Music Photos and Dealings

LeDude

Hey all, I have a big favor to ask. First, I've started to generate some interest in this gallery. Below are some links to what I think are the standouts (with at least one from each band member). I haven't posted any here because the rules state one post per week AND I have a strict policy of not making any artist's visage available without prior permission (and even if I do have permission I may refrain for the obvious reason of theft).

So, question number one, and directly pertaining to this forum: what can be done to improve the work? I see significant improvement on my end, but I've got a long way to go and the learning curve of self-teaching is starting to flatten. (caveat: self-teaching isn't entirely true - I've learned a tremendous amount on this site - thankyou all)

Question number two: what should I charge for use of these images? The following conditions apply: (a) the images will be used for a website, promo materials; (b) the band members are friends (and some roomates); (c) the initial expectation on their part was "free" - I have successfully and gently rebuffed this expectation; (d) each shot can be considered to have taken me between 45 and 60 minutes to create (shot and post-processing time); (e) I am just starting and have thus not paid any costs associated with these shots (i.e.: hardware, software, smugmug hosting); (f) I will also be brokering some advertising into the deal (e.g. a link to my site from theirs) - but then, I have been advertising for them all along by having these shots up and kindly captioned.

Guitar (1)
#1 http://ledudeprojects.smugmug.com/gallery/920960/1/46170322

Guitar (2)
#2 http://ledudeprojects.smugmug.com/gallery/920960/1/47364548

Drums (1)
#4 http://ledudeprojects.smugmug.com/gallery/920960/1/46167508

Drums (2) & Keys (1)
#5 http://ledudeprojects.smugmug.com/gallery/920960/1/46167518

Keys (2)
#6 http://ledudeprojects.smugmug.com/gallery/920960/1/46169490

Bass
#7 http://ledudeprojects.smugmug.com/gallery/920960/2/46182795

MC 1
#3 http://ledudeprojects.smugmug.com/gallery/920960/1/47487806

MC 2
#8 http://ledudeprojects.smugmug.com/gallery/920960/1/47364558


It's a big favor, I know. I'd be super-pleased if folks took just one shot at random and helped me out piecemeal.

peace,
Rich

[edit: p.s. I realize that pricing is a very subjective matter. So I am asking for specific examples as similar to mine as possible. I want to be able to justify my asking price because after all, these folks are friends. In other words, make this as objective as possible by answering, for example: what have you charged for usage of your photos on another person's website?]

Andy

Rich,

I moved this to MYOB. Go ahead and post ONE shot to the whipping post.

Thanks

LeDude

Thanks Andy. Givin' this a bump.

binghott

i've been shooting a lot of bands in the long island area for over a year now. i have obtained several "clients" that will invite me to their shows with full access and i shoot for them. typically the deal works out to be a cooperative marketing tactic, aka free. every band shot i take is watermarked with my website on it, so if they use my image (with permission) on their site or myspace or something, people see that and then go to my site to see more. i also sometimes pass out fliers at shows saying "for pictures of tonights show, visit binghott.com" or something like that. this strategy has been very succesful at getting people to my website. and once people look at the pictures from the show they were at, they go to look at pictures of other bands they know.

i've now established myself as a respected photographer in the long island music scene and now i get a lot of bands that would like to employ me. if a band that i don't know wants to hire me and i haven't seen them play before, i'll typically charge $50 for the show and they can use my photos how they want as long as they give me proper credit. i have one primary client and i do their work for free because (a) i want to see them get big, so i dont want to drain their money and (b) if they do get big (which they could) my photography would be there with them. if they were to go on tour, they would hire me to go along with them. the band treats me like royalty and they give me free shirts and everything all the time, which they should because i provide them with an incredible service.

bands typically do not have much money and i dont know the audience of the band you're working with, but the teens that listen to my clients do not like to shell out money to order prints. however, if you had a great shot of the band together, if you got a couple big prints of it from smugmug, you could either sell it to the band to sell at there merch table, or just sell it yourself at shows. maybe get them to all sign it too.

i hope this helps you out!

LeDude

binghott wrote:

i hope this helps you out!

Definitely my man, thankyou much.

LeDude

bumpin to git critiquiosity
of a bit mo' diversity