Stef C Loc: Conshohocken (near philly) PA

I got this e-mail..

"Hi Stefan,

I work as the listing manager for the Mike Sroka Team of Coldwell Banker in Conshohocken. We are interested in some nice stock photos of downtown Conshohocken to use for one of our listings. We love your photos on your website and wanted to know about pricing and see what photos you may have of downtown Conshy and what you would recommend.

Please feel free to email or call me, my direct line is located in my signature.

Thanks!
Bri

Bri ****
Listing Manager
The Mike Sroka Team
"Real Estate Solutions for Today's Market"
Coldwell Banker Preferred



How much do photos like this typically go for? Any suggestions or help? I'm very lost.

Thanks!

anotherview Loc: California

Good morning and good question. I Googled this question: how to price photos to sell.

The Google search returned a number of useful Web-sites answering this question. Give it a try.

Good luck.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Depends...do you normally sell photos?

How many are they looking to use? will you be credited under the photo.

Is it a one time use. Print or web usage?

If it were me, I'd limit the size to 1600px on the longest edge and charge $100 or so per image. Or bump up the price a bit and ask if that is ok, and when they come back and say they only want to spend such and such amount you'll know how much they were willing to pay.

SpeedyWilson Loc: Upstate South Carolina

I'd call and make an appointment to meet with the potential client face-to-face. After that meeting you'll have a better idea of what their needs are, and what your pricing should be.

Personal interviews are usually much better than email. Emails are so devoid of personal interaction.

oldtool2 Loc: South Jersey

I agree, especially if this is an unsolicited email. Do you have anything on your web site suggesting you might sell your photos?

You need to be very careful anymore.

Jim D

Bill Emmett Loc: Bow, New Hampshire

I agree a face to face meeting needs to happen in this case. I've sold several of my photos taken of the City of New Orleans. You may want to explain that photos displayed on websites are reduced in actual size to accommodate the website parameters. You may want to contract yourself out for a photo shoot of the city. That way you will co-own the photos, and make money for your time. In any event, get a signed contract.

B

JaiGieEse Loc: Foxworth, MS

You need to have a look at a few of the online stock agencies, study their contracts. Also look at the difference between "royalty-free" and "rights managed." This is a very important distinction. "Royalty free gets the licenser the the righs to use the image in nearly any way they see fit. "Rights-managed," as the name implies, sets out specifications to include how the image is used, how many times it may be used, and so on.

And there is "Editorial" usage, which limits the image's use to non-commercial areas, to include magazine articles or newspaper articles. Can't use an Editorial image on items for sale.


Also, you need to be VERY sure you have a model release for any recognizable person who appears in your image.

Again, do carefully study the on-line agency contracts.

You need to be careful that you're not limiting your own use of these images because of the way you choose to license them.

JaiGieEse Loc: Foxworth, MS

Let me add that you do NOT want to license your images for the rates you'll find on micro-stock agency websites. Look at Getty, 500pix and so on. They begin at $250 for Royalty-Free and start with a basic fee for Rights-Managed, which usually sets a maximum number of uses - as in, how many copies of a publication in which an image can appears, or if they're using the image on a product, how many they can make for the basic fee. For anything beyond that, there's a per-use charge.

By all means, do NOT sell your work too cheaply. You start down that road, and everyone else you encounter after this will want the same deal. You'll find it hard to raise rates if it becomes apparent that your work is capable of earning more.

Look at it this way. You made an investment in equipment and training, and above all, an investment in time. You can get a new camera, new software, new training, but once you've used a second of your time, it's GONE. You cannot get a rebate, re-do, do-over, nor can you get a comp-second, onece you've used one. Time is perhaps the most valuable commodity you possess.

So, you must ask ourself - "How much is a piece if my life worth?"