Fashion magazines can no longer afford to lock photographers into exclusives

Participants said the weakened economics of publishing, particularly fashion magazines, make it harder to secure photographers with exclusive contracts. A guest contrasted the current situation with practice as recently as the 1990s, when publishing houses could tie photographers to million-dollar deals. He cited Annie Leibovitz, who, he said, shot only for Vanity Fair and Vogue. In another recent case discussed on the program, one photographer reportedly accepted commissions from about four competing publications; similar looks, including the same Chanel dress, drew criticism. The guest suggested that the photographer’s lack of an agent may have contributed to the situation.