compete." This magazine last year held an Annual Competition, which it intends to repeat, with prizes of $100.00, $50.00, two of $25.00, and ten of $10.00, not to mention one hundred subscriptions for the magazine. Highly artistic work is necessary for recognition in the Annual Competition. Both _Photo-Era Magazine_ and _American Photography_ supply data-blanks which must be sent with entries.

Competitions for amateur photographs are also conducted by the _American Boy_, which offers monthly prizes of $5.00, $3.00 and $1.00 for "the most interesting amateur photographs received during each month." These are worthwhile.

Photographs of popular interest are used in monthly competitions by many magazines; and many manufacturers conduct occasional, if not regular, prize-contests.

Probably the largest company to offer prizes in competitions is the Eastman Kodak Company. The Eastman company for many years conducted a yearly contest with thousands of dollars in prizes offered. Last year, it decided on an innovation; the running of a monthly contest with prizes of $500.00. This practice has been continued for many months and shows no signs of being discontinued at this writing. Prizes are offered for four classes of photographs, the class being determined by the camera with which the photograph was made. In all, twenty prizes are awarded each month, the highest being $100.00 and the lowest $7.00. Frequently one person wins two or three prizes. The photographs entered must be of good workmanship, of human-interest and must preferably tell a story. No subjects are set. Upon writing to the company, a leaflet is sent which gives rules and an entry-blank. A good many photographers have cleaned-up in these competitions.

Now and then, different manufacturers and magazines, who do not ordinarily do so, offer prizes for photographs. At every opportunity, the press-photographer should enter his prints, for if they win a prize, he has the advantage of a larger remuneration as well as a boosted prestige among editors and publishers.

XII

PRINTS FOR ADVERTISING

Advertisers who are manufacturers are all possessed of the belief that the buying public is painfully ill-informed of the unequalled merits of their products. Consequently, any photographic evidence of the superiority of their goods which will enlighten the public is welcomed with open arms.

Any photograph that shows plainly the excellent service that any product has given will bring the photographer's own price from the manufacturer. The demand is almost universal.

Makers of camera-lenses are continually on the lookout for unusual photographs made with their products. The Wollensak, the Bausch and Lomb, and the Goerz companies frequently buy negatives that portray vividly some features of their lenses.

Makers of camera-shutters also buy photographs which were made with cameras equipped with their shutters. Usually, the point emphasised in the pictures bought is the shutters' ability to "stop motion" at their high speeds. As press-photographers frequently find it necessary to use the shortest exposures given by their shutters, they should have something in their negative-files which the shutter-makers should be eager to obtain.

Makers of photographic material other than lenses and shutters often buy examples of work done with their goods. Thus, the Ansco Company "uses photographs of natural scenes for advertising-purposes," the photographs being made on _Ansco_ film and _Cyko_ paper, or other Ansco products. Burke and James, makers of _Rexo_ cameras, "use photographs for advertising-purposes which must be of unusual interest and must illustrate their goods in use, or be made with their cameras or films." Inasmuch as the news-photographer, in his daily work, finds many unusual things, he should find no difficulty in selling a few prints to camera-makers.

An advertiser is always seeking any information likely to help sell his product. If, in your work, you see an old storage-battery with electric energy still unimpaired, or a well-preserved tire, or a shaving-brush of "strong constitution" unweakened by much use, it would very likely prove profitable to photograph it and describe your find to the company that makes the product.

Thus, an insurance-agency may buy a photograph of a garage destroyed by fire, the cars in which were fully protected by their insurance. A maker of strong-boxes may appreciate a photograph of one of his boxes raked out of, perhaps, the same fire, the box having held valuable papers which were fully protected from the terrific heat. The makers of a portable typewriter once purchased a photograph of one of their machines which had fallen from an airplane and which had to be dug from the ground; but which, of course, suffered no injury whatever because of its fall and burial. If you should unexpectedly come upon Irvin Cobb writing a masterpiece with his Neverleek fountain-pen, snap him (with his permission) and see what the makers of Neverleeks say. Manufacturers of patent roofings use photographs of roofs covered with their products; makers of steam-rollers want photographs of roads tamped by their machines; and so on and on and on.

It is wiser to write first to the advertising-manager of the particular company favored, and to inquire if he is buying photographs that show plainly the unparalleled merits of his excellent product, and if so--etc., etc.

Some advertisers will ask you to name a price for your work, and on such an occasion you should judge fairly the value of the print to them. If they require the negative also, raise the rate. Any prints should be worth $10.00 even to a small manufacturer, and if it is acceptable at all, a larger firm should pay from $25.00 to $1,000.00 for suitable propaganda. This branch of press-photography is little used by many workers, yet it is remunerative.

Besides furnishing the manufacturer with advertising for his product, the photographer supplies himself with some advertising to the effect that "he delivered the goods once, and could do it again, so there."

XIII

COPYRIGHTS AND OTHER RIGHTS

If, as often happens, one photograph is useful to more than one publication, is it all right to sell the one photograph to as many magazines as will buy it?

When a publication prints a photograph on its pages, it copyrights it in the name of the publishing company. The photographer then has parted with his _entire rights_ to it, and cannot sell it elsewhere, _unless_ one of two precautions has been taken.

The first precaution is the writing on the back of each print: "First Magazine-Rights Only." Those "mystic" words mean that the print is offered for publication only one time, after which it again becomes the property of the photographer. That is, the magazine, when buying such a print, buys only the right to print it the first time. Immediately after its publication, it becomes again the property of the photographer, although he cannot of course sell "First Rights" again, any more than he can sell the same horse twice at the same time.

After "First Rights" has been sold, the photographer may then sell "Second Rights," _provided_ those words are written on the back of the second print. "'Second Rights' is the right to publish a photograph in some other publication than the one in which it originally appeared." For instance: a photograph of a novel shop-window display may be acceptable to _Popular Mechanics_, which buys a print _marked_ "First Magazine-Rights Only." But the same photograph may be acceptable too to an advertising-magazine, and so it buys "Second Magazine-Rights." Unless these terms are written on the backs of prints which are sold to more than one magazine, trouble is apt to result.

Another plan by which it is possible to sell a photograph to more than one publication is the labeling _each print_ as: "Non-Exclusive" or "Not Exclusive." When that is done, the photograph may be sold to as many editors as care to buy it.

If no mention of any rights or of exclusiveness is made at the time of sale, it is inferred that the publisher buys "All Rights." In that case the photographer loses _all_ claims to the photograph; if he attempts to sell it again without the consent of the editor who first bought it he is breaking the copyright laws; in fact, he is selling another's property.

There is no need to affix any such terms to any photograph which can sell to only one, or which is to be offered to only one magazine. Magazines are more partial to prints which they can buy outright, and thus acquire "All Rights." Indeed, there are very few prints of enough value to sell to more than one magazine.

Now we plunge deep into the mysteries of copyrights. When a print is copyrighted it is unalterably the property of the person _first_ copyrighting it until he signs "Transference of Copyright." A copyrighted print may be published in a dozen publications if they will buy it, and it still remains the property of the one who first copyrighted it. Copyright laws were passed for the benefit of those who "promote the progress of science and useful arts." This is done "by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to use their respective writings and discoveries." Under this law, "author" includes makers of photographs, and "writings" includes photographs.

The process of copyrighting a photograph is not an involved one. A request should be addressed to the Register of Copyrights at Washington, D.C., for a few copyright-blanks, form J1. (Form J1 is for photographs to be sold, J2 for photographs not to be sold.) One of these cards is then filled out, and two prints of the photographs sent with it to the Copyright Office, as well as the necessary fee. "The fee for the registration of copyrights ... in the case of photographs, when no certificate (of copyright) is demanded is fifty cents; for every certificate, fifty cents" additional. A certificate is not usually necessary, and is useful only in cases of disputed copyright ownership, etc. The fee should be sent only in the form of a money-order to the Register of Copyrights, and the photographs must bear the mark of copyright, which is "either the word 'Copyrighted' or the abbreviation 'Copr.' accompanied by the name of the copyright proprietor. In the case of photographs the notice may consist of the letter C inclosed in a circle _provided_ that on some accessible portion of such copies ... the name of the person copyrighting shall appear." Upon the Copyright Office receiving the photographs, the sender is notified; and again, when copyright is granted, he is sent a small card notifying him, or the certificate is sent to him if he has ordered one. Then the print is considered copyrighted.

It is useless to copyright any except those prints of extraordinary value, the rights of which the photographer wishes to retain at all costs. The average quality prints are not likely to be stolen, and so the copyrighting of them is unnecessary. If the photograph is merely to be offered to two or more publications it is only necessary to mark each print as directed in the foregoing paragraphs.

Publishing companies are business-institutions which are of necessity conducted according to the highest ethics. To unwittingly sell to another magazine a print one magazine purchased as exclusive, would be likely to exile the photographer's work from those particular magazines. The photographer should remember that a print of his making is not his property once it is first copyrighted by someone else, _unless_ he has sold only certain rights of it. It is nothing less than theft, to make a photographic copy of a published photograph and to offer it as original and unpublished. The photographer should never try to sell what is not his own work. But since not many have the urge to do so, undue emphasis on that point would be offensive.

"The sum of the foregoing advice is that the author (photographer) should exercise common sense in disposing of rights," says J. Berg Esenwein, editor of the _Writer's Monthly_, in one of his books. "In most cases it would be better to allow the publisher to have 'All Rights' than to forego the chance of a sale; but nearly all magazine-editors are disposed to be reasonable and will agree to share any future profits that may arise from supplementary sales of a manuscript (photograph). The chief point is that author and publisher should clearly understand each other, without the author's losing his rights, yet, without harassing the publisher by making unnecessary stipulations regarding a trifling matter."

The law of copyright should be followed strictly when attempting to submit the same photograph to more than one publication or buyer. If the photographer keeps an eye on what rights he has sold when he cashes his cheque, and governs himself accordingly, he will sail along without trouble of any kind.

XIV

ILLUSTRATED SPECIAL ARTICLES

It would require a surveyor of extraordinary skill to mark the boundary between the lands of _Photographs-With-Explanatory-Data_ and _Articles-Illustrated-With-Photographs_. Since the dividing line is so vague it is not difficult to pass from the one to the other.

The jump from the making of photographs to the writing of non-fiction is not a difficult one to make. In his rambles after salable photographs the press-photographer may unearth a subject to which a single photograph does not do justice. Then the making of more photographs and the writing of an article about them is the logical and the progressive and the more remunerative thing to do.

Indeed, subjects which would not sell otherwise may be made very useful to an editor by the writing of an enticing article around them. At once, there is a means of broadening one's market and of disposing of photographs, by themselves, unsalable. An illustrated article naturally calls forth a fatter cheque than would the text or the photographs alone. There is as much a demand for illustrated articles as there is for photographs; so that the photographer with the ability to tell facts simply and clearly has two avenues of revenue.

Many illustrated articles sold to magazines are just groups of photographs with interesting texts written about them. A search through a few magazines reveals a broad variety.

From _Popular Mechanics_:

New Mountain-Road Now Open to Traffic.
New Orleans Public Elevator.
Artistic Roof-Garden Features City-Factory.
Steamer Repaired in Eighteen Days.
Where the Earth Collapsed.
Flying Anglers Troll for Deep-Sea Fish.
A Four-Track Concrete Railroad-Bridge.
Waterfalls Near Big City Just Discovered.
Concrete Smokestack Difficult to Demolish.
Vast Stores of Mineral Paint-Pigments in Salton Sea.

From _Illustrated World_:

What the Circus Does in Winter.
Snow on the Overland Trail.
City over Coal-Mines Slowly Sinking.
Running the Farm by Windmill.
Truck Equipped for Sealer of Weights and Measures.
Marvelous Development in the Hemp-Industry.
Public Camp-Conveniences.
Mud-Splashing Guards for Autos.
Work for Waterfalls Everywhere.
Building the Road to Fit the Car.
Heading Off Mountain-Floods.
Lawn-Pools and Fountains in Concrete.

From _Photo-Era Magazine_:

Children in the Snow.
The Quartz-Meniscus Lens.
Introduction of Figures in Landscape-Work.
Photographic Greeting Cards.
Balance by Shadows in Pictorial Composition.
Mounting and Framing Photographs.
The Photographer and a Goat-Ranch.
In Nature's Studio.

From _Science and Invention_:

Science Measures the Athlete.
World's Largest Clock.
Making Microphotographs.
How Cartoon Movies are Made.
A Miniature "Sky."
Curing Soldiers' Ills with Electricity.
Largest Electric Crane Lifts Complete Tug-Boat.
Wintertime Uses for the Electric Fan.
Monster Italian Searchlight.

These are articles written around several photographs--not merely illustrated by them. Besides the classes of magazines mentioned there are numerous others--almost any publication that uses illustrations in fact--which are in the market for illustrated articles. Such magazines cater to outers, hunters, sportsmen, business-men, physical culturists, travelers--almost every class of reader.

Having produced and sold articles written around the illustrations, the writer-photographer cannot other than form an idea, now and then, of an article a magazine should want which may be illustrated; but to which the illustrations are supplementary rather than basic. In such cases, the writer will have greater chance of acceptance if he, by means of his camera, makes several photographs to illustrate the text.

Even if an article is acceptable without illustrations, it will bring a bigger cheque nevertheless if it is illustrated. If the lack of illustrations makes the article unavailable, then the photographer has the means of making a cheque grow where none grew before. His camera stands him in good stead. There is no editor but prefers an illustrated article to an unillustrated one--unless his magazine is pictureless from policy.

Then, from having his pictures printed without his name attached, the photographer blossoms into a writer whose work appears under such a head as "_'How Fruit is Raised on the Moon_,' by John Henry Jones, with Illustrations by the Author."

Although the jump from the making of photographs to the writing of non-fiction is easy, you may slip at the first attempt. But hammer away and soon the nail will go in. "For know ye, there isn't a magazine-editor in the business who wouldn't buy an article from his worst enemy if he thought it was good stuff for his magazine."

The photographer must not only "smell out" news; but he must, by the sensitiveness of his "nose" tell just how much the news is capable of being worked up. He will find it comparatively easy to write illustrated special-articles where before he sold just photographs. And such ability stands not far below that of the fictionists.

XV

THE HIGH ROAD

Not much of an exalted vocation, the selling of photographs? Not, perhaps, proclaimed from the housetops as a handsomely paying vocation; but one which may be cultivated into almost anything having to do with inveigling publishers into writing cheques.

When you receive your first cheque your sensation is something like that of the man who has passed through a cyclone and has come through with his "flivver" still in the barn. But when the first contribution is _printed_! The world is yours! You have broken into print! If not into type, at least into printing-ink.

When the excitement wears off there are many branches that beckon. The press-photographer may specialise--he may devote all his efforts to some one branch of the work, as the making of photographs of celebrities, of microphotographs, of almost anything. Witness the amateur photographer who quietly went about photographing the interior of every church in New York, and who then "cashed in" on them to the amount of $4,000. You may even obtain a position--or job--as press-photographer on a big metropolitan daily, with all the world before you and part of it dropping every Saturday afternoon into your pocketbook.

Then, you may be sent overseas--and be paid great oodles of money. Or you may devote all your time to the making of calendar-photographs, or to illustrating stories photographically, as is the fashion now with some magazines, see _True-Story_. There are so many opportunities to grasp that if you look about you and select the specialised branch in which you desire most to work, there is no reason in the world why you should not do it--and, perhaps, earn $10,000 a year at it. "Do one thing better than anyone else and the world will beat a path to your door."

Having broken into printers'-ink, it is comparatively easy to break into type. From selling photographs one may easily advance to the writing and illustrating of non-fiction. And your fame as a non-fictionist, together with the training you have gleaned, may cause you to forward a work of fiction to an editor acquainted with your name--and lo! from the ranks of the "snap-shooters" you have risen to the highest class of scribe--the successful fictionist.

And that, too, is not difficult for him who wills and works. "And work. Spell it in capital letters, WORK," advised Jack London. "Work all the time. Find out about this earth, this universe; this force and matter, and the spirit that glimmers up through force and matter from the maggot to Godhead. And by all this I mean work for a philosophy of life. It does not hurt how wrong your philosophy of life may be, so long as you have one and have it well.... With it you may cleave to greatness and sit among the giants."

Another agrees: "Draw long breaths of confidence, of faith in yourself and your work.... Strike 'despair' out of your dictionary! Get into your chair! Do your stint! Be just as much of a fool as you like. It is your privilege and mine. Then you will have amusing reminiscences. No great writer but can look back and say, 'What a fool I was!'"

Realisation results from "ten per cent. inspiration and ninety per cent. perspiration." A liberal quantity of this mixture will bring one to the High Road. The High Road is smooth. But anyone may travel it who wishes--and works sufficiently hard. Not much, the making and selling of photographs? The start of the trail may be barren and unpromising; but the persevering fellow who follows it persistently will find that it suddenly widens and blossoms and lo, opens full into the High Road.

THE END

End of Project Gutenberg's Making Your Camera Pay, by Frederick C. Davis

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