freelance questions rather confused!!

russbates

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Russell Bates
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Hello all!

Just wondering if anyone can help me with a situation!

Yesterday i was working for a student newspaper taking some photos at a press conference with perspective liberal democrat leader Nick Clegg.

There were many what i would call 'professional' looking photographers there but near the end i was approached by a man working for Nicks promotion section from what i gather.

He asked if i was working freelance and if he could have a look at my pictures I showed him a few that I had taken and he said he would buy some off me and gave me his email and 50 quid. I was pretty happy but also a bit confused! It was my first ever photography assignment and really have no idea how everything works. I wonder if anyone who has had any previous freelance experience can help me with a few questions!

- Should i ask/be expecting any more cash or does the above sound about right?
- Should i ask to be credited with taking the pictures?
- How would i go about submitting my pictures to newspapers etc?
 
If there were a few photographers there, in the normal market that means pictures are freely available, and therefore not worth as much as perhaps the only picture. You should be credited with the picture, however quite frequently news type pictures don't carry credits. You should really agree terms and usuage as regard to the picture. It could be used on all their campaign material. To be honest, I'd take the money and email them full size but slightly comressed.

With regard to approaching news papers, I would sent them to Scoopt.com(?) as they are with getty, you only get 40% of the sale. However, I understand that most papers just go to getty for political faces.

Hope that helps
 
£50 for how many shots for what use? Maybe I'm being suspicious but it sounds like the guy was taking advantage. I just priced up a stock shot of Nick Clegg on getty for a inside use in a daily newspaper + web use in the UK. Price was £121 and using the same image for a brochure/direct mail 1/4 page +web was £845
 
There was about 5 that he wanted. A couple were close up portraits which he set up with Nick and requested i take. Having never done anything like this before i didnt want to discuss cost as i had no concept of what a good price was.

Im not sure what they will be used for exactly, do you think its worth finding out before i send the pictures through? I think they will be used in some promotional type material, would that make them worth more?

Is it common for the photographer to state a price or the buyer?

Thanks for all the help!
 
Use of the shots has a big impact on their value and if their planning to use them for a campaign, etc. I would certainly be asking more than £50 for them. When pricing a use like this it's always worth considering what value they have for the client. I would get in touch and ask him to specify what the images will be used for, size of any print runs, will they be used online, etc.
 
From reading that i guess as there was no discussion of rights i can sell them to whoever else i want? and still own the copyrights to the photographs
 
That's right Russ, he hasn't bought any rights apart from those to use them himself. Best to gem up on prices etc for future use. Still, a sale is a sale. Well done and good luck.
 
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