Re: Non-profit use of photos

I know a few of you on this forum are photographers, so I have a photography question for you. I've been asked by a non-profit organization if they could use some of my photos for state and possibly national brochures. Do non-profit organizations usually pay for use of your photos? Is it rude to ask for payment? Or do you usually just allow use of your photos with a credit given? If anyone has any information on this type of thing, I'd really appreciate your perspective. If you would like to email me privately with tips, suggestions, licensing, how much the fee usually is, you can send a message to 2carolyn at gmail dot com

Thanks!

It is common for non-profit organizations to pay for artwork and other services. It is also common for such things to be donated. It really depends on their budget and your willingness to donate.

It's possible that the org has certain things they've earmarked as things they want to have donated. Photos may or may not be thusly designated. The best thing to do is decide what you want, and then try to negotiate with the org.

If you do donate photos, be sure to talk to your tax accountant about the possibility of using the donation as a write-off.

I'd probably just give it to them, depending. If it was a high budget nonprofit that I wasn't involved with, that wanted an 8x10 cover photo for its worldwide brochure, I might charge them $100, or maybe more if it was something really unique; but otherwise probably not.

If you're a commercial photographer or trying to be one, it's more of a dilemma as you can't just give your stuff away in one case and charge in another, but if you do it for your own enjoyment, and selling any photo is just an incidental issue, then do what makes you feel 'good' about it.

You should definitely ask to be credited for the photo, and can ask for a link to your website if you want. Be sure to specify, regardless of who it is, exactly where and what they can use it for. That way you're not giving the rights to the photo away, just allowing them to use it in the way you've allowed. If they want to use it later for something else, they can ask again.

Most everyone has a hard time with this issue; if it's for nonprofit use, I don't charge, but then I don't see anything wrong with charging a bit just so you feel it's fair; if it's connected to anything for their profit, or they want you to do some post processing on the file or send them prints, then charge for it...but then you have to decide how much 8^)

---

Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo

My NP annual pass has a pic of the Guadalupe Mts in Texas, on the reverse there is a photo credit to Thomas Cooper.

My opinion...give it away and insist on a credit, that's payment enough!

I will give it away just give me credit

http://sierracamping.blogspot.com/

Best Wishes
Ted

Thanks very much for your suggestions, I really appreciate them!

I guess I can use this website for determining licensing:

http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/

I thought a nice way to approach the payment issue was to ask if the brochure had a budget that include purchase of photos (or using licensed photos). The answer was no, but hey, I felt I had to ask.

Do you usually get signed agreements, or are email agreements sufficient?
Do you just send them the photos with a description of the license or permissions?

Whatever you do be sure to avoid any kind of exclusive license (unless large sums are offered in your direction).

letterknit wrote:
> Do you usually get signed agreements, or are email agreements
> sufficient?
> Do you just send them the photos with a description of the
> license or permissions?

If you're emailing them the photos, just include the permission in the email. Spell out specifically what they can use it for, so that they don't think they can put it in their supply of stock photos to use whenever they want.

No need to use "legalese" formal language, just something like "the photos you requested are attached to this mail, and you have my permission to use them at no charge for your 2007 membership brochure, with a photo credit to me ("Photo © 2007 by Letterknit". If you need any further or future use of the photo, please contact me."

That last part doesn't really need to be included...your photos are by default copyrighted to you, and unless you specifically sell them the rights to the photo, they can't use it anywhere but where you specified. But it never hurts to add it in, just as a reminder.

---

Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo