Should I charge money for this?

wxnut

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www.dougraflikphotography.com
So I get an e-mail from a professor at Penn State University asking for permission to use this picture...
chase6-9_10-04066alr.jpg

as part of an online mesoscale meteorology course. He stresses in his email its for educational purposes. I reply, even though its for educational purposes, students are still PAYING to take the course. Its a semester class with 15 students per semester. Course fee is $104 plus $150 material fee. (What kind of materials do you need for an online course?) I told him I wanted a $125 one time fee, and that would give him use for only this course for as long as he wished. He replied

"I hardly think of educating online adult students as a commercial venture. Penn State's World Campus loses money every year, but we offer these courses to educate students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to seek in-residence instruction. Thankfully, not all photographers and chasers feel as you do. I will seek another photograph."

What do you all think of this situation? Should I have given him the use for the picture with my only compensation being credit for my picture and a link to my web site, 30 students per year? Or was I right in asking for money, even though its for teaching.

I have given permission for non profit groups such as Skywarn groups, and National Weather Service to use this picture in skywarn classes for no fee. That is a given. But for a college who is going to charge people to look at my pictures?

I am interested in what you think?

Thanks,
Doug Raflik
 
Just let him use the photo. its for educational purposes and people are paying for the teacher's expertise not your photo
 
If he is not paying for the use, I would leave the watermark in place exactly the way you have it now. If he wants a clean image, then he can pay for it. What is to stop someone from ripping off his course materials?

That is a great photo, it would not suprise me to see it pop up during the hurricane season misidentified like a bunch from Katrina.

If you do not give him permission, It would be interesting to have someone spy to see if he uses it anyway. I doubt you would get anything out of it, but I would ****ed.

Doc
 
Do you get free books or a free computer to take an online course?

If you believe it's worth something then you should stick with that.

Unfortunately he'll just track down some other image that someone will let him use for free anyway but that's just the way the world's heading! Eventually everybody will be expecting photos for free and paid photographers will be few and far between! :( You won't even be able to get $5 to cover the cost of a roll of film or new battery!
 
If your a businessman walk away and tell him if he doesn' pay then he gets nothing. thats capitalism. If he can find it somewhere else for free then good for him. Its supply and demand so don't be mad at he system that your buying into.
 
trust me no college is losing money. they make insane amounts off tuition alone.

keep ityours, he dont deserve it, end of story. that or put a more prominent watermark on it, all the way across so he cant edit it out.

i know i wouldnt give away a nice picture like that!
 

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