In this article Photographer David Bergman and AdoramaTV are going to talk about the difference between selling photos, and then licensing them.
David explains: “When it comes to photography, you could buy one of my photo prints to hang on your wall. You could also hire me for a portrait session or to photograph an event for you. Now you’re saying okay Captain Obvious, so what’s the point? Well, there’s another commonly accepted way to make money with your photography, and that’s by licensing usage of your work.”
“Let’s say someone wants to publish one of your images in an ad campaign. Now this could be an existing image of yours or even if they’re hiring you to create something new for them. You don’t just sell them the photo, and now they own it forever. You instead issue a license for that particular use, spelling out all the relevant information, like how many times it can be used, how big it can run, and how long the license is in effect, etc. For photographers, because we can relicense that image over and over again, the United States copyright law states that each photo can earn you money even after you’re dead and gone! It’s also good for the buyer, because they only pay for the uses that they need and don’t spend more than they have to.”
“If they want all rights forever – you have to charge for any potential use that might ever be in existence. Are they planning to put up a billboard on the surface of the Moon? My guess is they’re not doing that, so why should they pay extra money for that. Of course, communication is key here, and you should be having conversations with your clients so they understand exactly how your pricing works. And like any business you need to have your own contracts, and paperwork that spells this all out. So that everyone is on the same page. Talk to other working photographers about this, and you can also use software to help you get started like Photo Biz and Photo Quote. Licensing is the key to making a living in most creative fields!”
*For more information visit AdoramaTV YT page, and of course you can keep up with David on Instagram and Twitter @DavidBergman. LATEST UPDATE: David opened up new IGTV episodes where you can ask him questions live! find out more at http://www.AskDavidBergman.com
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Watch the full episode with David Bergman and Adorama TV: