NUJ Rate for the Job: Photography / books

Updated: 2025-07-09

These rates have been reported by members of the National Union of Journalists and others, and printed in the Freelance, newsletter of London Freelance Branch. They are sorted by publisher/publication, then by date (most recent first). TIP: Use the "Find in page" command under your browser's "Edit" or "Search" menu to be sure of finding all occurrences of a publication/publisher. AND do note the year in which the rate was reported! See also the Freelance Fees Guide, which gives general recommendations. And read the disclaimer and the key to exactly what the entries mean.

Photography / books Photography, whether paid by the day, the hour or per picture, whose primary purpose is to put pix in a book. If you are interested, the archived rates are here.
Tell us what you've been paid for Photography / books		Freelance Fees Guide
Publication / Programme - details & terms	Group	Year		Total paid	GR	XXXX
Quiet London travel guide photography of locations in london including securing permits and permissions to shoot - 1 day booking shoots and permits, two days of shooting, 1 day travel - provided unedited images - max 10 images selected for publication in the book, exepenses £100		2022		250.00		XXX
Book on Johnny Carson by Henry Bushkin half page b/w in book for 2 years	_HMiff	2014		130.00
Book on Johnny Carson by Henry Bushkin half page b/w in book for 2 years	_HMiff	2014		130.00
Book publisher photographic studio day rate , prod/exes		2024		1180.00		O
Hodder Education 2 photos for book use	_Hach	2020		195.00
Oxford University Press photo for book use		2020		195.00
Pearson photo for book use	_Pearson	2020		195.00
Single A5 image in exhibition catalogue per picture usage		2015		165.00
Stuart Copeland diaries photos per pic (4 supplied) - world-wide, print run 2000		2024		65.00		X
Textbook (multimedia, published in USA) less than quarter page, very high run , terms 1 use in 1 edition		2019		1328.00		O
Textbook (published in Canada) less than quarter page , terms 1 use in 1 edition		2019		110.00
US educational publisher stock image - extensive rights, 4.75m print run, 20 years, worldwide, inc web, DVD etc... but still...		2018		1400.00		O
Westermann photo for use in German school book		2020		125.00
Key to the rates, by column:
1 Publication / Programme, any details of work and licence
2 Owner at the time the rate was reported, where known	Group
3 The year in which the rate was reported		Year
4 Currency: either or or (US)
5 Amount paid (total of basic licence and extra licences for web use, database resale...)				Amount
7 "Going Rate" according to experienced NUJ members - do try to better it:					GR
or Minimum rate set out in NUJ House Agreement:					HA
8 Underpaid, in the fallible opinion of the Freelance editor:				50.00		X
or Just sometimes we're pleasantly surprised:				1500.00		O

Other rates:

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Freelance Fees Guide home page

Joining the NUJ and getting a Press Card