caz:
Since moving, I take a lot of photos. More specifically, I take a lot of photos of local landmarks and can be somewhat OCD about tagging, mapping and titling them. They become easy to find on Flickr, and as I live in a less traveled place, I end up with frequent requests to use the images in other projects.
Usually when I get a request to use a photo, it’s for a guidebook. I’ve been printed in two already and have now gotten a request for a third. However, this most recent one was for a book to promote local businesses, and instead of being free, it will be sold at shops in town here and also on amazon.
The agency putting it together is non-profit and says that proceeds from the book will go to re-print future runs, and if there is enough, to set up a fund to promote local businesses. I think that’s great, but at the same time, I can’t help but wonder why I’m doing free photography for what is essentially, in the end, a FOR profit purpose. In the end, if my photos are good, those people will make a lot of money, right? That’s the idea?
How do you handle these kinds of requests? Do you think they’re fair to the photographer? Or is this question totally irrelevant because this is Tumblr and only 12 of us take our own photos and write our own content?
I have no idea how to answer this but I’m reblogging it in the hope that it gets to someone’s eyes who can help.
I recently lost a sale because I refused to bring my price down… I felt that giving away the digital rights to a photo for 10 years was worth a lot more than they were willing to pay me so I declined their offer.
Congrats on the other sales though… it’s always great when you see someone getting paid for something they enjoy and work hard at.
I posted recently how I was contacted by a Japanese book publisher with a request to use a photo. They did eventually email me back, and I did end up allowing them to use the photo for a 3-5k book run in Japan only. If there is a second run or distributed in any other countries, they will have to notify me again; not necessarily for payment purposes, but for my knowledge of knowing where my photo is going. I also was ensured that it wasn’t going to be used on the cover of the book. I don’t think I would have allowed the free use in that case.
Giving away rights to a photo is completely different in my opinion as that allows them to do anything they please. I have no clue what price to put on such a thing.
Obviously, in the long run, it should always be your call on what you feel comfortable doing without being paid. Even though I ended up only getting emails back and forth with Japan, if possible always get the terms in writing and always include the number of prints in the first run. That way, if a second run is ever done and you feel the need to renegotiate terms and possibly price points, you can do that. I think that would be a good way to approach the question on the guide book. Do the first run for free, but as they continue to make money you can begin to fairly charge them for the use of your art.
