Approched by another photog to use my photo

I was emailed by another photographer who saw my picture on the Fred Miranda forum and he wants to use it for his own sports photography website logo or index page. I guess the school he shoots for has a tiger for a mascot.

Since my field I sell photos in (off road racing) has a lot of competition that keeps prices low, I don't know what the going rate for something like this would be.

Also I took the photo at a zoo that has a commercial sales restriction policy... not that anybody at the zoo would know or could tell where which zoo this tiger is from.

What do you think?

I think it's a horrible picture. Just kidding, of course. I don't think you'll run into any issues w/ the zoo. It is impossible to identify this particular tiger to their zoo. I have no input on what to charge the other guy, though. Sorry.

If its for use of the school that's one thing. If its for the photographer's personal, commercial site that's another.

For what's its worth, I'd suggest playing by the rules. If the zoo has a no commercial use policy, I'd honor it.

The rules will come back to protect you some day.

It's a beautiful shot by the way.

You'd be really surprised on how those animal caretakers could tell you EXACTLY which tiger that is.

Wrong. Tiger stripes and facial markings are like fingerprints, no two are alike. That's how people can identify poached skins, and how zoos can tell their tigers from other tigers.

Quite frankly, if the zoo has a "no commercial use" policy, not only would you be in deep, but so would the person using the image. Add to that the fact that they're using the image for a school, that puts the school in jeopardy, and they should know better in the first place.


The best bet here is to tell the guy to go to a zoo and shoot his own image. He can use it all he wants if it's just a display piece on his website. He takes the image, he displays it, no harm done. Once he starts making money off of it though, that's another ball to bounce.


As for you, if I were you I'd call the zoo and ask them. Better safe than sorry, and they certainly can tell it's their tiger. The worse thing that can happen is they tell you no.

Thanks for your responses, the website will be a photographer's commercial website of photos he takes at the school. Not the school's site at all.

Ok, I agree. I wouldn't want anyone to get in hot water. I do remember someone saying that about the strip patterns. If the school is wanting to use it, I would think the zoo wouldn't have an issue with it using it as their mascot. Most schools are "for-profit" organizations and might have a better chance of getting the green light from the zoo. I also agree that telling the other photog to go to the zoo and get the image would be the best course of action. I'll take my lashing now.

Why would a photographer want to use somebody else's photo for their own commercial website?

Awesome shot, btw.

Yup, forgot to say, beautiful shot!!


As for one photographer asking another for an image, it's not too uncommon. Typically if someone doesn't shoot a particular subject, in this case a sports shooter who might not shoot animals, they'll ask someone who does shoot animals for an image.

photoguy6405 wrote in post #10508910
Why would a photographer want to use somebody else's photo for their own commercial website?

Awesome shot, btw.

It is weird a bit but I've asked for one before for a purpose other than my photography. I ran an athletic site where I put on clinics/camps/etc. and this guy I knew took a beautiful shot I wanted to license that fit our name and what we do that I couldn't get at the time, he never replied to the email which was strange and haven't seen him since when I used to all the time. For my own site, very strange to not just do it yourself.

As for zoo rules, call and ask. I was in town for a game recently and had a lot of hours to kill and wanted to walk around, just happened to pass a zoo and went in. Before asking for a ticket the first words out my mouth were what photography policy they had, she called over another girl and asked who proudly proclaimed "NONE!" and handed me a flier for a photography contest where I had to pay to enter and if chosen they would use my photos commercially (lucky me!). Needless to say no contest for me, but got some decent shots out of it - nothing as good as this tiger though, they were sleepy that day.

ryant35 wrote in post #10508600
I was emailed by another photographer who saw my picture on the Fred Miranda forum and he wants to use it for his own sports photography website logo or index page. I guess the school he shoots for has a tiger for a mascot.

Since my field I sell photos in (off road racing) has a lot of competition that keeps prices low, I don't know what the going rate for something like this would be.

Also I took the photo at a zoo that has a commercial sales restriction policy... not that anybody at the zoo would know or could tell where which zoo this tiger is from.

What do you think?

asysin2leads wrote in post #10508647
I think it's a horrible picture. Just kidding, of course. I don't think you'll run into any issues w/ the zoo. It is impossible to identify this particular tiger to their zoo. I have no input on what to charge the other guy, though. Sorry.

_method wrote in post #10508655
You'd be really surprised on how those animal caretakers could tell you EXACTLY which tiger that is.

I have a pretty good idea which zoo this was taken at and I know for a fact the keepers at that zoo get so familiar with their animals they can identify them from a photograph such as this one.

My suggestion is to avoid any possible entanglements and deny the use...

asysin2leads wrote in post #10508823
Ok, I agree. I wouldn't want anyone to get in hot water. I do remember someone saying that about the strip patterns. If the school is wanting to use it, I would think the zoo wouldn't have an issue with it using it as their mascot. Most schools are "for-profit" organizations and might have a better chance of getting the green light from the zoo. I also agree that telling the other photog to go to the zoo and get the image would be the best course of action. I'll take my lashing now.

If this is the zoo I'm thinking of they are going to deny any use by "for profit" (as you put it) organizations. I have been told by them that because they are a non-profit organization, they don't think anyone else should profit from their organization.

On the other hand, I have taken thousands of images at that zoo and display a large selection of them on my site with no repercussions.

Displaying is not the same as selling. If it were, there'd be no such thing as Photobucket, Flickr, etc.. It's not showing the photo that's gonna get you into trouble, it's making money from it.

Look at it this way; you want to sell the photo to him to get the money that is rightfully yours. How would you feel if he stole the photo and made money off of it?

Now translate that to the Zoo's perspective. They have a rule they wish to have honored. No reproduction for money making purposes. How could you possibly break their rule, then charge money to support your rule?

First - I was the photographer that was interested in the picture and I withdrew my request yesterday. As I stated in the email to the photographer, I do not believe in stealing another photographer's work - that is why I was making my request. When I found out the zoo did not allow commercial use - and I do not believe my use would have been commercial - I decided to cancel my request.

Second - I remembered his tiger picture and was impress with it. Traveling to a zoo to take this picture is not possible for me at the present time. And there is usually a slim chance the animals will even be active when I do go.

Third - the tiger picture was to be used in a blended background in a logo I was working on for my webpage. I do not really considered my webpage commercial in nature either.