This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

travel & photos for books

Hi Marilyn -

You should ask for whatever is fair and makes you happy. Professional
commercial photographers charge a rate by the hour, half day, day, week,
etc. plus expenses -- all expenses, including models, equipment rental, etc.
Assuming it's just you in a rental car looking for suitable subjects, most
of that may not apply. A client may ask for a bid that itemizes everything,
and everything is negotiable. Insurance for you and your equipment should be
included.

The most interesting issue is that hot potato we've passed around lately -
rights. As the creator of the images, according to US copyright law, you own
the copyright to the images unless you've sold or given the rights away. In
a standard commercial photography agreement, the client pays all expenses
then licenses the use of the photos from you. They may want all rights to
all images they publish within a certain period of time, then all rights
revert back to you. What I think usually happens (I'm not working at the
upper levels of the commercial photography game) is the client selects
images for use. You can keep and use all others. You can even use the ones
they use when your agreed upon time period elapses. That way they have what
they need, along with exclusive rights for a period, and you have lots of
new images to use also, many of which have no strings attached. There is
nothing unethical about this as long as you and the client agree to all this
up front, and it's in your contract. All photographers set their own day
rates based on they unique style, demand for their work, prestigious client
list, etc. Rates may start in the range of $300 to $500 per day for
beginners to $1000 per day for skilled image producers, plus expenses, and
they retain ownership of the copyrights and use of all "rejects."
If they insist on ownership of all images and all rights, charge them enough
that you will be happy when it's all over. If you view this as a paid
vacation, be a good guy and quote a comfortable rate and enjoy your
vacation. If it's work, what could you have earned with that same time and
effort doing something else?

Maybe someone with more recent experience with garden book companies will
weigh in on this subject. It's ultimately up to you to make your own best
deal. I hope this helps.
-- 
Larry Maupin
Maupin Photography
Garden Writer/Photographer
Member GWAA
larrymaupin@sbcglobal.net
Dallas, TX   214/341-3933
 

> From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
> Reply-To: Gardenwriters@topica.com
> Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 10:47:21 -0800
> To: GWL <Gardenwriters@topica.com>
> Cc: Marilynn McAra & Stuart Millman <smillman@supernet.ab.ca>
> Subject: [GWL]: FW: Did my message get posted to GWL?
> 
> 
> ----------
> From: Marilynn McAra & Stuart Millman <smillman@supernet.ab.ca>
> To: Lon Rombough <lonrom@hevanet.com>
> Subject: Did my message get posted to GWL?
> Date: Thu, Mar 28, 2002, 10:36 AM
> 
> 
> Hi Lon:
> 
> I sent this message to the GWL last night, but haven't seen it posted.  Did
> I do something wrong?  Here is what I sent:
> 
> Subject:
> Need advice re photography assignment for book(s)
> Date:
> Thu, 28 Mar 2002 00:20:30 -0700
> From:
> Marilynn McAra & Stuart Millman <smillman@supernet.ab.ca>
> Reply-To:
> GWL <Gardenwriters@topica.com>
> To:
> GWL <Gardenwriters@topica.com>
> 
> Hi everyone:
> 
> A small-sized but successful publisher of garden books (and other subjects)
> 
> is interested in sending me on a trip or two to get photos needed for their
> 
> books.  Haven't negotiated terms and remuneration yet, but that will happen
> 
> in a few days.   Would appreciate advice re what terms and amounts to ask
> for.  I assume a "day" rate (which I take to mean 8 hours, even if it's
> after-dawn and before-dusk, with free time in between)...but how much?
> What's the "range" for this type of "travel" photography, in which you
> don't get to return to your own roost at night?
> 
> They'll pay for transportation (air fare, rental car), film/processing, per
> 
> diem, and hotel...but what about other things like the extra health
> insurance I'll have to buy when I go into the USA?   Can I ask that they
> pay that too?
> 
> And what about liability insurance?  I do feature writing and specialize in
> 
> garden photography, and have a special "home office" policy which is added
> on to my tenants insurance, and it covers work I do within Canada, and
> liability on my premises, but doesn't cover the USA.  Is it reasonable (or
> possible) to ask the publisher to include me in their liability insurance
> while on their assignments?
> 
> Also, I'd like to get some stock photography (for myself) out of these
> trips.  It would drive me nuts to see some flowers/trees/shrubs I may never
> 
> see again, and not be able to have some shots for my own files.  I would
> not try to "sneak this in" nor spend the publisher's time on my stuff, and
> shooting the items on their list is obviously the top priority, but I would
> 
> like to broach the subject with them and work something out.  What are the
> scenerios here?  Is there a win-win way for me to get some stock at the
> same time (e.g. keeping track of any time I spend shooting "my" stuff)?  Is
> 
> it ever possible (if the publisher agrees) to shoot in-camera dup's of some
> 
> of the subjects (and pay for those slides myself, to use for stock)?
> 
> Thanks for any advice you can give me.  If you have a "typical" and good
> contract you can share, that would be great.
> 
> Marilynn McAra (Edmonton, Alberta)
> Ph/fax:  (780) 423-0238
> E-mail:  smillman@supernet.ab.ca
> 
> ============================================================
> Valid Entry Documents Awaiting.  Your response will
> authorize entry and issuance of a valid SuperPrize Number
> for a chance to win $1,000,000!
> http://click.topica.com/caaaiC6bUrGSSbV8K1Sf/PublishersClearingHouse
> ============================================================
> 
> GWL has searchable archives at:
> http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters/
> If you have photos for GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and they will show
> up at  http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos/
> **************************************************
> 
> 

============================================================
Valid Entry Documents Awaiting.  Your response will
authorize entry and issuance of a valid SuperPrize Number
for a chance to win $1,000,000!  
http://click.topica.com/caaaiC6bUrGSSbVSZwBf/PublishersClearingHouse
============================================================

GWL has searchable archives at: 
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters/
If you have photos for GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and they will show up at  http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos/ 
**************************************************

==^================================================================
This email was sent to: topica.com@spamfodder.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrGSS.bVSZwB
Or send an email to: Gardenwriters-unsubscribe@topica.com

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index