Anyone ever gaet a request like this on flickr?

[orionid]

So I got this in my Flickr mail:

Subject: Aloha Stadium Photo

Hi my name is Sean and I’m writing a book about college football stadiums and I was wondering if I could use your photo of Aloha Stadium (titled: aloha stadium) If yes, who should I credit?

Thanks

I figure the odds of legitimacy are fairly high, but considering the nature of the request not being a legalize-filled mumbo jumbo full of specifics and loopholes, the guy’s most likely independant and doesn’t have a publisher yet. Therefore, odds of actual publication are pretty low.

My question, though, is if anybody’s had any experience or heard rumors of any scams or abuse starting this way.

[Elsinore]

Usually they want to use it for free if they mention credit like that (it usually means credit only). I’ve started telling people I have reasonable licensing agreements, and to please let me know what their budget is, let me know more about their publication, etc. Since I started doing that, no one’s written back with more information, which suggests to me that it’s more of a something-for-nothing deal.

I’m not a real hard-line “How dare someone give there pix away for free there taking ar jerbs and ruining photography!!!111elebenty” kinda gal, but if he’s writing a book, he’s expecting to get paid for his work. There’s no reason he can’t pay you even a token amount for the right to use your work in his money-making venture. I’ve let folks use some images for free in the past, but have decided for the most part (unless it’s a non-profit thing anyway) that my time and talent is at least worth *something*, and even if it’s just 5 or 10 bucks, I’m going to request something.

[nobigdeal]

I agree with Elsinore. I have had 2 requests to use photos (very flattering for an amature like me)and as soon as I start to request more info I never heard from them again.

I would let anyone use my shots for charity or non profit uses, but if you want it for a commercial endeavor you can throw a few bucks my way.

[orionid]

Yeah, that’s kind of what I was thinking. I figure I’ll reply with something to the effect of:

“You may use this photo only in your working manuscript. I would still be happy to license my photo, with terms, for use in your final work. When your work is submitted for editing and publication, have your publisher contact me to discuss the details of licensing and credit.”

I figure if he’s serious, three to five cents per copy of the book sold and a first-run copy of the book for myself is not out of reason, and the publisher would be more in a position to blurb that into his fine print.

And if he’s not serious, then no loss.

[3Horn]

I just went through the same thing, it was a local mailbox stuffer that wanted to use a shot I took of a band.

Luckily, I work for an ad agency, so I went to our art buyers and asked them what an appropriate fee would be for the requested photo. They checked with some of the stock houses, and I emailed the requestor with the fee, she responded back that they were only used to paying $15 for photos from stock houses, and that her publisher and editor probably wouldn’t approve the expense. I asked her to check with them, and that we’d see if we could work something out (I was prepared to more than halve my initial quote.

The next message I received was her CCing me on an email to the band saying that she had talked to me and they weren’t able to use one of my photos for the magazine. I really wanted to write my own reply, but kept my mouth shut. I think I have teeth prints on my lower lip.

[orionid]

Wow. That sucks.

[Author]

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