looking for some basic real world advice

back alley

back alley

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background…

awhile back the local farmer's market asked around looking to hire a photographer…i showed them my set of market pics and they offered me the job.
i asked for it to be a volunteer gig as i have been shooting there for years without concern or problem and thought i'd like to keep it that way. they agreed and i just post my market pics on their facebook page.

a few days ago…
the market manager emailed me asking if they could buy my market pics, if i would be open to that and would i like to discuss it?
we plan to meet in january for the discussion…i have no idea if they want them all or a few or what they hope to do with them. they already have my permission to use them as they please but maybe they just prefer to own them now.

i have no idea how to proceed. i doubt they could/would afford much cash and quite frankly i don't know how i would come to a price…individually priced or as a group? etc…?
i have no desire to get rich from them (ha!) or to alienate the market folks in the least.
should i be thinking about a sort of honorarium? a basic amount for them all?

any words of practical wisdom would be greatly appreciated...
 
Good question - why buy them if they can use them now?
There must be something 'in it' for them if they buy the photos.
Seems a reasonable set-up as it is now.
But go with an open mind to see what they want to discuss.
No need to be concerned until you have heard what they have to say.
You could imagine anything - but things never turn out as you expect.
There are far more important things to bother about just now.

jesse
 
Insurance - related matter

Insurance - related matter

I just read on Photography Life about a guy who had a break-in and lost all (as far as I remember) of his gear. His home insurance did not cover it, because he had sold a few prints.

I realise you are not in the US (which I assume the guy in the post was) and I have no clue as to differences between Canada and USA. But that is definitely something to bear in mind, if you start selling things.

If you have been selling for a long time please bear with me. Perhaps somebody else can benefit from this warning.

Xpanded

PS: Congrats - well deserved - I have seen quite a few of your excellent market photographs over the years.
 
Joe,

It seems like a rather casual understanding, but I would first inquire what further intentions might be. For instance if you sell the rights to your photos the market manager might start printing your images and sell them. Perhaps he received requests from the facebook page.

Anyways If it were me I would ask for perhaps a barter/favor or discount. It seems like your arrangement which seems very casual and friendly might get complicated or tainted.

Maybe if you make the prints you can work out a deal to both make money.

I have a day job for a reason...

Cal
 
Joe,

Based on what you posted here, I would go into the meeting very flexible.
Listen to why they want to give you cash. Maybe they didn't quite get your
volunteer story ?
In any case, since you are not counting on the cash input, stay loose and go
with the flow.

One caution . . . I would not categorically tell them that you will make free
pictures for them in the future. Be clear that any future work may be up for $$$
negotiation. Hopefully, also, they won't pass your name around town as a "photographer for free".
 
cal…it is a very casual agreement…nothing is in writing now and i'm ok with that.
while i am fine with them using the images on facebook, brochures or their website, i would not like it if they started to sell them as prints...
 
daveleo said:
Joe,

Based on what you posted here, I would go into the meeting very flexible.
Listen to why they want to give you cash. Maybe they didn't quite get your
volunteer story ?
In any case, since you are not counting on the cash input, stay loose and go
with the flow.

One caution . . . I would not categorically tell them that you will make free
pictures for them in the future. Be clear that any future work may be up for $$$
negotiation. Hopefully, also, they won't pass your name around town as a "photographer for free".
Click to expand...

…and i don't intend on working elsewhere for free either.
i usually go to the market as part of my sat. morning routine…i usually take pics there…the big difference now is that i can say that i'm the 'official' photographer…not a real big deal!
 
btw…i do feel pretty casual about it all…just don't want to make a fool of myself at the meeting if they ask me what i want or how much etc...
 
If they are asking for "hi-res" they are not just thinking about facebook.

Then again, maybe they just don't know what they need (maybe !) or want . ??
 
back alley said:
they want a hi res cd...
Click to expand...
Haha. Then the photos will of course be used for :

- flyers
- posters
- websites
- business cards
- etc

Worse thing : not only do they use them as much as they want, and you get some low cash once and for all, but your name doesn't even appear alongside your own photos each time they get published.

So : prudentia, caveat and red flags. No spoken agreement. A written and signed contract. You buy this and not that, I am paid for this and that isn't free.

As for the price : get in touch with a professional photographer somewhere, and you'll get the idea of what you can ask to stay in the good ballpark.
 
back alley said:
i usually go to the market as part of my sat. morning routine…i usually take pics there…the big difference now is that i can say that i'm the 'official' photographer…not a real big deal!
Click to expand...

It could be a big deal in the way now you are "authorized" to photograph. It might put some people, who wouldn't have been at ease, at ease. You are affiliated and not an unknown guy with an unknown agenda.
 
Highway 61 said:
I have to admit - authorized photographers take better pictures than unauthorized unknowns. :D
Click to expand...

not better but…as john above noted…some folks do not like being photographed but when they discover that i am 'official' and it's for the market they change their position quickly.
 
Smart people. For consideration (money perhaps, any amount) you agree to sell them rights to the pics. That way you can not come back later and ask for damages/compensation when they use them.

One dollar is enough to make it legal.
 
jesse1dog said:
Good question - why buy them if they can use them now?
There must be something 'in it' for them if they buy the photos.
Seems a reasonable set-up as it is now.
But go with an open mind to see what they want to discuss.
No need to be concerned until you have heard what they have to say.
You could imagine anything - but things never turn out as you expect.
There are far more important things to bother about just now.

jesse
Click to expand...

Considering everything you say regarding enjoying making your photographs at the market, not needing or necessarily wanting to make big bucks from this and hoping to continue having the freedom you do, and perhaps more in the future, I'd suggest that Jesse has given you some very good and basic advice.

Until you go you don't know exactly what they hope to do with the pictures. So you don't yet know if you'd be happy with their plans, the effect it may have on your relationship with them or whether you would be comfortable with the rewards you receive whether its financial or otherwise.

I'm sure you're not going to allow yourself to be taken advantage of and only you really know what will make you happy with this potential arrangement. Enjoy the fact they like your pictures and would like to make more of your talent, once you hear what they say you can take a little time to mull it over and go from there.

Congratulations too.
 
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