So you want to use my picture for free?

[pixmedic]

I had this in my flickr inbox the other day:

Hi,

Your photo of Mount Fuji is incredible! I was wondering if you would be so kind to e-mail me the digital file? I would love to blow this up and put it on my wall.

Hope to hear back from you.

Thanks,


I responded by asking him if he wished to purchase a print or purchase a download, and he said he didn't realise there would be a cost involved...

It's a sign of the times. Images are plentiful and cheap so people just assume you are ok with giving them away.....and when someone has the audacity to actually think they should be compensated for the time and effort they put into making a photo, they are chastised for it.

 

[thereyougo!]

Indeed, that's the problem with social media. An image I had on Facebook - low resolution at 72ppi got interest from someone to buy the print, I replied with the link of the online shop for it, someone else replied saying "Why bother paying for it and proceeded to give instructions to copy the photo from Facebook. " Never did get the sale...

 

[thereyougo!]

Customer: "Can you fix my car?" Mechanic: "Sure, but it will cost $800" Customer: "First of all, your a great mechanic! Would you like me to put your name and number on my car window so when I travel, you get free promotion instead? Could be a big opportunity for you."

That was pretty much the extent of my email. Lol.

no it's not.

not even close.


if you think that's how it is, no wonder you're acting the way you are about it.



it's more like this:

mechanic is making a promo for his business, he likes a picture you took that he happened to stumble upon and reached out to you because he thought it would be nice to use in his ad.

He asks: Hey, can I use your picture on a $20 oil change promo I'm doing.

You say: Sure, for $50.

He says: I cant swing that, is photo credit not enough? I have lots of customers with nice cars that might want a picture of them.

You still decline, noting that you'd rather not have the picture you never planned on making money on, not be used whatsoever.

You then post online how it's offensive that someone wanted to use your photo out of the blue and not pay for usage.

Sorry, but this attitude is part of the problem. There are far too many photographers accepting credit as payment which is devaluing the whole industry. There's a time and a place for giving something for credit, the OP has given a good example of it where a restaurant owner showcase his work in such a way that someone was prepared to pay a good price for it, not just put a 6pt font credit that no one will read. There is way too much thinking that if it's online, it must be free.

 

[Braineack]

there's a huge difference in someone stumbling across a photo you already took online (for person gain, with no intention of ever making money on it), reaching out and asking they can use it for a stupid promotion that 100 people might see and a person reaching out to hire you to take a photo they want, and suggesting photo credit as payment for the service.

This designer could sign up for istock credits and use a better photo for $33 vs $50, plus save two credits to spare for two more photos down the road (ultimately making the cost $11). the designer's budget for this invitation was probably $15 total, and that covered getting it printed at Kinko's.

 

[Braineack]

Here's the problem tho...
You give the impression that because the picture us just sitting there with no plans for making money that it has no value. Who cares what the picture is doing? How is that relevant? The OP wanted to be paid for the work he put Into the photo and did not want "photo credit" in leu of monetary compensation. Why Is it wrong for the person who took the photo to want to decide how they are paid for it?

there's nothing wrong with it.

but that metaphor was completely bogus--the designer never asked the OP to take a photo in exchange for photo credit.

The scenario would be more like the designer found an unused car part he needed to fix his own car laying in the OP's garage floor and asked if he could have it in exchange for telling everyone who's garage it came from.

there's nothing wrong with saying, no i want $50 for it. But I personally would rather have my name and contact information in front of a bunch of people, than not--especially when I have nothing else to lose from it. That's all I said. I'm evaluating the scenario objectively.

but go ahead, chastise me for my opinion....

So what do you want me to do? Let them use my picture for free without any credit? Because they didn't offer NO MONEY or CREDIT. I had to ask for it. I don't want their stupid credit to help promote a business I do not have to wineries that I have no interest in. They wanted to print my photo 100 times on 5x7 cards and then make digital version and pass it around via email. I'm sorry that I decided $50 reasonable, but I'm guess I'm wrong. I'll be sure to these things for free now on. Thanks.

All I suggested was your scenario was wrong. our decision is your decision. I might have made a different one, I might not have.

 

[pixmedic]

Here's the problem tho...
You give the impression that because the picture us just sitting there with no plans for making money that it has no value. Who cares what the picture is doing? How is that relevant? The OP wanted to be paid for the work he put Into the photo and did not want "photo credit" in leu of monetary compensation. Why Is it wrong for the person who took the photo to want to decide how they are paid for it?

there's nothing wrong with it.

but that metaphor was completely bogus--the designer never asked the OP to take a photo in exchange for photo credit.

The scenario would be more like the designer found an unused car part he needed to fix his own car laying in the OP's garage floor and asked if he could have it in exchange for telling everyone who's garage it came from.

there's nothing wrong with saying, no i want $50 for it. But I personally would rather have my name and contact information in front of a bunch of people, than not--especially when I have nothing else to lose from it. That's all I said. I'm evaluating the scenario objectively.

but go ahead, chastise me for my opinion....

All I was ever saying is that I think nerwin was right to ask for something, and was fine for making a decision on how he wanted to be compensated and sticking to it.
The notion that SOMETHING is better than NOTHING is only good if you actually want the something that was offered. If you dont, then the "something" is just as bad as the "nothing". I certainly don't see any problem with someone selling photos for exposure

 

[robbins.photo]

Ok, so reading through this again what I'm getting is that everybody agrees with everybody else and now we're just down to arguing over metaphors.

Thank god we all have the kind of lifestyles that allow us to indulge in such minutia! Yes, I think a celebration is in order here.

Lol

Sent from my 306SH using Tapatalk

 

[Braineack]

yes.

 

[coastalconn]

Back to the subject, I get free requests all the time lately. I have started to politely decline even though many are for NPO for land conservation. I allowed a woman to use an image to promote a friends lecture and the next day she emailed me and wanted another one for her newsletter. I politely declined and she sent me a rude email saying how she was sorry to be a burden to me and not to worry about it she had found a free image from fish and wildlife services..

Then my same friend was having an article written about him for a magazines online blog. I agreed to allow them to use 2 images and sent along a RM license outlining what I would allow to for usage and the editor emailed me back explaining they don't sign contracts for their images.. They decided to use someone else's that was free with no contract...

 

[Braineack]

"free"

 

[Vtec44]

I need more popcorn to read this thread

 

[480sparky]

I need more popcorn to read this thread

We all need some. You supply it. Put your name on the bags and give it to us at no charge. ;-)

 

[robbins.photo]

I need more popcorn to read this thread

We all need some. You supply it. Put your name on the bags and give it to us at no charge. ;-)

We will of course then take them to movie theaters everywhere so you can get plenty of free advertising out of the deal.

Either that or put your mechanics name on the bag and see if you can swap that for a new transmission.

Lol

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[Braineack]

No, this will be a one time showing of a home movie of a kid's 2 year old birthday party at the theater we rented out for a corporate package showing. We'll still make sure to charge a fee of $11 a ticket for those who are going to attend plus the price of popcorn.

 

[pijak]

What? Not even an offer for free wine.?..