Automotive spy photographers - how much for a pic?

Factual Questions
1

Another car related question:

For those of you who regularly read car magazines, you know they like to feature spy photos of future models.

Any idea how much these guys get paid?

2

I thought most of those photos were ‘leaked’ by the car companies themselves, in order to gauge the general reaction of the public to new designs they were considering. Just like political ‘leaks’ in Washington DC.

[Yes, I know the magazines make a big deal about how they have obtained ‘secret’ photos of the future models. But I don’t believe that. It’s a joint deal between the car companies & the magazines, with benefits to both.]

3

Spy photos are often of disguised development “mules” which may or may not reflect the final vehicle design, but may show key changes, particularly to the greenhouse, because you can’t very well drive a mule with plastic cladding over the windshield. I don’t see why the companies themselves would release these. The poor quality of some of the images would also suggest they are legitimate spy photos. When it comes to the finished product, I suppose you have a point, but the car companies send out press kits with plenty of glossed up pics, so I really don’t see interest on the part of the car companies in releasing raw, “candid” shots of the vehicle one month early.

As far as the OP, I have no idea, but I’m sure the compensation correlates with the rarity and desirability of the car in question.

4

I have to imagine they’re real – I remember recently reading about a “famous” spy photo photographer that did all kinds of stuff to get her shots.

Also, “spy shots” aren’t the clad cars. Those run all over the place in SE Michigan. Nothing special. The REAL goods are the unclad cars from the test track or the product development areas.

5

I know they’re common around here, but I still get a thrill when I see one. They’ve got these really cool “wrappings” for them now, all velcroed up. I used to see them with what looked like odd parts added on, or partial wrappings. Now they look like someone bought a giant cell phone case for them.