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DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> Have you ever sold one of your pictures?
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03/06/2008 07:32:29 PM · #1
I have been approached for the use of one of my DPC pictures to be used on a company web page. Never done this sort of thing before. Can anyone help with the following questions:
1)What is the approximate fair market value of a picture sold for internet usage?
2) Can an agreement be signed to stipulate the picture as a one use purchase?
3) Once the image has been sent what is there to prevent the buyer from reusing it without permission?

Thanks
03/06/2008 08:53:26 PM · #2
I have never sold a print :( Microstock yes, but never a print. Not sure if I'm pricing too high or what for prints.
03/06/2008 09:05:25 PM · #3
1) Probably anything from $20-2,000 -- depending on the size of the company, on how many pages on their site the photo will appear, how many hits it will get, for how long they want to use it, etc.

2) Yes, definitely. However, make sure your agreement states that it is for "licensed use" and not a "purchase."

3) Copyright law and their goodwill. You would be in a far better position if you register it with the Copyright Office before you enter into any agreement. Costs $45 (you can register a whole batch at once if you want); forms available online.
03/06/2008 09:49:39 PM · #4
Interesting that this shows up now. I'm in the process of selling this composite shot of the recent eclipse to our local refinery for their newsletter.



I had sent it to a guy I know from the refinery just because I knew he wuld get a kick out of it. It ended up making the e-mail forward route around the refinery folks and they all loved it. He asked what I would charge to let them put a higher rez version in their newsletter. Since I don't normally sell my photos, if it was for his house I would likely have just made him a print, I threw out $100 plus a beer. I got an e-mail today saying they would give me $100 and two beers!

Moral of the story is who knows what to charge. If it is your living then I would ask whatever I thought the market would allow. Since I don't really want to make my hobby a job (means work!) I'd guess I left quite a bit of money on the table considering the client.

Not sure that helps but have fun with your sale and don't stress over it.
03/06/2008 10:14:38 PM · #5
Use a Calculate Price from Alamy to get a rough idea. Or just sell you photos via Alamy!
03/06/2008 11:19:49 PM · #6
Thanks for the tips. I just spent some time reading several websites on selling photos and decided just to ask how much the buyer would be willing to pay. That way I have the option of accepting, rejecting or counter offering.
03/06/2008 11:27:54 PM · #7
I have sold a couple. The first print I sold was of this Sunset in Kona, Hawaii. It was a 30x40 size print

03/06/2008 11:32:54 PM · #8
Sold a few but top spot was selling a RAW file for more than I thought people are willing to pay. Do not undersell yourself....
03/07/2008 12:04:19 AM · #9
Congratulations Lawrence.

Sorry I don't have any advise for your, but I'm in the same boat and was hoping i could get some advise myself. I've recently been approached to use one of my DPC images (the one on the front page of course ;)) for royalties. What should i expect to be paid per sale of a $2.50-$3.50 'greeting card'? T
03/07/2008 12:08:11 AM · #10
Originally posted by ZeppKash:

Congratulations Lawrence.

Sorry I don't have any advise for your, but I'm in the same boat and was hoping i could get some advise myself. I've recently been approached to use one of my DPC images (the one on the front page of course ;)) for royalties. What should i expect to be paid per sale of a $2.50-$3.50 'greeting card'? T

If they are going to pay you by the card ... I just read somewhere that author royalties for book sales run about 10-20% of the gross sale. It would be good if they handled it like traditional music royalties and paid you per card manufactured, not just those sold.
03/07/2008 12:36:05 AM · #11
i sold a series of photographs to an australian publication. . .definitely not based on their technical merits. . .

Miniature Fast Food

. . .but, more so for the novelty of it. i was in a rush to complete the craft and didn't take the best pictures (this was a long time ago, too. i would have taken MUCH better pictures these days) but i still got paid.

:o)
03/07/2008 02:32:16 AM · #12
I sold a picture back in 1978 for $ 45 for a postcard. So check your old postcard for my name
03/07/2008 07:05:25 AM · #13
I sold for $50 at an art show at work. It included a cheapo frame. 8"x10"

I didn't have any agreements or restrictions and didn't register with the Copyright office. Probably won't until I get burned (like most other people). But the way I see it, if someone is going to copy, they are going to copy...finding out is sometimes the harder part.

03/07/2008 07:16:10 AM · #14
i've only sold framed / limited edition prints
mostly to friends & neighbors
but one sold at a gallery to a hotel :) first anonymous sale
low end 120 high end 400
i expect to be offering some large canvas (20"x60") for 1200$ in Dec
i would liketo sell a few of thouse ;)
03/07/2008 07:18:21 AM · #15
Pricing photos is a funny thing.

- I've sold a bunch of files on CD for $500, but hey, I would've shot them anyway.
- I sell prints for $7 to $20, but they are portraits and the families generally buy $500 worth.
- I've traded a CD of about six files for a pair of custom orthotics for my wife, valued at over $200.
- A couple of times I've traded a CD of hockey shots for dinner & all the beer I could drink at a local pub.
- I've given files to local publications in return for a credit next to the photos.

Photography isn't my profession, so I try to make it mostly for fun.
03/07/2008 07:21:42 AM · #16
if it's a small firm call it $250 and they'll haggle so i'd accept $200

If they're a large firm, say $650 and see what happens.

You make the prices but it's only worth what someone will pay.
03/07/2008 07:38:00 AM · #17
I sold a bunch of Covered Bridge prints at the Covered Bridge festival in Jefferson Ohio last fall. I know 2 are going into a bed and breakfast. That's cool knowing my photos are hanging up in a business. My site with some of the bridge photos //www.stipplestudio.com

Message edited by author 2008-03-07 07:38:26.
03/07/2008 09:19:36 AM · #18
I've sold many prints, but I've also sold one limited license to one of my photos:



I did some shooting in Chicago (actually at a DPC GTG) and made contact with a woman there who shared some of my web galleries with friends. I was eventually contacted by a graphics company in Chicago who wanted to print some large scale enlargements (3x5 ft) to show off some new printing technology they were rolling out. They wanted to show clients what types of large scale enlargements could be made from typical digital cameras (I was shooting with my 10D in those days). We negotiated some prices, I got some advice here, and they ended up paying me $500 for the license and sent me 10 of the 3x5 ft posters as a bonus. Needless to say, I was pretty happy.
03/13/2008 12:53:21 PM · #19
Originally posted by John White:

Use a Calculate Price from Alamy to get a rough idea. Or just sell you photos via Alamy!


That's a pretty nifty tool. Thanks for posting.
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