A Public Service Announcement from Spike..

... Hey everyone! It's Spike from Rod and Kulture!! Today's lesson (learned the hard way) is about getting asking questions. What does that have to do with hot rods you say? Well, read on and you'll see the connection!!!

As a photographer of hot rods and customs, I go to car shows sometimes to look for cars to feature. Every now and then I see a car that really fits in to our magazine, Rod and Kulture. Many times the owner is close by, sometimes I have to track them down and talk with them. In that conversation I usually ask if the car has been featured in a magazine already, and, if so, when it was featured, and what magazine it was. Was the picture just from show coverage or was it a full spread with a story and what not? I read most of what is out there on the news stands and the indies, just so I don't double up on some else's work. Rarely will I shoot a car that has already been covered. There really isn't any point, especially if it's a magazine like Rodder's Journal but worse if its one of those other mags. You know what I mean...


So anyways, I was at a car show recently and came upon a few really great cars. Man these things are perfect for R&K, so I get the owners and immediately I'm asked what magazine they are for. I say "Rod and Kulture" and it's like "whew...not those other guys" . this actually happens a lot lately. I'm pretty satisfied by the way they are busting balls that I have first shot at 'em, so I go through all the work of taking the pics. I shot three cars at that show, which makes my four hour trip worth it.

Today at work I see the mail. and there is one of the other mags, just sitting there. I thumb through it, and BAM. There is one of the cars I shot last weekend! WTF??? Full feature too... Damn. I wasted my time. I should have asked, and, you think the owner would have said something like "hey man, someone from BRAND-X shot it already, still want it?"

I'm thinking that maybe its not common knowledge how the magazine business usually works. Ethics ETC..


Basically, its common courtesy for the photographer not to shoot a car that has already been shot by a compe***or if you know that its been featured already. How you get that information is achieved in several ways, but mainly just by looking at every mag there is and trying to be respectful of other's work. its a small pool we swim in, so it's not easy, but I try to keep that un-written code in place.

Owners need to be forthright in letting a guy know that car has already been shot. Its just the right thing to do..like dating while you're engaged or living with someone. That way I, or whoever, won't waste the hours in shooting, editing, and leg work that goes into a shoot.

I'm a little embarr***ed for making a mistake I hardly ever make, but I guess that's the way things are getting with new magazines popping up to cash in on the scene.

Stuff happens. I'm already over it.

So guys and gals, if a magazine guy or gal wants to shoot your car or bike or big wheel and its already going to appear in the next issue of Play Skool Illustrated. Let the person know up front! It will save you both a lot of time!

Now you know..and knowing is half the battle!

Spike

 

This Play Skool Illustrated mag you speak of, where can I find it Spike?

 

At you local KB Toyz or Kidz-Wee-Bee. Look for the Green Machine issue. It rulez.

Spike
(Miss you Nads, its been years!)

 

And now I know...
Kind of threw me off with the "about getting asking questions" part.
Some owners thou just wont care, they are getting their car in a mag.
As a professional courtesy, yes it would be nice.
Problem thou how many car builders/ hobbyist are " professional" if at all courteous.

 

Why, if ethics comes into play here...do we get to see John D'Agostino's latest in EVERY mag out there...why do we get to see Posies' latest in every mag...or any of the hot dog rod shop's latest in every mag (yeah...I'm speaking generalizations here)...but you get the point...

Every hot rodder out there wants to see his "feature" in every mag out there...and if they tell you they don't, they're lieing...!!!

But, AAR, thanx for the explanation...

R-

 

That's interesting to know. So if you get featured in a mag, say Rebel Rods because you were trying to win $300, you just blew it for getting in the rest of them?

That sort of changes the argument over in that "other thread" a little doesn't it?

 

lmfao.....wrong thread !!

 

Entering a contest and being featured are two different things entirely. However, if you entered a contest of yourself in a Speedo to a gay magazine, it would kind of "out" you to the rest of the world that 1) you read that magazine, and 2) You're gay.

Draw your own conclusions
Spike

 

Nice ****ogy

 

I can tell by that response you don't get my point. Point is, you build a car and take it to it's first show. Somebody from some magazine you don't care for or whatever walks up to you and asks you if they can feature your car. From the other thread, some people were saying "any exposure is good, do it". My point, to you, is does that mean that the guys from all other mags are gonna p*** over your car after that?

PS: What's up with that response anyway? If you saw a picture of me in a speedo you'd know I wasn't gay. Gay guys don't look like John Goodman.

 

Hahahahahahahah!!!!

Lmao.

It all makes sense. They talk about it a little in the new R&C.

 

Some magazines will indeed p*** on it IF they 1) know about it already and in that case wouldn't be asking to shoot it 2) The owner doesn't tell them. Some don't care and will anyway. I won't.

As for the Speedo reference..I have no idea. I just know that I'll never own one. It wouldn't be right for the people who had to see it.

Spike
Spike

 

So I have a question... Please please.. Raising my hand really really high.
Why the **** dont you ask the person your thinking of shooting their car . Too lazy to ask first but not afraid to ***** later ? ... By the way I look outstanding in my speedo and im not gay. (they make different kinds ya know not just the low cut ball huggers)
Dave

 

I've had two photo shoots of my car and niether one was put in a mag. waisted 2 hours of each day, thank god............

 

...so are they lying so they can be in multiple mags?

 

Awww.... you ****ed up by not asking the right question.

The worst is when the ***hole lies to your face and says it has never been photographed. Then you see your photos and another ***les photos on the same news stand the same month with the same car.

 

So someone else shoots the car, then we tell you so you don't shoot it, and maybe they don't ever run it.
Then our car is in 0 mags.
Keep out mouth shut, let nature take it's course and maybe it's in 2.

 

Ok that brings another kind of a question.. If you have time to shoot a car for the magazine i guess you should guarantee that it will be published.. Ya see your kinda ****ed here .. And i still look outstanding in my speedo ..
Dave

 

Hey Spike.......you & me go way back 'Bro. I'm gonna' give you exclusive photo rights to MY ride!!

 

My car has not been photographed for or featured in any of the lesser magazines, and has only appeared in one magazine (yours!) in show coverage once.

Just letting you know. For future reference. Just In case.
*hint*hint*

 

That's a shame. I haven't read a Rodder's Journal since 1989. Wonder what I've missed?

 

They cant.

They are using their opinion as to what cars should be featured in the magazine. When it all comes down to it the decision of the Editor is final.

In addition, there could be other factors... lighting issues... a flaw in the car the photographer might have missed... weird reflections... it happens.

 

I am proud to say that about 98% of what I have shot makes it in a magazine. somewhere..Some time. Maybe not right away...but usually it makes it in some mag.

I was wrong for not asking the right questions. That was my mistake. I have learned and have made it part of the public service announcement. I should know better by now!

Recently I have learned of a new scenario. The car was shot nine months ago and never published until now....as an owner, what to do? ****, NINE MOTHS is a damn long time to the average Joe owner, never having played the mag game before. I'm learning..hopefuly others will as well.

Spike

 

I don't let it bother me...I've always looked at it this way (and explained it to car owners): As a car guy, I'd LOVE for my car to be featured in a magazine. No way in hell I'm going to get stoked about a really great car, decide I'm going to invest the time in shooting it, then leave it sit because someone else shot it. That ****s for the car owner. "Sorry man, but Dippity-Doo Monthly already shot it, so I can't." If I'm the car owner, I want my car to be in a magazine...if it can go in more than one, that'd be awesome.
From my perspective, it just means I need to take better photos and write a better story than the other magazines.
I like nothing better than talking to a car builder who says "well, I'd really like you to shoot my car, but I told this other magazine they could shoot it too." That's **** to expect a car builder to give any exclusive rights to shoot a feature on their car.
Or what about the car I shot a little while ago, where the builder said "They shot my car a year ago, and I haven't heard anything since. But they said they were going to put it on the cover." Is there any kind of expiration date on a deal like that?
Exclusivity only works when you're worried about compe***ion in the marketplace. There is no "code."
-Brad

 

Brad- You're right. Thanks.

Spike

 

Nine moths???? No ****.

 

good to know but will ******* angela lansbury be involved?? i heard this from a somewhat reliable source!!

 

if you entered your car in a contest, and "they" run 1 or 2 photos as part of some contest, it wouldnt really exclude it from being featured in r&k. if they do a full blown feature, we would not feature it. we try not to feature anything that has been featured in the last 10 years in another automotive publication that is on the major newstand. there really isnt any need to. there is a ton of great stuff still out there, and our readers usually subscribe to several mags, so they dont want to see the same car featured either. there are the occational exceptions. we are going to feature dan collins pick up, and it was already featured in one of the truck mags, but i think a large percentage of our readers probablly never saw it. because we are a quarterly publication, sometimes we do have to sit on an article longer than some of the monthly publications, but we try to move it along in a orderly fashion. we are working on go bimonthly shortly.

zombie

 

I'm saving myself for you Spike.

Hugs!

 

Damn, I never knew there was a problem like this. Ever since I started gettin car mags I've always seen the same car in different mags. In all actuallity I think it's a good idea, cause' the person shooting the pics may not have the same shots as the other guy and then the readers would get to see different parts of the car thru the eye's of the photographer. Another thing that really bother me is all this BS about these mags......Well let just say I'm glad this is a free country and I'll let it at that because I respect peoples opinions. I'll save myself for ya Spike if my POS will even be worth it
later shawn