Bought photo, wants to use on web

j-bo

There was something similar in another thread but not exactly. I have someone that did buy some photo's, about 10 or so and I noticed he had somehow gotten a hold (probably disabled java) of a few photo's with the "PROOF" written across them and had them on the web. I guess he doesn't have a scanner or whatever...

He sent me an email just a day ago and is wanting the photo's he has already bought prints from to get them by email now too. I think he only wants to use them for an avatar and on his sponsorship page on another site or something.

Do I send him the originals, do I send him something downsized to say, 400x600 or something or???

How do I handle when someone buys 2 pic prints, then decides that they "should" get the originals at no charge since they already bought them?

What do ya'll do, if someone doesn't want to buy prints and just wants to by an electronic version of a photo?

Any info please?

dragon300zx

Depends on the photo and how they are using it. But you need to explain to him that purchasing a print does not give him any usage rights. He purchased a print and can hang it on the wall, he did not purchase unlimited rights to use the photo as he see's fit.

Then you can quote him on what it would cost for those rights and a copy of the photo sized for his puposes, an original costing more than a smaller size.

There is a good book shay recommends in a sticky for doing this kinda pricing thing.

Seefutlung

So how hard will it be for him to scan??? Sure you can explain that he didn't buy the rights for full usage (makes sense especially if that wording is in his contract or bill of sale). If not, you have the potential of burning a bridge or keeping a client ... all depending on how you handled the situation.

When I buy something at Home Depot or the neighborhood Ferrari Dealer, what I buy is mine (period). Many may be confused, or don't see a difference between buying a print and buying ownership.

Good luck (personally, because scanning is so easy ... I'd give him what he wants at a slight charge and if it's going on a web site with attribution.)

j-bo

I've handled it today. I'm no pro, and mainly do this as fun. I get caught up reading all these pro's posts on not to do this, don't do that, don't give this and don't give that.

What was I thinking. Just give him some a smaller version of the photo and keep him happy as it's better to keep a paying customer than tick them off.

I did send a nice email explaining what usually happens, but in this case.. blah blah blah. I just asked if he's using it on his web, if he'd put a link to my site or a mention or something.

Maybe if I was a full blown business and actually sold a lot of stuff I'd do it differently.

Sorry for the post really. I get caught up with reading the big pro world of photography and lose my senses!

System

Why not add your name and © on the pic file you are sending?

dvdmon

I'm far from an expert at this, but we have a portrait photo business and we get our clients to sign model releases. It gives them limited rights to use their images for advertizing, etc., in return we get the right to use the pictures of them promotionally ourselves. We don't give them the digital files to do what they want with, but they can do what they want with the prints they buy.

We did have one client who actually tried to get around our Smugmug pricing by doing screen captures of the images and then trying to print them. Of course they looked horrible and so she came to us and played dumb about not being able to print good quality stuff from the website.

Anyway, I think the way around creating bad feelings is to have a propper agreement that goes over the basics before doing a shoot. If you don't give your client the info about what he can and can't do with the photos you're taking, you're just going to cause potential misunderstandings because people will and can assume anything without getting specific details (and sometimes even after getting those details!). If you didn't provide such an agreement beforehand, my thinking would be to bend over backwards to please the client, but try to also see if he can meet you half-way. Then go write up a standard agreement that outlines the stuff so that there won't be any questions the next time around...