Dimsh2000 From United States of America, joined May 2005, 14 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 3020 times:
Hey Guys,
I recently got the following e-mail containing a request for photo usage:
"I'm writing in regards to one of your photos on airliners.net, I would like to purchase it to use on the homepage of a website. It's a beautiful shot of a C90A King Air located here - http://www.airliners.net/photo/Beech...=6667318e05ec7b114105657501dd8c47. We need a large photo, at least 1000px wide.
Can you please let me know the cost of purchasing this photo from you?"
I did some research on the company the requester is from and it is a graphics design firm based in Los Angeles. However, I am not sure what to charge. Usually I have been offered a price. Since this is a graphics design company, what amount should I charge for the usage of my photo?
Cpd From Australia, joined Jun 2008, 4879 posts, RR: 44 Reply 1, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 3013 times:
My guess is they are not going to use it on their site, but on the site of a firm for whom they are building a website.
My guess is that the usual rate would be a few hundred dollars. If there are other similar photos of the plane available, that might reduce your ability to get a reasonable price.
Who operates the plane? Do they have an existing website that looks a bit tired? That might be the answer to who the client is.
JakTrax From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 4738 posts, RR: 8 Reply 3, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 hours ago) and read 2931 times:
Yes, ask them if they have a standard rate for photographers' work and go from there - that way you sort of know ehere you stand. You may be surprised by what they offer, or if it's not enough you can negotiate up.
Dimsh2000 From United States of America, joined May 2005, 14 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 2918 times:
I asked him what they usually charge and this is the response I got:
"Generally we pay between $5 & $18 per photo, it really just depends on the size of the photo and the photogrpher's rate. On average, for a photo at least 1000px wide (but no larger than 1500px wide) we'd pay about $12 per photo from a photographer and about $10 per photo from a stock photography site."
Even though they are making a website for another company, they are still a graphics design company, and I think the price they're offering is way too little for such a firm. What do you guys think?
JakTrax From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 4738 posts, RR: 8 Reply 6, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 2909 times:
I'm of the opinion that even small amounts for your work are worth the effort and charging these small amounts reinforces many a photographer's stance of not giving images away for free - but $12? That's just insulting! The only way I'd let my work go for that is if it was for an aviation enthusiast magazine (such as Airliners), which this clearly isn't. A graphic designer will likely make a princely sum from your work and I'm sure they are just trying it on. I would very politely refuse the offer with little explanation and leave it at that.
Dazbo5 From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2005, 2579 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 2893 times:
That's an insult and I wouldn't even reply to that! If they're wanting it for the homepage of a website, depending on what the website is for (assuming it's commercial), I wouldn't settle for anying less than $50, and that's cheap! Most of the photos I sell are around the £20-30 mark but for large media work, it's been as much at £650. I would class the main photo on a homepage as worth far more than $12. They're presumable wanting it for the background of the homepage, the reason they're requesting at least 1000 pixels?
Darren
Equipment: 2x Canon EOS 50D; Sigma 10-20 EX DC HSM, 50-500 EX APO DG, Canon 24-105 f/4 L, Speedlite 430EX
JakTrax From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 4738 posts, RR: 8 Reply 8, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 2883 times:
Quoting Dazbo5 (Reply 7): Most of the photos I sell are around the £20-30 mark
Same here. Some would say that isn't enough but when you start selling one here, one there it soons adds up. I don't do it for money, but sales are often worth persuing and what I earn goes straight back into the hobby (one way or another).
It's hard these days to strike a balance - too little and you're under-selling yourself and setting a low-figure precedent for other photographers; too much and you risk losing the sale (and any future sales) completely.
Accept what you're comfortable with (regardless of what anyone says) but don't let yourself be taken for a ride. Evaluate what the image is worth commercially for the purpose it will serve. Also, bear in mind that setting a low-figure precedent paves the way for future sales, not just for yourself but for the community in general.
I must admit I tend to undersell but I do ask for a fair price based on what my image will ultimately be used for. Circumstances vary from situation to situation. Don't forget that if your fees are reasonable repeat business is always a potential. If I'm happy with the amount received and the client is happy with the image that's all that matters!
Finally, always do a bit of homework - is your image rare or are there hundreds more like it online? That often determines the commercial value of an image.
Cpd From Australia, joined Jun 2008, 4879 posts, RR: 44 Reply 9, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks ago) and read 2880 times:
Stuff them - that's a pathetic rate. They are off the planet.
Design houses in general, even for a small website will charge in the thousands of dollars. Anything more complex, and the prices are even higher. I used to be in that industry.
Kukkudrill From Malta, joined Dec 2004, 1122 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (3 years 3 months 3 weeks ago) and read 2873 times:
Quoting Dimsh2000 (Reply 4): I asked him what they usually charge and this is the response I got:
"Generally we pay between $5 & $18 per photo, it really just depends on the size of the photo and the photogrpher's rate. On average, for a photo at least 1000px wide (but no larger than 1500px wide) we'd pay about $12 per photo from a photographer and about $10 per photo from a stock photography site."
Even though they are making a website for another company, they are still a graphics design company, and I think the price they're offering is way too little for such a firm. What do you guys think?
They're probably used to getting photos from microstock companies like iStockphoto, Shutterstock or Dreamstime. You can get photos from there that are even cheaper. I'm not saying you should settle for $12 but there's a limit to how high you can push the price in today's stock photography market.
Make the most of the available light ... a lesson of photography that applies to life
JakTrax From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 4738 posts, RR: 8 Reply 11, posted (3 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 2860 times:
Quoting Kukkudrill (Reply 10): there's a limit to how high you can push the price in today's stock photography market
True, but the stock photo market isn't as diverse and certainly offers nowhere near the choice sites such as A.net offer. Anyone seriously after aviation photo's I can almost guarantee will come here first (and probably go no further!). Plus there's no exclusivity in using stock photo's as someone else can just as easily use the same one. Bad business for any corporation I would imagine.
On a final note, what are the chances of a stock image site having the obscure 'plane I want sitting on the deck at Urumqi airport in north-west China?
Stock photo agencies are okay for general, run-of-the-mill stuff but the people who 'shop' here would more-than-likely have to have a screw loose to go browsing them for things as specialised as those we offer.
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