that's great!!! . .what do i do?

[Mandragora]

hey everybody! I'm kind of in a strange situation. I've never sold a photograph before, but i got asked today to shoot all the advertising and packaging for a MAJOR statue sculptor. This may seem like a huge leap . .but shooting action figures/statues is something i've been doing for a long time and I have developed a large fan base. It just turns out that this guy has finally noticed my work recently. . .so . .its a dream come true.

now what??

i know that advertising and packaging should be charged for separately. And there is a different charge between online advertising and pages in a mag.

the problem is I don't even know what kind of RANGE we're talking here.

for an example . . he charges about $175-$250 per statue . .and does a run of anywhere from 500-3000 (obviously the more in the run the cheaper the statue) . .that's a huge amount of money coming in for just one peice. And there are lots and lots of them.

I have heard, but can't be certain, that he pays his sculptors on average about $15,000.

he has said that he's in love with my work and is willing to pay . .but at the same time i don't want to screw myself over.

help please

[Uhland]

You do take nice shots and I can see why he wants you to shoot his statues.
Just have fun with it like you do with your own photos. Enjoy it and forget the pay while you are shooting.

As far as pricing I will let others answer because I havnt a clue.

Congrats!

[amfoto1]

First please go buy the book "Pricing Photography" by Heron and MacTavish.

Next ask lots of questions to pin down exactly how this person want to use your images. "Advertising and packaging" is way too vague. Are they asking you to go to work and take a bunch of shots? (Assignment photography) Or, are they asking you to use shots you have already taken? (Stock photography)

The more detail you can get, the more accurately you will be able to quote them. It's really impossible to make any recommendations based upon the info you have at this point. That book will give you far more guidance than we can here, and includes forms for licensing, contracts, etc.

It sounds as if this person is pretty savvy in business. If that's the case they will appreciate you approaching this professionally, too.

[Mandragora]

First please go buy the book "Pricing Photography" by Heron and MacTavish.

Next ask lots of questions to pin down exactly how this person want to use your images. "Advertising and packaging" is way too vague. Are they asking you to go to work and take a bunch of shots? (Assignment photography) Or, are they asking you to use shots you have already taken? (Stock photography)

The more detail you can get, the more accurately you will be able to quote them. It's really impossible to make any recommendations based upon the info you have at this point. That book will give you far more guidance than we can here, and includes forms for licensing, contracts, etc.

It sounds as if this person is pretty savvy in business. If that's the case they will appreciate you approaching this professionally, too.

right.

after i posted this i had asked a few more questions while i researched some more.

he gave me a few ideas of what he wanted so i quoted him a price for a 12 month, one time use, website main page. just a basic range. I made clear that this was if i kept the rights, as well as that this did not include any packaging, or print advertising, and that quotes for those things would differ in price. The prices i gave him were very fair according to a wide range of friends and colleagues who are familiar with similar business practices. Actually, i was repeatedly told that my quotes were low, considering how highly specialized this kind of photography was, and that, by his own admission, there is no one in the field that compares.

he basically had expected me to have done zero research and have no clue and come back with "oh, i'll shoot everything for $50 a shot and thanks for the opportunity to work with you . . kiss kiss kiis." I definitely took him by surprise by not going this way . . . and he is considering me to do some projects with him in the future. which is fine by me.

thanks so much for the response :)

[Uhland]

he basically had expected me to have done zero research and have no clue and come back with "oh, i'll shoot everything for $50 a shot and thanks for the opportunity to work with you . . kiss kiss kiis." I definitely took him by surprise by not going this way . . . and he is considering me to do some projects with him in the future. which is fine by me.

thanks so much for the response :)

So I take it you didnt get the gig?
If so that sucks man but I am glad you stuck to your guns about the price.
Expecially considering you gave him a very fair offer.
It seems so many people want photogs to work for little to nothing.

Keep doing what you are doing.

One thing I might do if I was you.
Offer him a "deal"
Tell him you will shoot one or two of his top peices for free to show him your talents. If you are good and he likes it he will come back to you.

You got a nibble... now lure him in.

[Mandragora]

So I take it you didnt get the gig?
If so that sucks man but I am glad you stuck to your guns about the price.
Expecially considering you gave him a very fair offer.
It seems so many people want photogs to work for little to nothing.

Keep doing what you are doing.

One thing I might do if I was you.
Offer him a "deal"
Tell him you will shoot one or two of his top peices for free to show him your talents. If you are good and he likes it he will come back to you.

You got a nibble... now lure him in.



he was expecting me to jump and shoot all his packaging for something like $50 or getting to keep the piece.

he was talking about purchasing my art, not product photography, and, to me, that is a HUGE difference, and i priced accordingly.

after all my research, i know i gave him a fair price, but you're right, i didn't get the gig so to speak. Everyone i have talked to says its better this way, better in the long run to show him that he can't take advantage of me like he has been known to take advantage of others in the past. And they are right, i have a lot of pride in my work and its taken me a long time to get the kind of shots i want and to get the praise that i've gotten . . .but i can't deny that it doesn't sting a little.

in my last letter to him i did mention a few ideas about projects, a book, posters, special ad campaign, etc . . and he did leave those things open for the future . .so, we'll see.

thanks for all your help. :)