How much to charge

[nismo86]

I've been in photography for some time now and I'd like to consider myself a good photographer, why? Well people really like my work, and some people want it, problem is I'm pretty serious and weird about just giving my prints away because the time spent on my prints and the time/work put into it means a lot to me.

I won best in show, best in division and 1st place on one of my pictures and its a picture of a market place in my town. I want to try to sell it to them so they can hang on their wall, or maybe even use for a ad picture.

For any of my pictures, what if someone wants to buy the picture and use it for their business? What about if they just want it to hang on their wall?

Problem is i've never sold a picture and I'm not sure what to ask or when I do how to write up a legal document that states the time and what they can use it for that would hold up in court if needed. Can anyone help me out?

 

[bartelby]

You can sell an image but still retain copyright. If you sell an image and the copyright then charge a suitable amount.

I've sold photos for £250 (B&W, selenium toned, 16x20 mounted but not framed) and retained ownership of the image.
What I did was got the person to sign a copy of the reciept which stated that I retained the copyright.

 

[ChrisA]

You can sell an image but still retain copyright. If you sell an image and the copyright then charge a suitable amount.

I've sold photos for £250 (B&W, selenium toned, 16x20 mounted but not framed) and retained ownership of the image.
What I did was got the person to sign a copy of the reciept which stated that I retained the copyright.

It is not different from a book seller. Do you think people who buy a book are buying the copyright to the book? No, they are buying a copy. No different if you reproduce prints of an image or prints of a manuscript.

That said sometimes photographers do sell the rights to their work because some clients need exclusive use of the image. I'm thinking about advertising images and the like. So because sometimes rights are sold, to avoid any misunderstanding many times the sales receipt will state that the copyright remains with the photographer. Although it would even if not printed on the receipt, just like what you sell a book.

Now days with digital cameras and inkjet printers it is hard to justify charging a lot of money for a print. One could argue that a handmade selenium toned silver gelatin print is a fine art object. You might argue the same for a Cibachrome print. But something you ran off with an Epson is hard to market is "fine art". It is more like a poster print and you'd have to price it acordingly. I think you'd have the best luck selling if the print were on wet chemistry photo paper or archival pigment ink and mounted and you sign the mat board.

 

[nismo86]

I'm still not sure what to charge for a price

 

[Hutch98R1]

When it comes down to it, charge what you are comfortable with. How much your time is worth to you, or what you are happy with getting out of it... could be $20 or $500. Retain the rights to your photo unless someone throws a fit and then charge them accordingly for it. Maybe you start cheap to just get your name out there.
Just my "down to earth" non-professional photographer opinion.

 

[termina3]

I'm still not sure what to charge for a price

If in a public place:

$40 4x6
$55 5x7
$75 8x10
includes photo and mat, but no frame and the rights are still the photographers.

If in a private home, reduce the prices by ~10-15.

The younger you are, the less you get to charge. For example, I'm 16, and I'd charge $10 less across the board, and only $50 for an 8x10 in a public place. I normally charge only $5 for a 4x6, $10 5x7 and $15 8x10 if it's to a individual (those are usually sports shots though…)

If they want rights, charge 'em for prints and tack on an additional $100-200.