Copyright/Pricing question

[JaimieE]

I have a question that I hope to get some direction.

I have been approached to shoot an event where the company would like joint copyright use of at least six images (for internal and external publication) and a total of 20 images for internal records.

Id love to hear your advise on how to quote for this (do you charge the same per image for both the internal and external use?) and how do you answer the question of joint copyright?

TIA

[andyw]

Originally Posted by JaimieE

I have a question that I hope to get some direction.

I have been approached to shoot an event where the company would like joint copyright use of at least six images (for internal and external publication) and a total of 20 images for internal records.

Id love to hear your advise on how to quote for this (do you charge the same per image for both the internal and external use?) and how do you answer the question of joint copyright?

TIA

My first question to them would be WHY do they think they need copyright, Joint or not.
(my personal opinion of "joint copyright" is not really printable).
Again, all they need is a license to use the images. The license can be pretty flexible in it's wording and use but they certainly do not need copyright.

Personally for corporate portraits and events I charge a day rate and will supply x amount of shots (agreed with the client). The day rate includes a license for internal use (intranet, company newsletter etc) and an editorial only license for 1 year. (that would be for them to use in trade mags etc for press releases).

If they only want the images for purely internal use then the rate is a little less but it is not often they go for that as it is easier for most to be able to use the images in press releases if they want.

It would be unlikely they would need them for more than a year as they would be out of date but if they did then I would charge a pretty nominal fee for that. (if they did in fact ask!!)

It is also unlikely the images would be required for anything other than internal or one off editorial use so I don't know why this company would be asking you for joint copyright.

I would find out from them what external use they would be requiring the images for before going much further.

Even though I am a very strong advocate of us keeping our copyrights and not doing "all rights" types of deals. Corporate events are not really something which give us that much (if any) potential residual income (at least not in my experience) so I would be pretty flexible if someone did actually want this. Just push up the price a little to make a point more than anything else.

[OsmosisStudios]

Definitely recommend a license over a copyright transfer of any kind.

[JaimieE]

thankyou for the information - I am definitely not considering joint copyright and will be offering a commercial usage agreement - this is a big company and Im a small town photographer and I dont want to be intimidated in anyway. Nor do I want to undersell my product to them either just to secure the shoot. I want to be smart as this could lead to more work if I 'do' it right.

The 6 images will be used for web, brochure and newspaper circulation - the internal use is for their records only (or so Im advised) but as Andy stated it would be easier if they were able to use all for press release if desired. Definitely how I will approach it.

Just wondering if a usage fee on each image rather than a day rate is a better option?

TIA - your opinion is greatly appreciated.

[andyw]

Originally Posted by JaimieE

The 6 images will be used for web, brochure and newspaper circulation - the internal use is for their records only (or so Im advised) but as Andy stated it would be easier if they were able to use all for press release if desired. Definitely how I will approach it.

Just wondering if a usage fee on each image rather than a day rate is a better option?

TIA - your opinion is greatly appreciated.

To me web and brochure use would definitely warrant a usage fee rather than be included in a day rate.

What I do and I stress this is just my way of working, is have a day rate for the photography no matter what the job. That is in effect a sitting fee or call out fee if you like.
This includes use of the images for internal and editorial use for 1 year.

Then charge everything else as line items.
So everything such as hire of equipment, extra staff, props, travel, extra post processing, and usage fees are all billed.
My jobs are normally "supply of x amount of images for such and such use", so anything other than what is included in the day rate is billed as a separate item.
So 1 image for 3 months use on company web site at xx size would warrant price x
4 images for use in advertising material at x size for x months would warrant price y
etc

The reason I do things that way is that I was burnt in the past by not laying out the specifics.

It is all negotiable at the end of the day and sometimes one has to compromise to get the job. But compromise does not mean rolling over to unreasonable or unnecessary demands from a client.

If this is a big company then they should be used to this sort of thing, often with smaller companies it is hard for them to understand licensing etc. which I can fully appreciate.

For me, small companies get a lot more "flexibility" than large multis ever will.

[JaimieE]

Thanks again for your advice - certainly has given me confidence that Im on the right track.