I've been approached by a new Local Record Centre which aims to be a central co-ordinating body for the management of biological data in a neighbouring County and also aims to suppport the biological recording community and promote wider participation in conservation.
They need a bank of photographs they are able to use in both educational and promotional materials. They have seen examples of my work on an educational website and are asking permission to use some of them and if I could provide other photographs to use as well. They have salaried staff and are part funded by the EU and supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Whilst I have no objection to them using the photos on the website for educational purposes I feel to let them have more images without payment of some kind would set a precedent for myself and other photographers that could give cause for regret at some later stage.
I strongly agree with what they are trying to achieve, but as money is being provided for this endeavour I feel nature photographers should have a share in it. What do you think, and have you any suggestions how I would word my response to the request?
As a professional in the field of conservation and knowing what these projects are about, I would consider the following:
1. Ask them to define their photo use, is it to label items, to promote items, to sell items?
2. I would suspect that they are multi use and as such usage will be commercial in nature.
3. Ask them how reliant their project is on images, they will probably say to a high degree.
4. Ask them why the project and its funding stream was not inclusive of image capture/requisition, they will probably say it was.
5. This will give you the opportunity to negotiate rates with them.
Lots of these projects do not consider certain cost items/aspects and bid to funders without including fundamentals like photography. They seem to think that it will be available free somewhere. If you go down the free route then you will have sold-out whether the project has an educational role or not. Educational use should not be used as a lever to get our images free. Ask parents how much education costs them whether their kids are at Eton or need a text book for college. I don't see Arthur Morris or Moose Peterson giving their books away..................
Hi I allow quite a few of my images to be used freely on web sites for local bird clubs, environmental agencies, local councils, and local ranger services and also schools, and some friends groups of nature reserves. There is strict understanding that if they wish to publish any (in any printed form) of my images then they have to pay the commercial going rate, the only exception to this is the new to be published breeding birds of Lancashire which may have up to 150 of my images in as this is a non for-profit publication which will notbe updated for possibly 50 years.
They have salaried staff, pay local rates, gas, electric and telephone bills without questioning them. Why should your work be given freely? You don't have to sting them but don't do it for free.
David - before you do anything sign up at Alamy as a contrbutor and then look through the licensed and royalty free images and check out the prices charged to charities - you'd be amazed at some of the fees.
Once you have a feel for true prices then make your decission - but don't for one minute think a pic is chicken feed - if it's quality it's worth good money.
Discussion
5 repliesThey need a bank of photographs they are able to use in both educational and promotional materials. They have seen examples of my work on an educational website and are asking permission to use some of them and if I could provide other photographs to use as well. They have salaried staff and are part funded by the EU and supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Whilst I have no objection to them using the photos on the website for educational purposes I feel to let them have more images without payment of some kind would set a precedent for myself and other photographers that could give cause for regret at some later stage.
I strongly agree with what they are trying to achieve, but as money is being provided for this endeavour I feel nature photographers should have a share in it. What do you think, and have you any suggestions how I would word my response to the request?
Thank you
As a professional in the field of conservation and knowing what these projects are about, I would consider the following:
1. Ask them to define their photo use, is it to label items, to promote items, to sell items?
2. I would suspect that they are multi use and as such usage will be commercial in nature.
3. Ask them how reliant their project is on images, they will probably say to a high degree.
4. Ask them why the project and its funding stream was not inclusive of image capture/requisition, they will probably say it was.
5. This will give you the opportunity to negotiate rates with them.
Lots of these projects do not consider certain cost items/aspects and bid to funders without including fundamentals like photography. They seem to think that it will be available free somewhere. If you go down the free route then you will have sold-out whether the project has an educational role or not. Educational use should not be used as a lever to get our images free. Ask parents how much education costs them whether their kids are at Eton or need a text book for college. I don't see Arthur Morris or Moose Peterson giving their books away..................
Hope this helps
Brian
Phillip.
John
Once you have a feel for true prices then make your decission - but don't for one minute think a pic is chicken feed - if it's quality it's worth good money.
Regards
Andy