Photojournalism - assignment tracking system?

jaredangle

jaredangle

Photojournalist
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Long story short, I'm the photo editor at a small newspaper, with about 5-6 freelance photographers working directly under me. The boss wants there to be a web-based system where I can post assignments in a calendar, and the other photographers can access it, and track the assignments they are given, and confirm completed assignments when they are done.

Any suggestions?
 
Is anyone else reminded of that urban legend about NASA spending millions to develop a ball point pen that would write in the zero gravity of space while the Russians simply used a pencil?
 
Normally I would just send a quick text message, email, or phone call as needed, but freelancers have shown a tendency in the past to suddenly be unreachable after committing to a photo assignment. And they can't be bothered to come into the office, even though they have 14 days to get things done
 
jaredangle said:
Normally I would just send a quick text message, email, or phone call as needed, but freelancers have shown a tendency in the past to suddenly be unreachable after committing to a photo assignment. And they can't be bothered to come into the office, even though they have 14 days to get things done
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Maybe you should raise your rates?
 
Colin Corneau said:
Pretty funny, but I'm guessing it's not really up to the OP...like most mid-managers, they're getting their parameters from above them -- ie. those who most need to hear comments like that!

Most (good) photo editors want to do the right thing...not always allowed by the higher ups!
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You are right. Maybe he can pass on my comment to those above him. You only get what you pay for.

Or they can just give a digital point to the reporters -- which is what is happening. 🙂
 
Bob Michaels said:
Is anyone else reminded of that urban legend about NASA spending millions to develop a ball point pen that would write in the zero gravity of space while the Russians simply used a pencil?
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Don't know about urban legend, but I use such a ballpoint pen. It's from Fischer, and it's a very good pen, very compact and the ink flows until the last drop (pressurized inside).
 
Off point, but when we have freelancers who don't show up or don't turn stuff in, they become former freelancers as far as we're concerned. There's always somebody out there who wants to work and wants the publication experience. I know that doesn't help with the calendar, but …
 
presspass said:
Off point, but when we have freelancers who don't show up or don't turn stuff in, they become former freelancers as far as we're concerned. There's always somebody out there who wants to work and wants the publication experience. I know that doesn't help with the calendar, but …
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I'm gonna pull the "current generation is doomed" card, by pointing out that the unreliable freelancers (from last year, not this year) are the 18-25 photo student crowd, who over-promise and then are never heard from again. Technically, those individuals fire themselves because they never show up again after taking an assignment. The bigger issue is the fact that the assignment is then lost, or has to be made up at a later date, without the specific event that was to be covered, and merely an establishing shot of the location.

I have three freelancers, older than me in their 50s/60s, who constantly deliver great work on time. The others are new, so we don't know what type of work they'll put out. The calendar is not so much a necessity, but more of a reassurance.

We are sending out writers with P/S cameras, and the students who are taking the two required photography courses within the journalism program have the ability to check out a Canon 40D from the photo lab equipment desk.
 
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