selling pictures to a bank need advice

[webejamn]

i submitted some of my pictures to a bank for a calander, there was going to be no payment for the calander pictures, but i just wanted to get my name out there. out of 13 pictures they picked 7 of mine for the calander, i was stoked to hear about that, they said they would have used them all except they needed to pick other pictures either.

today i found out that they might want to buy the rights to the pictures, for online use, use on posters, buisness cards, brochures, stuff like that,

i dont know what stipulations to put on the pictures, i guess all that i care about is that they dont sell them. i would also like to get credit on the web pages and have my name put on the pictures( not cards)
i also dont know what to charge, how do i decide that?

[blackshadow]

Do what banks do to everyone else - charge them a hefty fee!

[BradT0517]

The basic rule for selling the rights off are if you think of a good number to charge multiply by 3 to 5x.

[Dorado]

This should show you your images have value. Since you submitted the images for the calender knowing it is for no payment, then you should accept that. ANYTHING BEYOND THAT YOU CHARGE FOR, PERIOD. Do you homework, learn about usage fees and licensing, and charge the approiate fees.

[thedruid]

Why are you giving your work away free, to a Bank of all places? If you place no value in your work then asking someone else to pay for it will be difficult to say the least.

[webejamn]

there are more benifits to putting photos out there than a fee, getting your name out there for people to see on some photos is more important to me than a few hundred or thousand dollars, the long term benifits are greater than the short term losses. clearly this is true, because the bank is offering to buy them from me; and they are the first ones to see them.

[WhatEyeSee]

Stop short changing yourself - charge them a fee. Remember they are a client, and if a happy one they will come back or give you referrals. If you don't charge them a fee now, then next time they want something from you they will want it for free, and then that will be hard to set a price on since they know you will give it away.

Don't worry, your name will get out there, but you don't want it out there as a guy who gives his work away for nothing.

Is there a way to still have you name on this prints/pics? Work that in the contract.

[ssim]

In my opinion the whole thing about "getting my name out there" is over rated. I challenge anyone to remember the photographer of some of the images on a calendar hanging on their wall. It is nice to see your name there but in reality it returns very very little, if any. Have a look at some of the big corporate websites out there. You won't find many that actually put watermarks on the images they put on their sites. The reality is that you charge them the going rate for the use of it. You can always use it as a reference if you need it.

I flat out refuse anyone that offers me the credit in lieu of cash. There is no reason to give your work away. If you had it chosen for this project it stands to reason that it will be good enough for future assignments without having to give it away now for a photo credit.

[sfaust]

Most pros will tell you that only on high profile images or projects where the RIGHT people will see it does it count. And even then, usually not enough to make it worth while to do the work for free. And most will also tell you that once you work for that client for free, their price expectation is set for future work. Rarely will you ever get the going rates in your area. Granted there are expectations, but on the whole every pro I've spoken with over the years tells me the same thing. Its a waste of time and effort, and all it will do it get you lots of referrals for more free work.

If a photographer really wants to get their name out there and make it count, spend the time to do a project that will get some press and generate local interest. Ie, a story on something relevant to your area, socially, economically, whatever. And use that to get it displayed locally, as a reason to send out press releases, and so on. This will get you credit that counts, get your name out there in a way it will be remembered, and make it stick much longer than any 3 second glance at a bank calendar.

The best way to make credit work, is to target who you want to work for. A few images in a back calendar won't get you noticed much, other than by the bank that you gave the free images to. And when the paying work from them comes, they will remember the free images, and expect cheap work.

But, if you want to work for an editorial client per se, a 12 image photo essay on something relevant to your area will do wonders. Once done, show the framed images on walls in restaurants, coffee shops, bank lobbies, libraries, etc. Submit a press release to all the local papers and magazines about how you and the essay, showings, etc. The best part of the press releases is that they are also your clients if you want to go into editorial. And its a great way to get their attention.

If you want to do architecture for example, than do the essay on some interesting architecture or related story in your area, and send the press releases to the architectural trade magazines, as well as the local papers. You could even call some of the larger architectural firms, builders, etc, in your area and ask them if they have an interest in displaying the images in their lobby, etc. They may not if its not their work, but its a great way to also 'show your portfolio' to those that count and get remembered.

Another way to look at working for a credit line and see if it makes sense is to do this. Figure out want the image would sell for normally. Lets say in this instance, its $25 per image. 7 Images is $175. Plus say another $100 or so in the time to take and process the images, create the CD for the client, etc. The value the photographer is giving up is $275.

Lets say a marketing company called you up and was selling you advertising space in a bank calendar. You will get 7 image slots for $275, and a small line under the image with your name on it. It will be distributed to 3,000 people in the local area. Lets say the bank is picking landscape photographs for the calendar (not sure what they are).

Would it make sense for you to pay $275 to show 7 of your landscape images to 3,000 people? Are the images relevant to what type of work you want to do. Ie, showing landscape images when you want to get portrait work? Are they the 7 images YOU want to show potential clients, or the ones the Bank wants to so.

In the end, would you be better off trying to get $275 for the images, and using the $275 to purchase a few advertising in the local newspapers showing more relevant work? Or 100 posters and flyers that can you can sprinkle around town?

I really believe you need to look at the value you are giving up and compare it against what you are getting in return. If you aren't willing to purchase what is being offered to you with cash from your checking account, you are better turning it down and moving on. You're just wasting time better spent on marketing in more relevant ways.