As a freelancer, do you ever get the feeling that you're working for nothing? That the editors and picture buyers think that the "free" in freelancing means you're willing to work without being paid

After all, you submit photos and maybe articles, and they're returned; you sometimes end up doing a lot of work with no reward.

This can be discouraging. It can also be infuriating

But remember, part of the idea of any "freelance" venture is in not being bound. Just as no one is obligated to buy what you produce, you're not obligated to produce for anyone, either.

As a freelancer, you're neither an employee nor under contract, unless it's an agreement that's part of a specific job. You own your own time! And unless you agree to do otherwise, you also own what you produce, including the copyright to it. That means you can sell, again and again, anything you create.

What you must learn to do if you keep finding yourself in a situation of 'working for free as in freelancer' is take steps to increase your chances for success so that more of what you do pays off.

Remember, once you're established (if you're new to this) you can gain some advantages such as being able to pick and choose who you will work for without feeling that you have to accept whatever comes your way, since you'll have more than enough to keep you busy and not fear the loss of turning work away. You will also be able to negotiate the terms and conditions under which you will perform the work that you do, and do it with a stronger hand. And you may refuse to do anything on "spec" or speculation, and insist on a firm assignmnet before going ahead.

But even if you're just beginning, there is a way to work more intelligently so you won't feel you're working for "free," and that's to query publications with your ideas before going into production with them.

You begin by studying selected publications, your target market, being sure any idea you present to any magazine that interests you will be good, valid, and valuable from it's readers point of view, and querying the editor about it.

When you query an editor, present your idea in an enticing way. And if it isn't obvious by it's very nature, tell him why the idea would interest his readers (remember, you have studied the magazine or may be a long-time subsubscriber and know what it's about). Tell him how you'd handle it; what you propose to do with it. (This is just a starting point, if he's interested he'll probably make some suggestions on his own. See my Magazine Photography guide for an example of just how far some editors may go in taking you're idea and using it in their publication.) And close by asking him if he'd like to see it.

If he's interesed, he'll tell you. So he's saved you time that can be better spent on researching and photographing another project. Not being interested in one idea doesn't mean an editor may not be interested in the next one, or the one after that.

If he likes the idea but isn't familiar with your work and abilities, he may not give you a firm assignment but tell you to go ahead and do it "on spec," which means he's interested enough to semi-commit himself but is leaving an escape hatch in case you don't come through with work that measures up to the magazine's standards or to his expectations.

Still this is an opportunity, and a good one for a beginner. So do it well, and there's a good chance your material will be used and paid for. A far better chance that if you had gone out, done the work, and sent it in cold, since it won't come in unexpected but in response to a tentative go-ahead. Remember, he did express an interest in it and is waiting to see it. So half the battle has been won!

Larry Stepanowicz