Proper preparation prevents piss poor performance!

[Paul G]

John they didn't mention FTP to me. It's a magazine from the ACP stable that I'm writing for for the first time so I guess I need to ask a few more questions but I'm guessing that a company of that size would have some sort of system in place. I'm submitting in excess of 50 images to give them a good choice and some latitude for their page layout. I've only used sites like MediaFire in the past when transferring large file sizes but that's only been between 4WD colleagues and other photography enthusiasts.

When I worked for APN (Newspapers) years ago Wayne they had a good internal file transfer system too but that was an in-house thing as an employee. I've never had one set up from home with anyone.

[Redgum]

John they didn't mention FTP to me. It's a magazine from the ACP stable that I'm writing for for the first time so I guess I need to ask a few more questions but I'm guessing that a company of that size would have some sort of system in place. I'm submitting in excess of 50 images to give them a good choice and some latitude for their page layout. I've only used sites like MediaFire in the past when transferring large file sizes but that's only been between 4WD colleagues and other photography enthusiasts.

When I worked for APN (Newspapers) years ago Wayne they had a good internal file transfer system too but that was an in-house thing as an employee. I've never had one set up from home with anyone.

I'd give them a call but just watch the FTP cost and time with that many images in RAW format. National Geo is done by disk but like you that's lots of images. I do small jpg's initially on disk and only transfer perhaps half a dozen by FTP. And again, with local newspapers I only send what they ask for otherwise they use the lot and pay you for one. Magazines like Australasian Camcorder is more a personal relationship and they are happy with high quality jpg's. If I'm doing a cover I usually deal directly with the graphic artist and if I can't get post exactly how they need it we do it over the phone.
The first shoot is the hardest for a new publisher but eventually they trust your judgement particularly if you're doing the story. As you know there is a synergy between photo and text that many editors won't fool with.

[gcflora]

Canon raw files are basically a modified TIFF with Canon extensions. They're compressed using LZW (lossless) compression, so further compression doesn't yield much reduction (if any) in file size...

[kingwheatie]

I supply images to ACP for "Auto Action" magazine using FTP.
Get in touch with the editor of the Mag and they should set you up with a username and password for the server
Another note they recommend to use a FTP client to access the server and not directly through a web browser.

[Paul G]

Well they've set me up on their FTP at the eleventh hour and as I've mentioned above I'm sending a lot of pics and in RWA/NEF format. But gees, is the upload going slowly...
I am uploading pics via the FTP from my external drive via it's USB connection. Would this be the reason the upload is going so slowly or would it simply be a matter of my connection's upload speed? At this rate it's going to take all night.

[Redgum]

G'day Paul, if you're still up, yes. Feeding off an external drive will be slower.

[Dan Gamble]

Paul... You're a legend for working through this and sorting it out.

Nice work. I never said congratulations for your FIRST SUBMISSION either. So yeah. Great work Paul!

Hope it all brings you all that you hope it will.

[Paul G]

Cheers guys. Yeah I'm still up! I've had a really rotten last 10 days. Who was it that said, in regards to Murphy's Law, that Murphy was an optimist .

It's been one drama after another here. Missed the original deadline and am still plugging away doing stuff tonight as the magazine goes to print tomorrow afternoon and without my submission there will be a four-page hole and a big problem for one of their advertisers who has some sort of deal with the magazine for this issue pending my story being included. Don't ask me what or who as I know nothing. Gee I wish they had of told me about all this to begin with.

One things for sure my computer is going into the shop fairly soon for some much needed R&R as too many things have gone wrong and too many documents have been 'lost' this last week including most of my story which I've re-written tonight. Juggling various jobs is such great fun. I am still smiling though. Just!

[Redgum]

Paul, my heart goes out to you, mate. The good thing is we'll laugh about this in a few days.
I guess at this stage there's not much anyone else can do for you but standby and wait? Just yell if there's anything in particular you need.

[Paul G]

Thought I'd resurrect this topic to ask others if they've had trouble being paid for work done for prominent national magazines?

My story and photography got there after all the dramas and the magazine hit the newsagent shelves the following week. ie Beginning of October.

Depsite numerous phone calls and emails I am still to be paid.

Today I sent off a firmly worded email and stated that my next step will be a letter of demand then legal action.

Is six weeks after publishing, and about seven to eight weeks after submission, not enough time to give them - am I expecting to much?

They don't even contact me - I have done all the following-up.

[Longshots]

I'm afraid that 90 days after publication isnt unusual Paul.

I know this might seem like a stupid question, but, ok you submitted your story and pics, but when did you actually submit your invoice ? Does your invoice contain all the right information ? Did they set you up as a regular contributor ? And did you check with the editor if you would need a purchase order ? And was that on your invoice ?

[soulman]

If I've learned anything about getting money out of people over the years, it is that it is imperative to be nice to them. And persistent. If they're used to being slow payers they will have heard it all and been strongarmed by people much better at it than you, so making demands will be unlikely to get you anywhere. Ringing them every day, politely reminding them that the account is overdue and asking when they are going to post you a cheque works much better in my experience - they get sick of you ringing and taking up their time.

Being heavy with people runs the risk of pissing someone off, who may then string it out just to bother you further, knowing you have very little control over the situation. Forget the fact that you're within your rights to hassle them, remember that you want your money. Ringing people is much more effective than writing or emailing.

I also agree with Longshots that a good invoice that clearly states your payment terms is imperative. I pay a lot of bills and tend to get behind on ones that are not straightforward and clear if I'm busy. I have one on my desk at the moment with no terms on it and no bank details. I've tried ringing the company a few times to get their details for a direct deposit but haven't been able to get through. That invoice might wait until they ring to hassle me about it simply because they've made it too hard & I've got plenty of other things to do.

[JM Tran]

Thought I'd resurrect this topic to ask others if they've had trouble being paid for work done for prominent national magazines?

My story and photography got there after all the dramas and the magazine hit the newsagent shelves the following week. ie Beginning of October.

Depsite numerous phone calls and emails I am still to be paid.

Today I sent off a firmly worded email and stated that my next step will be a letter of demand then legal action.

Is six weeks after publishing, and about seven to eight weeks after submission, not enough time to give them - am I expecting to much?

They don't even contact me - I have done all the following-up.

With my commercial clients, the majority of them takes up to and over a month to pay the fee, or remaining fee after deposits. So I dont expect them to pay me straight away from the moment of submission/hand-over. There are a few organizations that are very efficient with their payments - namely the universities I have shot for - must be their finance dept

[Paul G]

I'm afraid that 90 days after publication isnt unusual Paul.

I know this might seem like a stupid question, but, ok you submitted your story and pics, but when did you actually submit your invoice ? Does your invoice contain all the right information ? Did they set you up as a regular contributor ? And did you check with the editor if you would need a purchase order ? And was that on your invoice ?

Gday William

As new contributor all my paperwork as well as the invoice was sent through on Oct 6. So I guess this sort of falls in the timeframe some of you are mentioning.
Will wait and see what reply I get tomorrow. It's frustrating as a freelancer when you meet their deadlines but the same does not apply to getting paid.

I should say that these guys have changed to an externally controlled pay process which I was told would take a little while longer while being set up but I was given an assurance that I would be paid about three weeks ago now and still nothing. It's tough when this is not regular work and you depend upon every cent to get by week to week.

[Longshots]

It's tough when this is not regular work and you depend upon every cent to get by week to week.

Hi Paul - yep welcome to my world of "mate, not my fault, I passed your invoice on" Yes I'm afraid that many organisations stretch it out - the worst time is when you're starting off. Once you're in the swing of it, you'll find that its sort of works, with that 90 day thing keeping you floating along. Just check that the invoice you sent isnt sitting on the recipients desk I'm afraid that there isnt much point in pulling out the big guns (ie threats of legal action), until after 90 days. Worst situations I've regularly encountered _ and I assure you that I'm on the ball with chasing payments - is 180 days (6 months). I chose not to do any future work for companies who do that

[Redgum]

Unfortunately that's pretty normal, Paul.Good luck.
Out of interest we raised this matter on the IT Journos forum the other day and some people have invoices going back to July.
Just keep on their backs.

[OzzieTraveller]

G'day Paul

from experience - it does vary from mag to mag
over the past decade or so, some send the chq within 21 days of publishing, some take 6 months, one denied the article was to be a 'paid' feature and didn't want to pay anything.

Nowadays I deal with the first group for further submissions ...

Regards, Phil