Advise on having my photo used in a press release
LRussoPhoto
Registered Users Posts: 458 Major grins
A rider contacted me about an aftermarket manufacturing company wanting to use some of my photos of this rider in a press release. The rider won the points championship in their class for the 2011 season. I am getting the idea just from the wording in the email that the rider wants the photos for free. So I have a few questions.
Being that I am kinda new to this would it be stupid for me to give the photos away for free just so I can get my name out there being this company is fairly big in the industry? Should I find out if the photos will be used in catalogs or be used to generate sales for that company? Or would it be setting bad precedence to give photos away? The photos are for sale on my smugmug page but that is for personal use, what would be a fair price for commercial use? Should I make sure I receive credit for these photos in the press release? If I do sell the photo for commercial use that means I give all rights to the photo to the purchaser? Sorry if my questions are all over the place just bring to learn how this works.
How should I proceed?
Being that I am kinda new to this would it be stupid for me to give the photos away for free just so I can get my name out there being this company is fairly big in the industry? Should I find out if the photos will be used in catalogs or be used to generate sales for that company? Or would it be setting bad precedence to give photos away? The photos are for sale on my smugmug page but that is for personal use, what would be a fair price for commercial use? Should I make sure I receive credit for these photos in the press release? If I do sell the photo for commercial use that means I give all rights to the photo to the purchaser? Sorry if my questions are all over the place just bring to learn how this works.
How should I proceed?
D300s D90
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
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Comments
I do a lot of reading and just starting to sell some pictures online myself....
I noticed you are selling Original Downloads for $7.00?
My target sport is little league and I am not so much worried about being a "Pro" Photographer and many of my customers (moms and dads) are not as picky as ESPN (which is good for me). However, I currently sell my Web Downloads for $1 and Originals for $18.
Although a little off your original question.... how did you come up with $7.00?
On a side note: Some of the pro's on here can comment to this but I believe there are several different kinds of "Liscense Agreements" when setting up your Original Download Options? Charge Mom and Dad one price but make sure to charge more for any Company wanting your image. Again, I am not a pro but you might want to make sure you have a model release form or something for the rider too???
Terminally stupid !!!!!
Very, very bad precendent !!!!
The photo will be "licensed" to the entity for a particular usage. The price for the "license" will depend on the usage ... and you need to find that out. You are NOT giving up your copyright to that image, nor your potential to use that photo again somewhere else, unless the entity wants to buy you out of that copyright - which will up the ante considerably.
A program called PhotoQuote (not sure about that spelling! Google it and you'll have no problem finding it ....) will help you out in determining a pricing structure for that image for whatever usage they have in mind .....
Good luck with that ....
Atlanta, Georgia
Photos at SportsShooter
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Thanks for your input, I will check out that site.
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
A typical response is, "I'm not a professional, so I can't charge very much." In my humble opinion, nothing is further from the truth.
Professionalism is as much a state of mind as it is a measurable level of performance.
If someone is interested in acquiring or using your photographs, then you should expect to be paid for them and at a fair market value.
It doesn't make any difference how long you've been a photographer, what type of equipment you're using, or whether or not you've received formal training. Your images obviously have value or there wouldn't be any interest in acquiring them in the first place.
The point is that someone has expressed an interest in acquiring your images.
If you give your work away, or charge less than market rates, you are in effect doing a disservice to every other working photographer by eroding the market value of photographic images in general.
Kent
"Not everybody trusts paintings, but people believe photographs."- Ansel Adams
Web site
Think about how many times someone looks at the photocred in a catalog? It will not do you any favors. Then when some other company wants work from you what do you say? "I will do it for photo cred?"
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Let me understand something ..... you're questioning that the RIDER might want your IMAGE for free ??!! But you're looking for photo quote to be FREE ??!! Sorry, I gotta laugh at the irony of that ....
Yea, there's a difference between a press release and a catalog .... that's why it's helpful to find out just how to price the two. And I don't think it matters who contacts you about the image usage .... it's still a use of your image that you need to be compensated for ....
You've been offered some good advice in this thread (and not necessarily by me!) - and it's been FREE, by the way
Atlanta, Georgia
Photos at SportsShooter
You mentioned fotoquote and didn't mention anything about it being a pay service. Most of the time, in forums like this there is a lot of info about sites offering free services that are harder to find. My mistake for assuming it would be a free site, sorry.
Im not ignoring anyones advise.....I'm looking into the advise I was giving and saw that something I mistakenly thought was free, wasn't, so I asked if there was something I was missing on the website.
Found this FREE site. ANyone ever use it and think its a good base line?
http://photographersindex.com/stockprice.htm
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Quad, these databases exist throughout the business world, and most of them are free. The ones that charge are usually going to make a lot more money for the owner than the customers. I almost never pay for this kind of information, and neither should anyone else. They mine their data from the same places you can.
I guess I have a different take on this...You say he wants the photo for a press release. Where is this going to be distributed? What's it worth to you to say that your photography has appeared in 25 major newspapers? The practice of loss leaders is ubiquitous in the business world, except for a few photographers it seems. If you're unsure what the photo is worth, do what every business person does: ask HIM what he's willing to pay for it. Then just quickly agree on a fair price. You're not going to retire off this one fee, nor are you even likely to buy your next nice camera. Perhaps it will pay for a nice dinner out. Just keep in mind the near term contours vs. your longer term plans in photography.
Just checked this site and the prices seem about right. No automated system will give you anything more than a ballpark figure; there are too many variables involved.
I know no one can give me an exact figure, but I could really use some input. Just to clarify things - we are not professional photographers & have never sold a shot before which is why we really need some advice...
A company just wrote us requesting 'use' of one of our shots for the cover of a report they're preparing for a U.S. government agency. It's certainly not one of our better shots but, I suppose it demonstrates a point they're trying to make.
It may not be one of our faves, but they want/need it & my gut instinct says that they should be charged a fee for usage. I would really appreciate your input as to whether you agree re: payment & if so, suggestions re: the amount. I did check the site mentioned above, http://photographersindex.com/stockprice.htm, which shows an average price of $350 for corporate, less than 1/4 page or spot use & less than 10,000 distribution. Somehow that seems to high to me based on the quality of the shot & the size of the company which they claim is small. Any input would be helpful - perhaps you remember when you sold your first shot? FYI, the shot would be sent to them as an email attachment.
As any input as to where I can find a somewhat standard restricted license agreement? Your thought/info/feedback is appreciated.
rusuphotography.com
You absolutely need to charge for your work. Especially if it's in a printed format and used for a commercial purpose. Quote them a price and you can always negotiate. Coming up with a price is a relatively easy process. The final product, circulation (how many people will see it) etc., all come into play. If the company is "small", that's not your concern. If they're producing something for the US government, the government is paying for it. If they say they can't pay, you can't deliver the photos..period.
Justus Photography
www.lindasherrill.com
Forum for Canadian shooters: www.canphoto.net