National Press Photographers Association

Best Practices for the Business of Independent Photojournalism

In the following pages, you will find two lists of Best Practices to consider when contracting for freelance photojournalism. These lists are guidelines and goals similar to those endorsed by other industries, such as medicine, agriculture and manufacturing.

One set of five points is for those who hire independent photojournalists. The other is to guide photojournalists in their efforts to deliver maximum value and accurate portrayals of reality to their clients, readers and viewers.

These lists grew from discussion, writing and rewriting by the Business Practices Committee of the National Press Photographers Association. We intend for this to be a living document, to be updated with new ideas. We welcome input. Our targets are fairness and practicality, two concepts we believe are intertwined in the business of the Fourth Estate. We endorse these practices because we believe professional relationships based on fair exchange, respect and the truth are essential for collecting and disseminating visual reports that are fair, honest and insightful. And we believe our audiences deserve nothing less.

Endorsements:

The NPPA Business Practices Committee
Greg Smith (chairman), Steve Berman, Dirck Halstead, Jeff Roberts, Joseph Sorrentino, Brian Storm and Jim Sulley
The NPPA Executive Committee
Bob Gould (president), T.C. Baker, Alicia Wagner-Calzada, Sean Elliott, Ron Stover and Todd Stricker
J. Bruce Baumann
Ken Cooke, retired freelance, former NPPA president
Kenny Irby, visual journalism group leader, The Poynter Institute
Ed Kashi, photojournalist
Mark Loundy, photography business columnist
Maria Mann, director of photography, global current events, Corbis
Scott Mc Kiernan, director/founder, Zuma Press Inc.
Julianne H. Newton, editor, Visual Communication Quarterly
Selina Oppenheim, consultant/author, Port Authority Inc.,
David Rees, director, Pictures of the Year; associate professor, University of Missouri School of Journalism
Rick Rickman, photojournalist

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