Advice needed

gingerjon

gingerjon

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1,628
Name
Jon
Edit My Images
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How would you respond to this (unsolicited) email? Obviously the bits between asterisks have been removed to protect the innocent (guilty?).

Any thoughts would be very welcome.

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"Hello Jon,



I work for *football magazine*, we are profiling *a club you take pictures of* in our next edition and have spoken to *someone you know*. I’m contacting you to see if you can help us attain a range of action shots, team photo’s (senior/youth), shots of your facility and maybe a picture of *person you know* for use within in our full colour A4 publication.



Please send through a selection of 10 or so to our studio guys – *email address* they require the best resolution possible.



We can credit the pics to whome you choose. Please let us know what you would like displayed on the images.



Kind regards,"
 
You're being asked to give them images for a small credit - so the question you need to answer for yourself is "am I happy giving my images away for a credit that virtually no-one will read, or do I want to be paid, and if I want to be paid, how much will I charge for usage of 10 images?"

The interesting thing with their email is the assumption that they make that you will gladly give up your images for free - they don't even make an apology for having no budget :)
 
Put a huge watermark on each of the images (which can't be cropped out) and sent them through with your rates and terms of use. I'm sure you'll never hear from them again but a) you never know, and b) it will tell them that you're not stupid!
 
ZoZo said:
they don't even make an apology for having no budget :)
Click to expand...

Where does it say they have no budget ?

Sorry but arn't you all being a bit quick on the old buzzer.. I see nothing in the email that says they want them for free... its a good guess yes but you shouldn't be hanging people on a guess :(

I have had simmilar from newspapers and I simply reply that yes i can provide good quality pictures as required.. can you please tell me what file format resolution etc and also your budget. (I know some send this as first contact and then if pushed will offer a price)

If no budget then a polite response saying I cant help in this instance but please feel free to contact me again for any other needs....blah blah

well better worded but tha knows..

always be polite.. never presume.
 
I'm not saying don't be polite - however I've been in the business long enough to know when people want something for nothing - and just as they assume that 10 images will be sent through (with the instruction to tell them how to credit the images), so too can we as photographers assume that they intend to pay.
 
ZoZo said:
I'm not saying don't be polite - however I've been in the business long enough to know when people want something for nothing - and just as they assume that 10 images will be sent through (with the instruction to tell them how to credit the images), so too can we as photographers assume that they intend to pay.
Click to expand...

Well I have had exactly the same type of email for sports pics and when i politely tell them I cant then they ask what sort of money i am talking about..

I dont recall you actually offering any advice to the OP If he didnt want paying he would ahve just sent the images so he obviously feels he wants somehting.. my way has worked for me in the past... maybe you can offer some different advice as you have been doing it so long ?:)
 
Agreed ^ and ^^^
Be polite and ask them what resolution they require and how much they're prepared to pay...
If they were thinking they'll get them for free it'll merely alert them to the fact that you didn't just sail up the Clyde on a banana boat... And it'll be a starter for further negotiations.
 
I'd respond with an e-mail saying you would be more than happy to help them out. Ask them for a timescale and state what the price will be per photograph you provide. Personally I'd charge them for providing the photo rather than for them printing it but that's up to you.

I'd assume from their e-mail that they are hoping to get the photos for free, that doesn't necessarily mean they won't pay for them if asked to. If you don't ask then you don't get.
 
KIPAX said:
Well I have had exactly the same type of email for sports pics and when i politely tell them I cant then they ask what sort of money i am talking about..

I dont recall you actually offering any advice to the OP If he didnt want paying he would ahve just sent the images so he obviously feels he wants somehting.. my way has worked for me in the past... maybe you can offer some different advice as you have been doing it so long ?:)
Click to expand...

I seem to have offended you. It was not my intention to offend. I am sorry that I have. The OP said 'any thoughts would be welcome', so I shared my thoughts. Again, sorry to have offended you with my thoughts.
Zoe
 
KIPAX said:
Well I have had exactly the same type of email for sports pics and when i politely tell them I cant
Click to expand...

But you want them to know you can... ;)

Ah, my mistake, you ask them what their budget is :thumbs:
 
He's always like that Zoe...we'd have it no other way - it's what makes him special...lol
 
Sounds a bit rum to me all this. No offence to anyone in the industry , but Magazines do try and get away with murder with picture sales.

If they can get it on the cheap or pay nowt they will. Don't let them.

It's a different matter when it comes around to advertising in their magazines though - top dollar everytime.
 
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