Let's print some Postcards... - DPChallenge Forums

02/25/2007 12:29:32 PM · #1

yay, i got my first real payed photojob.
the other night i saw some amazing northern lights in the sky and i just took some shots of the hotel, where i work on the weekends, showed them to the manager and he was just happy with them and wants to print postcards (around 5000 for the beginning he said), maybe also posters and as a painting in a restaurant.

he said i should think about it, but i have absolutely no idea, how i should price the photo and the copyright and everything, so please, guys and girls, help a helpless business newb'!!! ;)

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Canon

02/25/2007 12:48:26 PM · #2

this is the photo, I'm actually talkin about:

Tranquil

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

02/25/2007 12:52:03 PM · #3

First off, congratulations! It's a great shot.

As far as pricing goes, you need to approach each entity separately. The postcards should be a separate price from a poster and from a painting (what exactly do you mean by painting?).

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/25/2007 12:52:34 PM · #4

First of all, grant them a non-exclusive license, do not "sell" the photo.

A stock shot for that quantity of postcards/posters would probably run anywhere from $50-500 USD (unless they were lucky enough to find it on a microstock site). An exclusive license -- meaning you can't let anyone else use it for anything -- should probably run about ten times that cost.

I don't know what to charge for a one-off adaptation to hand on their wall ...

super-dave

Nikon D200

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

02/25/2007 12:55:43 PM · #5

GeneralE's advice is good ...

i'm going to suggest a more unusual idea. since you work there, why don't you offer a profit share with the boss.

tell them to print the images and you get a cut of anything they sell. LOL

if you think they'll sell a bundle, then it's going to make you more money. :)

edit: btw, awesome photograph!!!! for some reason it reminds me of the douglas adams book 'restaurant at the end of the universe' :)

Message edited by author 2007-02-25 12:56:58.

02/25/2007 01:07:37 PM · #6

ok, let's stay with the postcards at first, the posters and paintings were just some kinda raved ideas of the manager...lol

@super-dave: do you think i'll sell 5000 postcards within 2 month, cause that's the left time for my stay here in iceland? ;)

edit to correct the number to 5000...;D

Message edited by author 2007-02-25 13:11:54.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/25/2007 01:08:29 PM · #7

If it's for a hotel they are not likely to be selling anything -- they'll slap their logo in the upper-left "blank" area and leave them in the rooms as promotional items.

Consider giving them a lower price if they include a photo credit/copyright notice on each printed piece.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

02/25/2007 01:16:04 PM · #8

Originally posted by GeneralE:

actually we're talking about the biggest hotel group in iceland including 17 hotels with appr. 120.000 guests a year, so i guess they will sell a lot.
but anyways, what would you charge for this "exclusive license" including 3 or 4 of my photos?

super-dave

Nikon D200

02/25/2007 01:16:15 PM · #9

Originally posted by Mephisto:

@super-dave: do you think i'll sell 5000 postcards within 2 month, cause that's the left time for my stay here in iceland? ;)

probably not ... if you're leaving, you're probably better off charging a flat rate, as already suggested by others.

as generale said, they might give them away for free ... then you get 30% of nothing! :) i never thought of that the first time.

if they print the postcard, then ask for a flat rate for use of the image and credit on the postcard (name and website) ... extend their right to use the image on posters and such ... but don't let them have exclusive rights or you can't use the image elsewhere.

i honestly don't know how much you should charge.

hanneke

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

02/25/2007 01:20:17 PM · #10

Originally posted by Mephisto:

@super-dave: do you think i'll sell 5000 postcards within 2 month, cause that's the left time for my stay here in iceland? ;)

Not your problem, right? You sell the postcards to your boss, he does the rest.

Lovely photo by the way, nice job!

02/25/2007 01:23:00 PM · #11

ok, i'm starting to understand this thing, and i misunderstood GeneralE's post about leaving them in the rooms, if i just give'em away for nothing...

so considering i'm not going to use the photos elsowheres and also considering, that this exclusive rights might bring some more cash, what would you charge for that?

Message edited by author 2007-02-25 13:24:32.

02/25/2007 01:30:12 PM · #12

oh and excuse me for beeing a bit nerved and clueless with this thing, i've just had no idea, how to get this thing started, so thank you all for your patience! :)

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/25/2007 01:52:51 PM · #13

I don't know that they'll be a giveaway item, that's just an educated guess.

Somewhere in the forums, people have posted links to a site with a stock usage calculator. You could also comparison-shop at Alamy, Getty and Corbis, and see what they would charge for similar usage.

If this is a big chain and they want an exclusive license, $2-5000/image is probably in the right ballpark; see if you can retain the actual copyright and the right to reproduce the image for self-promotional purposes, and still try for the printed photo-credit.

02/25/2007 02:00:32 PM · #14

thank you all, i see a bit clearlier now...;)

and i got another question: how or where should i postprocess the photo, so that it looks the same or at least similar as i wanted it on the postcard?
just asking, cus i don't think, that my monitor is well enough calibrated to provide a good photo in this price range...

canÂ´t spell...

Message edited by author 2007-02-25 14:01:48.