Quote:
Originally Posted by Ex-Ithacan
I've had several instances where people/companies have contacted me asking permisssion to use one (or several) of my pics for publication. I've always said OK and just asked for them to acknowledge me as the photog. I recently received a second request from a design firm for photo use for one of their clients. Should I consider actually charging for the pics? If so, how much? I'm new to this aspect of picture taking.
Any ideas?
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You should absolutely be charging anytime a company uses your photos, for two reasons:
1) If they're using your product (photos) to run their business, you deserve a share of their profits in the form of payment.
2) More importantly, if they feel they can just use free photographs from amateurs, that drives down the market rate for professional photographers. This is the reason I always charge for my photos even though I'm an amateur and never aspire to be a professional photographer - because I know it's hard enough to be a photographer without amateurs with nothing to lose driving down prices for people who make a living selling their photography. Over the past 25 years I haven't really sold very much, but I have received approximately $1,000 in payments for my photographs in that time, from everything from political magazines to local newspapers to industry magazines to corporate flyers. I charge either $100 or their standard freelancer rate, whichever is higher. The only time I've given my photos away for free was when I was helping a buddy who does web development as he tried to get his own design shop off the ground. But even then, he's repaid me in services, so it didn't end up being exactly free - more like barter.
Now, if it's a non-profit asking to use the photo the question is trickier. In general, even most non-profits should be paying for most of the services they need. Certainly all non-profits get some things for free, but they also mostly pay key employees, they pay for electricity, for most other consumables, printing, etc. They may get some of it donated, but not all of it. So, while it is a much grayer area, I'd still advocate considering something from a non-profit company. You may decide you wish to donate it, but if you do ask for a receipt as an in-kind donation so they don't think of it as not having value. Even if you choose to give it for no charge to a non-profit, you don't want to devalue the work by not even asking for a receipt showing it as a tax-deductible donation.