# Question about selling the copyright to my photos



## Rebecca Sherbundy (Jun 12, 2011)

I need some help figuring out what to charge for the copyright to some of my photos. I am a portrait/wedding photographer but a few months back a went to a 4-wheeling off road event and photographed a few racers, now one of them just contacted me about buying the copyright to a few of the photos to be used in their sponsor packets. I'm just wondering if anyone can help me out... I don't know what price to put on the photos?? Any advice is appreciated! Thanks


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## Formatted (Jun 12, 2011)

What is the use? (Online, Magazine, Press Release, Newspaper)
Where is it located? (Front page, middle pages, back page)
How large is it to be printed? (1/4, 1/2, full page)
Print - How large is the print run? 
Online - How long for? (Length of time)
Where are you located?

From that you can work out something more solid...


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## tirediron (Jun 12, 2011)

Why sell the copyright?  Sell them a restricted usage license, that is:  They can use the image as specified for a pre-set period.


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## KmH (Jun 12, 2011)

+1. &#8593; &#8593; &#8593; &#8593; &#8593;  

You don't usually want to sell the copyright, just a use license, which is in effect a copyright rental agreement.

Copyright is actually a bundle of rights that you can sell (rent out) on a piecemeal basis. In other words, you can sell the right to use the same image several times and/or to multiple users concurrently, which is what stock and commercial photography is all about. Few retail photographers "I am a portrait/wedding photographer" seem to really understand the value of their copyright, which here in the US they own exclusively for the rest of their life, plus 70 years.

A use license can allow the buyer exclusive use, which cost more than non-exclusive use. The more media types the buyer wants to use an image in, the more the use license costs, as does the longer the time-frame they want to use the image.

The size(s) they want to use an image at also affects the use license cost.

You can visit www.asmp.org the web site for the American Society of Media Photographers. On the left side of their home page click on "Business Resources", read all their tutorials and look at their 'Paperwork Share".
You'll also notice they recommend using the commercial photography pricing software fotoQuote Pro 6.


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## orljustin (Jun 12, 2011)

As mentioned, you don't "sell copyright".  You license the work to them for the uses they want for a specific price.


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## imagemaker46 (Jun 13, 2011)

Some clients want to own the image outright. I recently sold a few hundred images to a client, along with the original negatives. I have a digital copy of everything for myself. The client had a contract drawn up and that was it.  They made me an offer on the original images that was too good to pass up.  It took some thinking and some talking with another photographer for me to make my decision, do I regret it now, no, will I regret it in the future, possibily.  The real selling point was that I made more money on the sale, than I was making with the originals. It was a business decision.


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## orljustin (Jun 13, 2011)

It isn't likely the OP's buyer really wants to buy "copyright".  They just don't know what to ask.


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## Rebecca Sherbundy (Jun 13, 2011)

Thanks everyone for your advice! I really appreciate it!!!


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## Formatted (Jun 13, 2011)

We haven't really given any, did you even read our posts?!


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## Rebecca Sherbundy (Jun 14, 2011)

Yes I read all the posts and from them, like you said, I was able to work out something more solid. The asmp.org website that was recommended was very helpful and from there was able to find pricing guides to help me get a better idea of what to do and charge.


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