Fee arrangements

[bradreiman]

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I have been asked to contribute several shots to a book. Anyone here have a working knowledge of fees for books? The book is going to have a large initial printing of between 25,000 and 50,000 copies. I will be contributing up to 20 shots. I have no idea about fees for book contributions. All are shot with m8 (to make this relevent). Thanks in advance....B

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[wattsy]

Go to any half decent stock library (Getty, Corbis, etc.) and use their pricing calculator as a guide. Note that most publishers would expect a substantial discount for the use of 20 shots.

[rleffingwell]

I'm a book author, writing all the text and generally shooting most of my own images for my books that launch with print runs ranging from 10,000 to 35,000 copies. When I buy an image from a colleague, depending on how badly I want the photo, I have paid as much as $750US for rights to use that single image in all editions of that book. More routinely I pay between $200 and $400 per image. If I were negotiating with you for 20 images, I would offer you $100 to $200 each for all editions in all languages. That said - and this probably will give me a reputation as a cheapskate - I recently received $1,250 for a single image that a publisher wanted very badly.

 

Looking at photo sales to book authors or publishers as "found money" is a realistic perspective. Books seldom sell based on a single image where newspapers and magazines can sell thousands of extra copies from just one photo.

 

For as many as 20 images, you might ask for 3 or 5 copies of the book as well.

 

You also might want to check with the ASMP, American Society of Photographers in Communications for their price recommendations as well. I hope this helps.

[JHAG]

A slightly different question :

Later this year I will be commissioned by a small US airline to shoot

a series of pictures which will be used in display in their new lounge

and executive offices.

Some of these pictures will be processed by an art director I will be

working with to create photomontage. They will also be used in some

brochures.

I roughly know how much I will ask for shooting (around 1500 $ a day

plus expenses — expecting 2 or 3 days of shooting on location

and around in California).

But I don't know about the rights and fees.

[rleffingwell]

It would be good to hear from others about this but my experience in a couple of decades of shooting is that the fee you negotiate includes the usage. If you are concerned about greater use than you desire from your day rate, you might consider increasing your shoot fee. Be sure when negotiating your deal that you do preserve ownership of the images and your copyright - meaning you grant them specific uses (that you spell out in detail) and all other uses are subject to additional negotiation. A number of shooters handle the prints themselves and mark them up 100, 150 percent or more for "handling."

 

I sense that you know already to not sign a "work for hire" agreement as this will give them unrestricted use and ownership of the images they hire you to shoot. There are very specific conditions relating to "work for hire," and generally the shooting rate - because it is a full buyout - is higher and their contribution to your work is much greater. Again, go to ASMP or APA, or check with other Forum members for their perspective and experience.

 

In my opinion, brochure publication is less risky these days than website use as more fliers book travel on websites and more people will see your images. Do ask the anticipated print run of the brochures and how many different brochures may see your photos.

 

I hope this helps, randy