14/07/2021

Jeez Will, this all sounds so familiar, and the same thing has happened in the magazine publishing industry.

Around 10 years ago I worked as a freelance contributor for several mags, among them INSIDE SPORT. Because I’m a writer/photographer, I was paid well for a feature if I handled the photography, to the point where I could make about $3000 for a 2000-word feature with pics, about a week’s work.

I liked the editor and assistant editor, they liked me, my work looked great in their mag, and so I probably did more hours than I had to get the thing done, but I thought it was worth it. Looking back on it I still do, and I’d work just as hard again for a valued client.

Anyhow, fast forward to 2021 and a live, full-colour demonstration of how photography and feature writing have been devalued.

I produced three features this year for a caravan magazine. The publisher refused to pay for photographs, though he expected excellent photography. He wouldn’t pay expenses either, but expected me to drive hundreds of kilometres and stay overnight/s while on location, paying my way and fuelling the ute as I went. Then the bastard took three months to pay me.

This is not what I’m used to, so bugger that. After three jobs and hoping he’d see common sense, I told him, “No more work from me while you continue this crappy treatment of freelancers.”

I haven’t heard from him since, and don’t expect to. But I’m damned if I’ll lose half a job fee because some goober in head office is an ignorant, stingy bastard who thinks he’s some kind of role model and has no idea that he’s drowning in his own juices.

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