How Much to Charge For Pictures Being Used on Website and Recruit Mailing?

[waffles]

I just got this e-mail from the volleyball coach at my university:

Chris,

These are great! If there is a picture we want to use for the website or a recruit mailing what process do I have to follow?

Thank you for all of your help.

Sincerely,

Sally

So, what do I do? I know that I want to keep rights to the photographs for myself in case I want to do anything with them later, so my main question is how much I should charge for use of my photographs (if at all).

I don't know if I should have a flat per picture price or group rates or if I should charge more if they want me to clean up one that I didn't do already or anything like that.

I've never done anything like this before. Any help would be great.

[Sime™]

You're the photographer, you hold the copyright... but i think we've dusted over this one before... you take the shots on private property, but with you own gear?.. I cant recall the outcome... anyway - do they have budget for advertising?... I have almost this same problem, I'm shooting my first "pro" assignment tomorrow (nervous!) and am not sure what to charge, but... I guess i'll just suck it and see... sorry i've not helped! good luck!

[waffles]

Would my school's coliseum be considered private property? I'm not sure on that one.

It's Winthrop's athletic department, I sure hope they have money for advertising.

[Sime™]

if it's on their grounds, sure.

[jdepould]

Private property, but the general public is granted access, you hold the copyrights. This would be a licensing situation, owner of the camera is irrelevant.

As an absolute minimum I'd say $20. Also, size and quantity matter, if they want a 2" x 3" for mailing then you should charge less than an 8" x 10" or something that would go on a highly visible website.

[smc1377]

Ditto to what jdepould said.

Private property but since it's a general public type of area, you still hold copyrights.

I would simply be as open as to tell that volleyball coach that you've never sold photographs before for use and ask what they've paid in the past for them. I don't think the coach is gonna screw you over.

[waffles]

Alright, I've taken y'all's advice and said that I have no idea what the normal rate is. Got something back this morning saying that she will let me know if they want to use anything.

Which I'm really hoping doesn't mean that they had something in mind before and changed their mind when they learned money might be invovled.

[DennisL]

you should give them the photo, and offer to do team shots, and game shots that will be for sale...

[porterd2nz]

I think you've probably shot yourself in the foot by bringing money into the discussion too soon! This would have been a good place to build up some goodwill and get your name out there associated with these people.

You might want to try this link: The Stock Photo Price Calculator
It's mostly aimed at pricing for non-exclusive corporate clients, but it could be a place to start from. (IMHO even their lowest prices seem to be a bit excessive for what is essentially a non-profit organisation.)

[waffles]

Yeah, I think so too. Oh well, if things don't work out then I still feel good even having her think of it. And if they do then I'll consider myself very lucky.

I took a look at that and from my best guess of what my stuff would fall under the lowest price I remember getting was something like $200-250ish. What? Are they crazy? I was thinking more in the $20-30 range at most.