Guide - When to give your images away for free

In the past, the issue of giving away images for free has cropped up so I thought the forum might appreciate this.......(cross posted from Digigreen)

I found this on the web, a quick guide entitled 'Work for Free' but if you change 'work for free' to 'give away pictures for free' it works equally well and roughly matches the rules of engagement I operate under.

Its humorous, slightly tongue-in-cheek with the occasional potty mouth word but does work:-

Work for Free Guidelines

I hope everyone finds it useful.......

In the past, the issue of giving away images for free has cropped up so I thought the forum might appreciate this.......(cross posted from Digigreen)

 

I found this on the web, a quick guide entitled 'Work for Free' but if you change 'work for free' to 'give away pictures for free' it works equally well and roughly matches the rules of engagement I operate under.

 

Its humorous, slightly tongue-in-cheek with the occasional potty mouth word but does work:-

 

Work for Free Guidelines

 

I hope everyone finds it useful.......

Right on. Glad that I don't owe anyone a kidney though.

Bill

Love it, I will be sending this to the next person that asks for free images, probably in the next half hour

Tristan

I've seen a similar email chain from a "startup" guy asking someone to do a free powerpoint presentation. It was hilarious.

Cheers

James

BTW I would like this asmy desktop image and I have already used the flowchart to determine wether or not to give away a free image or not as i had a beggar on email 20 mins ago LOL.

PS can I use it for free if I give the author a credit?

Simon,

Listening to your ruling, seems to have lost me an award! I was emailed that I had won the highly commended award (no actual prize) for a print competition, they asked for a digital image of my print, I questioned their request, and I havent heard from them in 3 days now

Listening to your ruling, seems to have lost me an award! I was emailed that I had won the highly commended award (no actual prize) for a print competition, they asked for a digital image of my print, I questioned their request, and I havent heard from them in 3 days now

Couple of points:-

1. The flow chart specifically mentions 'work' and a photographic competition falls way outside of that definition.

2. 3 days and no reply - Maybe the requestor is busy working on other things and has prioritised a response to you?

So I'm at a bit of a loss as to how 'I' have lost 'you' an award.

Couple of points:-

 

1. The flow chart specifically mentions 'work' and a photographic competition falls way outside of that definition.

 

2. 3 days and no reply - Maybe the requestor is busy working on other things and has prioritised a response to you?

 

 

So I'm at a bit of a loss as to how 'I' have lost 'you' an award.

I'm not pointing a finger Simon! it was just loosely, I really appreciate your contributions to this topic. I never followed the flow chart, just generally I am questioning people their motive for wanting my images, thats all bud. If they dont get back to me, they dont, if they have changed their minds because I questioned their request, it doesnt matter to me because I know they initially personally awarded it to me that cant be changed, sorry to "they" if they are actually busy, I did email again the day after to see if they got my email (I would have sent the image but I wasnt sure which one they wanted). I can wait but waiting this long puts all sorts of thoughts into ones head, especially because I'm new to all this, and there is no "underwater photographer's master guide to entering competitions, and also sharing and marketing images" book in existance, well that I know of anyway!

I'm not pointing a finger Simon! ................and there is no "underwater photographer's master guide to entering competitions, and also sharing and marketing images" book in existance, well that I know of anyway!

No, there is no book in existence I'm afraid - but a service explaining the hows and whys of photographic business was offered, & declined.

Photographic competitions generally ask for the right to display images to congratulate the winners and promote future contests. If there were no terms shown, then it wouldn't be unreasonable for them to do so - after all, how would anyone know what image had won if the organisers didn't have the right? If there are no terms stated, perhaps it might be better to submit the image and include the following in the rights metadata field:-

"All rights reserved. Restricted rights for XXXXXXXX (name & date) competition; image may only be used for the purposes of congratulating XXXXXXXX (winner/highly commended/ranked), and for the purposes of promoting future XXXXXXXX (name of said comp) competitions for a period of 2 years, commencing YYYYYY (Date of announcement). All other uses must be confirmed in writing with the copyright holder prior to use. Embedded metadata and copyright notice(s) must be maintained. The Artist hereby asserts his moral right to be identifed as the author of this work in accordance with section 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988."

That way, everyone knows what use they are getting.

No, there is no book in existence I'm afraid - but a service explaining the hows and whys of photographic business was offered, & declined.

 

Photographic competitions generally ask for the right to display images to congratulate the winners and promote future contests. If there were no terms shown, then it wouldn't be unreasonable for them to do so - after all, how would anyone know what image had won if the organisers didn't have the right? If there are no terms stated, perhaps it might be better to submit the image and include the following in the rights metadata field:-

 

"All rights reserved. Restricted rights for XXXXXXXX (name & date) competition; image may only be used for the purposes of congratulating XXXXXXXX (winner/highly commended/ranked), and for the purposes of promoting future XXXXXXXX (name of said comp) competitions for a period of 2 years, commencing YYYYYY (Date of announcement). All other uses must be confirmed in writing with the copyright holder prior to use. Embedded metadata and copyright notice(s) must be maintained. The Artist hereby asserts his moral right to be identifed as the author of this work in accordance with section 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988."

 

That way, everyone knows what use they are getting.

Thanks Simon, why dont you write that book then!? I've taken day courses before, I tend to forget most things I pick up! So a book would be a more preferable item, there seem to be a few about for generally any photographer so I may look around, but soo many things...soo little time! Mind you some things I just cant get my head into, like the "Beyond the Lens" book.

I thought this was funny and gave it to some of my code-monkey friends. This could be used for pretty much anything.

I actually did give some photos for free. I joined a person and the dive shop he was with (they were training OW students). I was training myself on how to use my camera (it would have been my second use). Before starting the students offered to pay me money for the photos. I told them no thanks (i was using them as my test subjects anyhow) since I was new to this. In the end a lot of the shots came out great. There was no way I was going to e-mail out about 50 pics where each pic is about 12MB in size, so my only requirement to them is they had to sign up for a free file share device that I love to use and use me as the referrer (increases my free space). I sent them large sized JPGs with my signature on it and there was a mother who was extremely happy that she could see pics of her 14 year old son under water

a service explaining the hows and whys of photographic business was offered, & declined.

I sent you an email (via your profile) on this earlier, trust you got it Simon

Work for Free Guidelines

 

I hope everyone finds it useful.......

Not sure which part I found most helpful. But I think I got it down to when I need a kidney if I am reading the chart correctly.

Not sure which part I found most helpful. But I think I got it down to when I need a kidney if I am reading the chart correctly.

And most of us have two kidneys.......so we can always negotiate up!

Thanks Simon, why dont you write that book then!?

Because I can make more money for less effort doing other things - that's my current view at least. Who knows? 12 months it might change.