Surely this is SOMEHOW (not ethically) wrong ...

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

This is getting ridiculous. I agree that whoever takes the photo, SID or photog, the person get paid. The entity that pays them is unimportant to me. Using a photo from the SID is not an ethical dilemma. Reporters use press releases, game notes, eat the free food, accept the free LeBron James booble head and there's nothing wrong with getting some art every once in awhile. Now if your getting this stuff when your paper can send it's own guy/gal out there to shoot the game or feature photo, that's wrong. That is unless the SID is better with a camera than your own photog. Then the designer in me says go with the best art!

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

I've never heard of paying an SID for a photo, much less seen it done. Don't start a precedent or you'll be soon tipping them like waiters every time they e-mail a score.

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

And don't call me Shirley!

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

So for those who don't think it's a big deal to ask, I just want to make sure I understand you correctly:

It's OK to ask this SID photog to shoot a feature photo for us that has nothing to do with the action on the volleyball court.

It's not a player feature where we can run any action shot of said player. It's a story about the coach's husband and their five kids he totes to games.

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

Yeah, I don't see a problem. Now if you asked the SID to shoot a photo of something unrelated to sports at his school, then it's out of line. SID can say no if he/she wants, but I don't think it's out of line to ask for a special photo and I don't think a payment should be offered.

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

I think payment has to be offered for a specialty photo like this as well as a personal photocredit.
It's at least something that should be discussed out front with the athletic director and the sports editor. See if everyone is OK with the photographer shooting an assignment for the newspaper for free.

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

So, king, you think it's unethical to say to the SID "Can we get a shot of the husband and the kids at a game?"
Do you think the SID's photog, who is at the game anyway and being paid by the school, has to make an extraordinary effort to take that shot?
It's what the school is paying the SID and the photog for ... to generate publicity.
Now, if you want a shot of the coach, the hubby and kids at home, that's a different story.

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

Yes. It is OK to ask -- not assign. It's also OK for the shooter to tell you to take the damn picture yourself.

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

The "personal photo credit" is up to the photographer/school. They certainly have the right to ask that they be given credit for the photo and the newspaper should always make the effort to tell readers where the photo came from (staff, AP, photos.com, Podunk U, etc.)

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

It isn't an issue of ethics. You can ask anyone to do just about anything as long as you're honest about it.

It's more an issue of professionalism. You'll have no control over the quality or suitability of the photo you will get. No control over whether the photo will match the story.

Almost every reader survey or eye-tracking study stresses the importance of photographs as a page entry point. Yet, word editors seem to be the first to say, "It's only a photo."

More often than not, you get what you pay for.

If it's a blow-off story, by all means, use a hand-out photo. Hopefully the story is good enough to warrant more consideration. Frankly, with the shrinking news hole at our paper, if a feature story isn't good enough for us to send out a photographer, it probably won't run.

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

It's a feature story about the coach's husband bringing their kids to the games?

I hope there's a helluva lot more interesting to the story than that.

That said, no I don't have a problem with asking if SID photog can get a shot of them at the game.

The better solution would have been to shoot them at home with your photographer.

 

Re: Surely this is ethically wrong ...

Maybe "ethically" was the wrong word, but

OK, the use of the word "ethic" may have been incorrect, but I just felt asking him to do something extra, away from what his job responsibilities are without getting paid for it seemed a little wrong to me.

But that's just me I guess. I've got problems though right?