Electronic Pricing

[Trevor Harris]

I know this question may have been asked before, and I know the answer is a broad one, but I'm going to ask it anyway.

I took some shots of a business's headquarters (it was a really beautiful building). I emailed some low res shots to the marketing manager and he's really interested. He's looking for a canvas, which I can price myself, but he also wants digital copies of a few as well to use for marketing purposes. My issue is that I don't know how to charge for electronic copies. I want to have shared copyright, i.e. I can still use the photos in my own advertising, but they can use it electronically as well.

I'm an armature shooting for 4 years now and have sold on the order of 30 physical prints, and have done 10 photo shoots with the pictures given out on a CD. I know, I know, I just said I didn't know how to price electronic photographs, but this situation (corporate headquarters using a photo for marketing) just seems different to me.

There are 5 shots in total. I was thinking like $40 per photo... or $150 for the full set. Am I way outside the playing field here?

[Plymer]

I've sold fewer for more

$150 is completely reasonable for the number of photos, as well as the usage terms. You could likely get away with $60 per, or $200 for the set. I just had some work purchased for $75/photo and unlimited online&print usage for a local tourism board, and considering *they* looked me up, and they were photos I took completely for fun, I didn't mind. Just make sure they sign a contract/agreement on those terms so that if anything were to happen, you have something to fall back on

Congrats on the successful cold call too, that's something I'm terrible at!

[keystrokesuk]

You need to decide on some licensing prices.

Just as with some software companies you could license the usage rights of your images for the companies use. This means you retain the copyright on all images and allow the company to use them in agreed formats and geographical locations. This is essentially the model used by image libraries and book publishers (maybe worth trawling through sites like Getty Images to see how they work things).

For example you can set prices for image sizes up to A4 in Europe or image sizes greater than A3 for the World. The company is never restricted in how they use the image they just have to clear things with you (and make any additional payments) if they change what they want to do.

Alternatively you make a single usage rights charge and still retain the copyright.

[usernametaken]

Well done, sounds like this could be a great opportunity.

I want to have shared copyright, i.e. I can still use the photos in my own advertising, but they can use it electronically as well.

No, you don't. Copyright is not something you share or give away... unless you are being paid an awful lot of money.

What you want is to retain the copyright and to grant them a license to use the images in specific (limited ways). The print is easy as that is just going to go on the wall. The marketing images are a different matter as the value depends on how they intend to use them. Are they going just on their web site or will they also be used in other marketing materials (brochures). What about advertising? If yes will it just be in a local/state-wide publication, will it be national or will it be international?

[pierovera]

I agree with you, usernametaken. It's no good to share or give copyright, it's always best to retain copyright while giving certain licenses depending on the use that will be given to the photos. Sharing copyright will probably make problems come up when you try to use your pictures for anything you want because if the other party disagrees with the usage you'll be giving to your pictures, you might not be able to use them.

[usernametaken]

Sharing copyright will probably make problems come up when you try to use your pictures for anything you want because if the other party disagrees with the usage you'll be giving to your pictures, you might not be able to use them.

"might not" is wrong - you simple can not use images unless the other copyright holder agrees. Shared copyright does not give both parties the right to use the images anyway they want - it means that neither party may use the images unless they have agreement from the other copyright holder. It is a right royal pain and to be avoided at all costs.

[pierovera]

Thanks for correcting me, I wasn't too sure so I just said that it might not.