Shall I shan't I?

PaulStat

PaulStat

PaulStat

Soldato
Joined
1 Mar 2003
Posts
5,508
Location
Cotham, Bristol
Boss would like to use one of my images for a Christmas card to use for sending out to customers, asked If I would consider giving it to them and I will be credited on the card.

So should I be kind out of the Christmas spirit or should I try and sting them for a relatively small fee?
 
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personally id charge. find out what the going rate for a stock image of similar type for similar usage is.
 
PaulStat said:
So should I be kind out of the Christmas spirit or should I try and sting them for a relatively small fee?
Click to expand...
You're not 'stinging' them by charging a fee. Don't give your work away for free.

Charge them an appropriate fee for a Rights Managed Image, request a credit inside the card somewhere and make sure your website's homepage has something prominent on display about that particular image.
 
to be honest, i cant see the credit being inside the card and lets face it who ever looks at the back side (cue jokes)?
 
PaulStat said:
Boss would like to use one of my images for a Christmas card to use for sending out to customers, asked If I would consider giving it to them and I will be credited on the card.

So should I be kind out of the Christmas spirit or should I try and sting them for a relatively small fee?
Click to expand...

Put this one in for free, get the credit added to the card (make sure its inside front rather than the back though so it can be seen) and at the same time suggest that if they wanted to use any photos in the future then a fee could be arranged so that you can make a little something out of it eitherway. How big is the company anyway? May have a bearing on what fee you could command.
 
Options could go:

(1) Give it away for free with creditation. Boss is happy, your name is exposed to clients.

(2) Ask for a fee. Boss is annoyed, doesn't take the picture. You get no money, no recognition and an angry boss.

Your choice, but I know which (as a non-pro) I would choose :)
 
It's probably a bit awkward to ask for payment when it's your Boss, as you really should get paid for it.
So I'd suggest him/her making a donation to charity or free drinks at the Christmas Party, whichever is higher on your priority list ;)
And make sure your website is included on the card.
 
I would let them use it this time round. Maybe not next time though.

Similarly a couple of my photos for a job we did (hotel recently built) might be used to be printed for a wall as marketing material. Might ask a fee for that though, as usually togs are paid to do that.
 
Give it away for free and get some Christmas drinks in return.

As it's a once off you are better going down this route than asking for money IMO.... you will come off looking better and could get some work out of it in the future depending on what industry you work. I had a similar issue and now have my yearly camera insurance paid by the company after doing some work for free when they were in a jam.
 
Brownie points with the boss (or more accurately no loss of points by making him pay for it) are worth more than the relatively little amount for a company Christmas card image!
 
Marzipanogram said:
...or free drinks at the Christmas Party...
Click to expand...

What sort of christmas party doesn't have free drinks already?

My take is it depends what they'd do otherwise - if they pay for an image otherwise then you'd be essentially depriving another photographer of income (which really annoys me, the trend for amateurs to hand over their images for free has made like a lot harder for people who make a living out of photography), in that case either charge or don't do it.

If they wouldn't get another photograph and just get an off the shelf card otherwise then it's up to you, for much the same reasons as before I still wouldn't give any of my work away for free (I spent time on it, I invested in equipment etc etc - if your boss - a businessman - doesn't understand that argument he's an idiot.). But it's up to you what value you place on your work.
 
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I let them have it in the end, I got the feeling it was either accept a credit on the card or it wouldn't be used at all.

We're a fairly small company so there'll only be a few going out
 
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