Someone here is "interested in images I have". They say they will be used in 30 new military medical centers. Here is part of what they said:
"Hi! I work for an art company in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are currently working with an architectural firm that is building family medical clinics for the military across the US. These are all small clinics for military families and will have about 30 pieces of artwork per clinic. Right now I am focusing on a job in Z**Z*Z and saw some of your photos on your website and was hoping that we might be able to work together.
We work with photographers all over the US and pay a $100 usage fee per photo."
Their website is http://www.artcollectionsinc.com
I have asked them for more details and for them to tell me exactly which images hold their interest. They will be wanting low-res images for approval and then IF approved, want 300dpi images. So, it will be all electronic. They then COULD use the images whenever and wherever they want and it would be up to me to find out somehow (if they are unscrupleous). So far, I have not heard back from them.
Just wondering if any of you have worked with them or other "go-between" companies before.
Troup
Posted by Mike Moats on January 2, 2011 at 1:22 PM
Hey Troup, I work with a few companies that buy for health environments. I usually sell them prints, but if they need larger then 24X36 that I can print, then I sell them the file and they have their printer print them.
They have rebought a few of the files, which tells me they are not reselling from one file, but that doesn't mean that every company will do whats right.
If someone offered me $3,000 for thirty files, I would go for it. I would rather have $3,000 in my pocket then pass on this deal being afraid they may use them again. But that's me.
Posted by Jim Bullard on January 3, 2011 at 8:07 AM
Did you look them up? I suspect this is the place http://www.artcollectionsinc.com/. If they are only going to use the images for their specific projects (no open market sale of prints) it sounds like a pretty good deal since they will be handling "fullfullment". If the price is for use on that single project without any reuse on other projects I'd say it was a really good deal.
I have never dealt with them, but at $100/ I'd certainly stipulate single use. And yeah, I'd send a bill along with a license agreement when I submitted the full sized files. We've done several public building projects on our own, and $100/ is a little low, but in the realm of what we charged over and above printing and framing charges. Larger than 20x24? I'd expect more even for single use.
The $3k sounds like a lot of money, but is that really a fair share of the income for the project? That depends entirely on the size of the photos and the fees being collected from the ultimate client.
Thanks for the advice everyone! She actually has been back in touch and told me which image. Ugh! The image is neat but technically a loser. It was taken from a moving boat and is not actually sharp at all when you blow it up. She said the image would be printed (by them) at 24x30. I was honest with her (and sent a 72dpi image) that it would be terrible. A good note is she has asked me to pick one that would work for submission to her client.
I have not asked her yet whether the intent is $100 per image per site or a flat $100 period for the electronic image. Wanted to wait until I knew how real the request was. I found the request did not fully state that. I could certainly appreciate the $3000 vs $100. And if they are going to use it in 30 sites for $100.......then I don't think I am interested. My apparent take is for one image (used 30 times?).
Update...one image...one site...$100. Also, she actually called me on the phone. Seems what I have, few others have! Sent her 14 submissions that may work.
Next update. She wanted one image from a set I sent her. She gave me her Fed-EX number to ship a tiff to her overnight. Sounding more legitimate by leaps and bounds. Now she will have the image printed at 24x30 at their expense. If the image works for them, they will mount the image at their expense (don't know if it will be framed or what they are going to do. Then they will mount it in the office at their expense. Also will be mounting something giving me credit for the image. Once it is mounted in the office, I should be paid. Should be by end of February. So...if interested, stay tuned....
Giving the updates in case anyone is contacted by this company. Seems ok other than a possible low price.
You have moved these folks way up the scale for me Troup. They do sound legit. May there be more like them.
Keep us posted.
BTW- Start keeping a record of this kind of sales. In our experience you'll sometimes encounter design firms or decorators contracted to do large projects in public spaces and private office complexes. I wish there were more, but the ones that come along can result in huge sales for you, especially if you can demonstrate a track record. Our most notable was providing photos for all the rooms in a new hospital. Yeah, that contract made a lot of mortgage payments on our studio!
Last update. Wow! Legitimate company! Check came in for $100 for one image and it cleared the bank. They even sent an email about a week later asking if the check had been signed as they thought maybe not. Yep, signed and deposited. Only wish they wanted 30 copies! So, if Art Collections comes a calling, you probably have a sale! And they did all the work! $100 an image may sound little, but they printed it at their expense. If the image did not work, it was their money, not mine. They paid for whatever mounting they wanted, not me. They installed the mounted print at the location, not me. I received $100.00 for sending them the tiff. And they kept asking for a better image when I told them the one they wanted was no good for blowing up. I was happy. And to make things better, the image is installed at a place only about 60 miles from here...so, I actually might go there and take a look!
Discussion
10 replies"Hi! I work for an art company in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are currently working with an architectural firm that is building family medical clinics for the military across the US. These are all small clinics for military families and will have about 30 pieces of artwork per clinic. Right now I am focusing on a job in Z**Z*Z and saw some of your photos on your website and was hoping that we might be able to work together.
We work with photographers all over the US and pay a $100 usage fee per photo."
Their website is http://www.artcollectionsinc.com
I have asked them for more details and for them to tell me exactly which images hold their interest. They will be wanting low-res images for approval and then IF approved, want 300dpi images. So, it will be all electronic. They then COULD use the images whenever and wherever they want and it would be up to me to find out somehow (if they are unscrupleous). So far, I have not heard back from them.
Just wondering if any of you have worked with them or other "go-between" companies before.
Troup
They have rebought a few of the files, which tells me they are not reselling from one file, but that doesn't mean that every company will do whats right.
If someone offered me $3,000 for thirty files, I would go for it. I would rather have $3,000 in my pocket then pass on this deal being afraid they may use them again. But that's me.
The $3k sounds like a lot of money, but is that really a fair share of the income for the project? That depends entirely on the size of the photos and the fees being collected from the ultimate client.
I have not asked her yet whether the intent is $100 per image per site or a flat $100 period for the electronic image. Wanted to wait until I knew how real the request was. I found the request did not fully state that. I could certainly appreciate the $3000 vs $100. And if they are going to use it in 30 sites for $100.......then I don't think I am interested. My apparent take is for one image (used 30 times?).
I'll let y'all know what happens next.
Thanks,
Troup
Troup
Sounds like a legit outfit. Congrats!
Giving the updates in case anyone is contacted by this company. Seems ok other than a possible low price.
Troup
Keep us posted.
BTW- Start keeping a record of this kind of sales. In our experience you'll sometimes encounter design firms or decorators contracted to do large projects in public spaces and private office complexes. I wish there were more, but the ones that come along can result in huge sales for you, especially if you can demonstrate a track record. Our most notable was providing photos for all the rooms in a new hospital. Yeah, that contract made a lot of mortgage payments on our studio!
Troup
Oh, a $100 here and $100 there, pretty quick you're talking about real money!
Congrats, Troup. May there be many more.