Author Topic: How much is a photo worth?  (Read 2138 times)

Offline DubFan

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How much is a photo worth?
« on: 03 July 2012, 20:28 »
I've been asked if I would licence one of my photos for use in a guide book to be printed by a university publishing house.

How much do you reckon I should charge, if at all?

As yet I don't know how many books will be printed, whether it will be on the cover, how many other photos will be in the book or how much the book will sell for. These questions I reckon could make a difference.


What do y'all reckon?


Offline Bandit127

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Re: How much is a photo worth?
« Reply #1 on: 03 July 2012, 21:06 »
How much did it cost you to take it?

Most of my pics are taken on long walks some distance from home, so petrol money and time is involved. I would add a tenner if I got wet on the walk in question but generally the cost would be (probably) no more than £20.

And TBH, if someone was willing to pay £20 to license one of my pics, I would get them to pay with a crisp one and frame it - LOL. The recognition would be worth more than another tenner or so...


Offline mcgee9t2

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Re: How much is a photo worth?
« Reply #2 on: 03 July 2012, 23:19 »
depends on what there willing to pay/what your willing to give it for. if they said theyl give you £100 for one pic who would say no. personally ide say they can use it aslong as your watermark/stamp is on it and a link to your flickr/website, then you get yourself out there a bit and could get people looking up more stuff on you,if they want to give you some money then even better. thats just my 2p though. it all depends on how much they are going to be selling the guides for (if at any cost) and how much there willing to pay.

Offline Diamond Hell

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Re: How much is a photo worth?
« Reply #3 on: 03 July 2012, 23:29 »
What do y'all reckon?

I reckon you need to find out the answers to the questions you posed in your original question.
Just because you're offended doesn't make you right.

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Offline mk3.owner

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Re: How much is a photo worth?
« Reply #4 on: 03 July 2012, 23:33 »
What do y'all reckon?

What do y'all reckon?

IMO, I wouldn't charge. I would do what mcgee9t2 said and stick a link on there to your flickr or what ever you use and get yourself known

I reckon you need to find out the answers to the questions you posed in your original question.

You lost me lol

Offline Winso

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Re: How much is a photo worth?
« Reply #5 on: 04 July 2012, 07:32 »
You're right, at this stage you need to find out a few details. eg exactly what the photo is being used for, where it features in the guide (front cover?), how large it will be, how many copies are being printed, where it's being distributed, how long it will be available for etc etc.

The main thing to remember is that your work has a value and that just an image credit if effectively worthless. In fact if anything it de-values your work and the industry in general.

The fact that they've approached you asking to be able to license it is a pretty good sign I reckon. I usually get something along the lines of 'we really like your photo and would like to use it but we don't have any budget but we'll give you a credit for it'. Always pretty tempting to ask them if the printing, design work, distribution etc is also all being done for free in exchange for a credit?? No, I thought not so why should photography be any different.

It does feel strange to put a price on your work but it's worth it  :smiley:

Offline T_J_G

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Re: How much is a photo worth?
« Reply #6 on: 04 July 2012, 09:33 »
have a look at getty's prices and use hem as a guide as you cab select how that image is going to be used.

Offline DubFan

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Re: How much is a photo worth?
« Reply #7 on: 04 July 2012, 09:35 »
I'm waiting to hear back from them, but I've looked up the author and the publishers, and their previous books have sold for between £20 and £50. So that's a good sign that they're going to be willing to pay up.  :wink:

Yeah, I've already looked up a comparison on a couple of stock photo websites.


Offline Cory

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Re: How much is a photo worth?
« Reply #8 on: 20 July 2012, 19:26 »
as above id find out the answers to the already stated questions, if it is a nice publication, that costs a fair bit to buy and the image is large, with a large print run . . . if it was my work i would want somewhere in the region of £250