image file for sale

[Donstr]

I got into photography by shooting landscapes. I realized I did not bring in that much trying to sell them. I have been doing sportsmates and portraits for years now(18) and it has been good. Last year a restaurant chain came to town and contacted me for local images to hang and do a wall mural. I didn't
know what to charge and thought it could be free advertising if they would put my name on it. They agreed and I have around 20 poster prints and a wall mural displayed. Then after a month they sent me a check for $250.00, which was a nice surprise. Ok, that was the set up for my question. I have a local bank chain that called me and they are doing a remodel. They are pretty much asking for the same thing. I know the make up of determining a price for prints and time but struggle with the price of a old image file that has sat on a external hard drive for a few years now. Thoughts?

 

[limr]

I got into photography by shooting landscapes. I realized I did not bring in that much trying to sell them. I have been doing sportsmates and portraits for years now(18) and it has been good. Last year a restaurant chain came to town and contacted me for local images to hang and do a wall mural. I didn't
know what to charge and thought it could be free advertising if they would put my name on it. They agreed and I have around 20 poster prints and a wall mural displayed. Then after a month they sent me a check for $250.00, which was a nice surprise. Ok, that was the set up for my question. I have a local bank chain that called me and they are doing a remodel. They are pretty much asking for the same thing. I know the make up of determining a price for prints and time but struggle with the price of a old image file that has sat on a external hard drive for a few years now. Thoughts?

You're not selling an old image file. You are selling permission for someone else to print and display your intellectual property. The fact that it's stored electronically and has been there for a few years makes no difference. You are valuing your work - the skill and knowledge it took to make the image, and the visual quality and appeal of that image. That is what you are pricing - not the electronic file itself.

I would investigate some standard licensing agreements as well as market price for such things. You've got a starting point - the restaurant valued that permission at $250, so you already know what a business is willing to pay. Don't go below that.

 

[Donstr]

I got into photography by shooting landscapes. I realized I did not bring in that much trying to sell them. I have been doing sportsmates and portraits for years now(18) and it has been good. Last year a restaurant chain came to town and contacted me for local images to hang and do a wall mural. I didn't
know what to charge and thought it could be free advertising if they would put my name on it. They agreed and I have around 20 poster prints and a wall mural displayed. Then after a month they sent me a check for $250.00, which was a nice surprise. Ok, that was the set up for my question. I have a local bank chain that called me and they are doing a remodel. They are pretty much asking for the same thing. I know the make up of determining a price for prints and time but struggle with the price of a old image file that has sat on a external hard drive for a few years now. Thoughts?

You're not selling an old image file. You are selling permission for someone else to print and display your intellectual property. The fact that it's stored electronically and has been there for a few years makes no difference. You are valuing your work - the skill and knowledge it took to make the image, and the visual quality and appeal of that image. That is what you are pricing - not the electronic file itself.

I would investigate some standard licensing agreements as well as market price for such things. You've got a starting point - the restaurant valued that permission at $250, so you already know what a business is willing to pay. Don't go below that.

That is funny, I heard the first part of your response in my head after I posted. Thank you! Good idea, I will look at Licensing and market price for this.

 

[tirediron]

There are a few things to consider: How many images, what size, for how long are they displayed, what, if any reciprocal advertising do you get on-site, etc. I would work on a standard agreement into which you can plug all of those variables so that there is no misunderstanding at the end. You should also include a clause which allows for removal in the event of sale, et cetera (for which you will likely have to give the venue a commission). $250/month seems like very high pay for this sort of thing. Most places that do this expect the images free in return for giving you "exposure".

 

[Donstr]

There are a few things to consider: How many images, what size, for how long are they displayed, what, if any reciprocal advertising do you get on-site, etc. I would work on a standard agreement into which you can plug all of those variables so that there is no misunderstanding at the end. You should also include a clause which allows for removal in the event of sale, et cetera (for which you will likely have to give the venue a commission). $250/month seems like very high pay for this sort of thing. Most places that do this expect the images free in return for giving you "exposure".

Thank you for the information. It was my thought originally, that it would be good advertising and I did not ask to be paid. They did about 20- 20x36 prints and a 8ft x 10ft mural of another image. They gave me a one time fee of $250.00 a month later, which I didn't expect. I wish it was $250.00 a month! lol

 

[jeffW]

They did about 20- 20x36 prints and a 8ft x 10ft mural of another image. They gave me a one time fee of $250.00

Well you got completely ripped off! I just sold a couple of prints and the professional lab fee was more than $300. Just because people on the internet try and scare people into "everyone expects photos for free" is nonsense. Your restaurant had no problem paying over a thousand dollars to have your work printed and then more to have it framed and I'll bet even more for a professional to hang it all the while you the artist got enough for a couple of free meals - did you have to buy a camera, drive to the location to shoot the work, store it on a hard drive, etc.. I guess when you factor in what it costs for you to produce the image then you didn't even get a free meal.

Can't you visit a couple of local art galleries to even gauge how much a 20x36 original photograph goes for or ask the galleries about having an 8x10' mural displayed in a place of business? I'm sure their Interior Designer (decorator) knows.

Curious if you received any business from decorating their establishment for free? Or for that matter any leads at all?

While asking questions online is a great resource without doing a bit of your own local research any and all answers are imho basically useless.


p.s. everyone wants stuff for free only artists scare themselves into being the suckers. Why would anyone sell their artwork for less money than the framer!?