How much to Charge: My images on a Park Sign and more

Hi all,

I would really appreciate your input on this one!!!!



A local City wants to place about 16 of my wildlife (bird) images on a sign at a local park and would like indefinite use for other publications/promotion​s. They do not want sole rights the images and will credit me for each image.

I had previously given them privilege of using 16 images for a one off brochure publication only for free and they knew I really wanted payment but couldn't cough up due to budgets etc. I'm a conservationist (and idiot) and like to contribute to conservation projects. Having purchased several images of mine for their archive and boardrooms. They are now willing to pay me for more.

The sign will be about 2.5m x 3.5m (8foot by 11foot). Publications will be educational brochures etc.

How much to charge for each image?

I'm thinking in the order of $100 - $150 each, but an online calculator says I should charge in the order of $400.

Below is a an idea of the quality of the images. Heck, everyone else want's them for free!!

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I'd say charge them just a little bit less than what it would have cost them to purchase stock photography. Make them sign a usage agreement, indefinite usage still needs to have some limits.

If you're comfortable with charging 100-150 do it.
If you want to give them away then do it.

Its your piece so you get to charge whatever you feel its worth to you

Slave7081 wrote in post #14403898
Its your piece so you get to charge whatever you feel its worth to you

That's the thing...it's really 'what the market will bear' an the client side of the equation, and what it's worth to you on your side, for any kind of pricing questions. The way that those 2 issues are resolved is through negotiation.

It also never hurts to ask the other party what they had in mind as it can provide a starting point in the equation.

I have a set price list that I try to follow (based on a day rate for the kind of work that I do), but it's really only a starting point. There are times that I charge more and there are times when I charge less, depending...

wayne_eddy wrote in post #14403611
I had previously given them privilege of using 16 images for a one off brochure publication only for free and they knew I really wanted payment but couldn't cough up due to budgets etc.

But they had the budget to pay the printer.
That's crap.
Everyone else would have got paid for what they provided except you.
Why is your product any different? Oh yeah. It's just a photo.

wayne_eddy wrote in post #14403611
Having purchased several images of mine for their archive and boardrooms. They are now willing to pay me for more.

So they should.

wayne_eddy wrote in post #14403611
The sign will be about 2.5m x 3.5m (8foot by 11foot). Publications will be educational brochures etc.

How much to charge for each image?

I'm thinking in the order of $100 - $150 each, but an online calculator says I should charge in the order of $400.

Below is a an idea of the quality of the images. Heck, everyone else want's them for free!!

Charge the $400 (or close to it.) That's what they are worth.
Saying it's for educational purpose is just a red herring.
The printer won't give a rats that it's for an educational purpose.
Neither will the suppliers of the signs.
They will all charge normal commercial rates for their product.
So should you.

Find out what the city pays their public servants as far as wages go. None of them work for free, and they actually are working for you.

Charge accordingly!

Wayne, I have yet to see a calculator giving a quote for indefinite use.
That sounds rather like RF.

FYI, that is a white egret, for those not bird photography inclined. It is a very common specie in the US swamps or lakes. Personally, I find that pricing is more about attracting more future businesses than the actual monetary value alone. Considering that this is a common specie, I won't go crazy with the price. Are they planning to buy more photos from you in the future?

Correction...it is a snowy egret. It is still a very common specie.

I would be inclined to offer two pricing options, one for the single use and one that includes the indefinite use (however defined). If they balk at the price you feel it is worth to have indefinite use, then they can always fall back on the single use fee.

I agree with you entirely.... this it the most sensible reply I have had across three forums.

THANK YOU!!!!


I'll read on ...

philwillmedia wrote in post #14404135
But they had the budget to pay the printer.
That's crap.
Everyone else would have got paid for what they provided except you.
Why is your product any different? Oh yeah. It's just a photo.

So they should.

Charge the $400 (or close to it.) That's what they are worth.
Saying it's for educational purpose is just a red herring.
The printer won't give a rats that it's for an educational purpose.
Neither will the suppliers of the signs.
They will all charge normal commercial rates for their product.
So should you.

lui-même wrote in post #14405550
Wayne, I have yet to see a calculator giving a quote for indefinite use.
That sounds rather like RF.

WTF is RF?

The industry needs a calculator to give a rough standard in costing. It also needs a code of ethics. I too have not seen a calculator for indefinite use either and this is very subjective.

I know what time it costs me to take an image, process it and get it to the buyer. They normally just want it for significantly less than the time it cost to manufacture and can go jump if they want great images for nuts.

TooManyShots wrote in post #14405668
FYI, that is a white egret, for those not bird photography inclined. It is a very common specie in the US swamps or lakes. Personally, I find that pricing is more about attracting more future businesses than the actual monetary value alone. Considering that this is a common specie, I won't go crazy with the price. Are they planning to buy more photos from you in the future?

Correction...it is a snowy egret. It is still a very common specie.

Thanks for your input TooManyShots.

They want to buy 16 or pro images taken with Canon L gear and a great camera and photographer.

If I were to build a brick wall with quality gear, know-how and bricks etc I would expect to be paid equivalently as I do with my day job. I would not be undercutting the rest of the market. I do not do this in my day job and my clients travel long distances to see me. I have many referrals. You do not know this: I have several local, national and international awards for nature photography.

I appreciate that many posters here do not shoot birds at a professional level as there is little pro market for conservation subjects (thus I have moved on), however in this case the buyer is after common species for the casual observer.

Finally: It's a Little Egret and I am photographing birds in Australia - as my tag indicates. 'straya is not an American State. This is not a US site. It no longer amazes me how many Americans think the whole freaking internet is in the UAS or USA or whatever you call it.

Well since a freaking (or at least A freak) American (al gore lol) invented the internet, why SHOULDN'T WE think its all in the USA?

What makes you "descendants of criminals" think YOU had anything to do with it?.... j/k.....

all kidding aside, MOST dot com domains are US based not dot AU or dot CA or dot DK etc....

wayne_eddy wrote in post #14409727
Thanks for your input TooManyShots.

They want to buy 16 or pro images taken with Canon L gear and a great camera and photographer.

If I were to build a brick wall with quality gear, know-how and bricks etc I would expect to be paid equivalently as I do with my day job. I would not be undercutting the rest of the market. I do not do this in my day job and my clients travel long distances to see me. I have many referrals. You do not know this: I have several local, national and international awards for nature photography.

I appreciate that many posters here do not shoot birds at a professional level as there is little pro market for conservation subjects (thus I have moved on), however in this case the buyer is after common species for the casual observer.

Finally: It's a Little Egret and I am photographing birds in Australia - as my tag indicates. 'straya is not an American State. This is not a US site. It no longer amazes me how many Americans think the whole freaking internet is in the UAS or USA or whatever you call it.

You need to chill. I didn't mean to make political statement. However, Obama is partnering with Australia with military supports in order to contain China. So, in a way, Australia will become part of America soon.

Wow lets everyone take a step back for a moment, to the OP not everyone reads your location on every post ... I know I assumed you were US based until you pointed it out, but getting all upset is just going to make people not want to help you.