Someone wants to use my photo- help please

ladysue

ladysue

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Name
Sue
Edit My Images
Yes
I have received an email asking to use my of my pictures which is on my Flickr in a book on animal communication. I am quite happy for them to use it and I am not bothered about making any money from it and have told the man that. He wants me to sign a thing saying they can use the pic in their book and in an ebook and on a CD that will go out to professors for their lectures. As I say I dont want to make money from it and they are going to put a credit with the photo and any contact details I want in the back of the book.As I am not professional and dont have a proper website should I just put my Flickr address?
 
NO!!! they are making money from your picture! They just trawl Flickr looking for mugs who will give pictures away for free. If they really want it they will pay. Have more respect for your work. A credit does you no good at all - apart from boosting your ego - which is exactly what tghey are relying on!
 
POAH said:
Yes!!! if you want to give your image away then give it away its up to you
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but don't kid yourself they have selected it on merit - just on (0) price!
 
it's the truth - these people go on Flickr looking for people who will give work away - so that they can make a higher profit.
 
Its your image so you can do what you want, but if this guy is selling his book and ebook/CD then your image will be helping him to do so. In which case do you think you should be charging him. You decision but personally I think he has a cheek trying to scrounge images to help promote and sell his material. Different matter if he is giving away his book though.
 
I'm not daft I know they probably wouldnt have used it if they had to pay. There are probably loads of photos on Flickr that would have been Ok for their purposes. I am just happy that something I have done will get in a book and my name with it. Yes its just an ego boost.I only asked on here in case there is something I should be aware of in signing them the rights to use it.
 
I've told you what there is to be aware of - but you're going to ignore it for the ego boost! How sad is that?!
 
we get it Andrew, move on....

the cd chancer was NEVER going to pay for images, whatever we say, they'll buy some crappy royalty free cd off ebay before even considering going to istock even.
 
At least get a copy of the book sent to you FOC so you have evidence of being published!!
 
given the story... i struggle to see what any of this has to do with business..
 
I would ask for a copy of everything they are using the image for as evidence of publication for future jobs :)

Last thing you want is to give out the image for free and then pay to see the image actually in publication, so definitely get copies :)
 
Sue, congrats on being approached (y)

if they want to use your image, then that's your choice if it is for a fee or for free, however, if it is for free get creditation and write in a clause that stipulates it can only be used for *name of book/cd/ebook* and nothing else...if they want to extend they have to recontact you.

if you do decide to go down the free route, get something out of them...ie, copy of the book and cd

Andy xx
 
Nice one LadySue,

Ahem gentlemen...can't you see we have a lady asking for advice :)

I'm sure a Flickr link would be fine.

Now I am not sure about the copyright or terms of contract aspect of your question. Would it be feasible to scan it and post it here for the folks to advise - I don't want to imply I know the law on this, some others might ;-)

Ultimately it is your call what you want in return and don't be influenced either way (y)
 
Well done Sue. Your image may be free to use, but at least it is the best of the free ones! (y)

Just do what Andy says and make it clear than you are granting them a license only to use the image as they have outlined.

There are two sides to this 'free' business. One is that it has made new specialist/minority pubications viable, which otherwise would not see the light of day; the other is, and TBH I think it's unlikely, is that it puts professionals out of business, which is awp's rather well worn point.

That's the way the world turns, swings and roundabouts. For my own part, I work freelance in magazine publishing where the pay is now half what it was ten years ago. And the main reason for that is magazine revenues are a fraction of what they were, mainly due to the internet and free websites like this one. I'm not compaining and we all have to get on with it, but this irony seems to have escaped awp.
 
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mastertrinity said:
I would ask for a copy of everything they are using the image for as evidence of publication for future jobs :)

Last thing you want is to give out the image for free and then pay to see the image actually in publication, so definitely get copies :)
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AndyJ1980 said:
Sue, congrats on being approached (y)

if they want to use your image, then that's your choice if it is for a fee or for free, however, if it is for free get creditation and write in a clause that stipulates it can only be used for *name of book/cd/ebook* and nothing else...if they want to extend they have to recontact you.

if you do decide to go down the free route, get something out of them...ie, copy of the book and cd

Andy xx
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Ploddles said:
:plus1: for asking for a copy of the book etc, 'as payment'.
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Ploddles said:
Oh, and which picture is it?
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Thanks. I have asked for a copy of the book. The picture isnt great. Its on my Flickr.Here's the link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladysue/5361152714/

It was quite funny. I was just trying to take a picture of a pretty ginger cat and my labrador came along and barked at it. The picture shows its reaction.
 
lol, classic communication..."look at me, i'm big and scary", very well timed
 
HoppyUK said:
Well done Sue. Your image may be free to use, but at least it is the best of the free ones! (y)

Just do what Andy says and make it clear than you are granting them a license only to use the image as they have outlined.

There are two sides to this 'free' business. One is that it has made new specialist/minority pubications viable, which otherwise would not see the light of day; the other is, and TBH I think it's unlikely, is that it puts professionals out of business, which is awp's rather well worn point.

That's the way the world turns, swings and roundabouts. For my own part, I work freelance in magazine publishing where the pay is now half what it was ten years ago. And the main reason for that is magazine revenues are a fraction of what they were, mainly due to the internet and free websites like this one. I'm not compaining and we all have to get on with it, but this irony seems to have escaped awp.
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Thanks. Sorry to hear that amateurs like me are cutting your earnings.I am retired now but I worked as a psychologist. Needless to say amateur psychologists were in abundance giving out free advice.:)
 
You are not putting me out of business. That is laughable. What you are doing is giving away work that is worth more than 'free' for the sake of an ego boost -and I find that quite sad. I don't believe you are sorry about it either.
 
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ladysue said:
Thanks. Sorry to hear that amateurs like me are cutting your earnings.I am retired now but I worked as a psychologist. Needless to say amateur psychologists were in abundance giving out free advice.:)
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No worries Sue. When one door closes etc ;) You just have to turn your hand to something else, and cut your cloth accordingly.

The irony of it is that technology, ie the web and camera tech in general, has driven a coach and horses through so many old business practises that they are just not viable anymore. Yet we have folks on here, with thousands of posts, who take advantage of everything that the web and new technology brings, and even feed the beast into the bargain, but then complain when it turns around and bites them.

The reality of professional photography today is that stock is all but dead and if you are to make a living at it a) you have to be better than ever, and b) get paid for actually taking pictures. Once the image exists, if the cheque is not in the bag there and then, you can whistle for it.
 
HoppyUK said:
Yet we have folks on here, with thousands of posts, who take advantage of everything that the web and new technology brings, and even feed the beast into the bargain, but then complain when it turns around and bites them..
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Another sweeping statement that now brands everyone wiht thousands of posts :(
 
awp said:
You are not putting me out of business. That is laughable. What you are doing is giving away work that is worth more than 'free' for the sake of an ego boost -and I find that quite sad. I don't believe you are sorry about it either.
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In monetary terms, any product is only 'worth' what somebody is willing to pay for it. Your premise appears to be that publishers can afford to pay but are actually ripping people off because they can get away with it.

I'm sure that happens, but it is not the norm. If people are happy with payment in kind - a credit, and ego boost, and free book or whatever, who are you to say that's not a good deal for them?

KIPAX said:
Another sweeping statement that now brands everyone wiht thousands of posts :(
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Sorry, you've lost me there :thinking:
 
HoppyUK said:
Sorry, you've lost me there :thinking:
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your post...instead of naming names you just describe people and presumably others have to guess who your talking about wiht thousands of posts who embrace technology but then get upset... bit of a snipe really when you cant say who but just generalise... hope nobody thinks your talking about me.,.but how would we know?
 
Sue, it's taken you (and others) time to post in your thread. If you provide your contact details you increase the chance of other freeloaders making use of your time and photos. Do you want more publication instances? What if that leads to an appreciable drain on your time and shelf-space, even if it's for publications whose aims you support?

Asking for licence and payment details filters out most of them. I didn't bother just before Christmas and now I'm told three of my images are in a Lottery-funded publication, so the organisation will be invoiced on Monday.
 
KIPAX said:
your post...instead of naming names you just describe people and presumably others have to guess who your talking about wiht thousands of posts who embrace technology but then get upset... bit of a snipe really when you cant say who but just generalise... hope nobody thinks your talking about me.,.but how would we know?
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Pretty obvious to me who he's talking about, and its not you. ;)
 
Good lord. It's a picture of a cat.

According to flickr search, there are 7,666,408 pictures of cats on flickr, hundreds of thousands of which can be used commercially for free.

Something tells me that at no point is some schmuck who's putting together a crappy cd or book going to have to pay for a shot of a cat. That is the reality. I FULLY understand the commercial side, stock sales are going down, etcetcetcetcetc, I 'get' it, but christ, please, get over it, let's please pick our battles eh?
 
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tbh they didn't pay because it wasn't worth paying for, might be worth a chill out here as when standards for the publishers are this low no (decent) pro would have lost work
 
Sue, well done, picture looks great. As for the ANTI freebies brigade well all I have to say is I have more respect for you than them, job or no job photography is meant to be fun and occasionally doing a good turn for no benefit other than the feel good factor means more to me than worrying about the possibility of losing a few quid.

I'm self employed and make a good living at what I do, I help others learn to do the same job I do I also give my time and products occasionally for free, I could charge but if I feel its a valid and genuine cause then I waive fees and just enjoy the feel good factor.

So I take my hat off to you and fingers up to anyone who can't accept a feel good/ego boost :D
 
grum said:
Pretty obvious to me who he's talking about, and its not you. ;)
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I'm talking about anybody who, by dint of numerous contributions to free websites and new technology - like the excellent example of TP here - are condoning new technology by their actions.

It is that same technology that has changed the face of professional photography, and just about any other business you care to name, quite fundamentally. You have to take the rough with the smooth.

And overall, despite the downsides, I believe that new technology in all its facets to be an overwhelmingly good thing. I do not want to turn the clock back on anything, which is just as well really, because it has a relentless habit of always turning forwards.
 
david1701 said:
tbh they didn't pay because it wasn't worth paying for, might be worth a chill out here as when standards for the publishers are this low no (decent) pro would have lost work
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I think it's a rather good snap actually. Certainly fits the brief.

How would you go about getting an image like that shot to order? Not easy, not cheap, and obviously it would have to be set up and lose legitimacy.
 
Sue if it's not too late, I've got a third solution to the get paid/let them have it for free scenario.

Why don't you ask the author/publisher to make a donation to the animal conservation/protection charity of your choice (say £50-£100 or so) and rather than providing contact details get them to name the charity alongside your credit.

They have to cough up something for the photo (although it could be offset against tax, if they're switched on), you get an even warmer fuzzy feeling and a charity gets some needed funding. It's a win-win result and hopefully one that should keep the 'must get paid' lobby happy!
 
HoppyUK said:
I think it's a rather good snap actually. Certainly fits the brief.

How would you go about getting an image like that shot to order? Not easy, not cheap, and obviously it would have to be set up and lose legitimacy.
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maybe we have differing standards of 'snap', probably open a wrist before I delivered that to a client with my name attached, let alone asked for a credit
 
OP, give them the photo, get a copy of the book, smile :D

DemiLion, nice idea, but I'd imagine that that's the last you'd hear from them.

everyone else...pick your battles...

take-picture-of-cat-put-photographers-out-of-business.jpg
 
itsdavedotnet said:
OP, give them the photo, get a copy of the book, smile :D

DemiLion, nice idea, but I'd imagine that that's the last you'd hear from them.

everyone else...pick your battles...
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I agree, but it's always worth mentioning the fluffy option! :D
 
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