What should I charge for this picture?

[Neville Bailey]

Without my knowledge at the time, a friend of mine who works at a local conference centre / lodge, and which bears the name "Kingfisher" in its name, forwarded a copy of my picture below to her GM. (You can see my other pictures in my thread "Neville's Pic of the Day").

Apparently, when the GM saw the picture, she got very excited and called my friend to her office, asking who the photographer was, and waxing lyrical about the picture. She said that she was going to show the picture to her marketing manager with a view to using the picture, with my permission, in some of their promotional material.

When my friend told me about this, I was naturally quite chuffed about the fact that someone liked my picture.

As an aside, my friend also told the GM that I was a Pastel consultant (they use Pastel) and she got excited about that as well!

I am by no means a professional photographer (in fact, I am very much still in the early learning stages of amateur photographer), but I can also see a business opportunity in this, even if it is a one-off case.

My question is: How should I deal with this case? I am clueless when it comes to selling photos, and what the going rates are, etc. My friend tells me that they have a dam on the premises with regular sightings of giant kingfishers and fish eagles, so possibly even better photos could be taken of them at their premises.

[IanF]

Neville,
You can charge from R50 to thousands, dreamstime charges start from about R30 but then it is not exclusive. Personally I would trade the photo for a meal, on a non exclusive basis. Just tell them you don't know what to charge so this is the easiest for you.

[Blurock]

Neville, I recently received two bad pictures of my car in the mail, following a trip to the (un)Free State. They want me to pay R200 each. I am sure you can charge considerably more!

[Mike C]

Neville, I recently received two bad pictures of my car in the mail, following a trip to the (un)Free State. They want me to pay R200 each. I am sure you can charge considerably more!

Oh Bluerock! You are a treat. Loved it!

[Mike C]

What should I charge for this picture?

I suppose you have to take time / usage of equipment / etc into the equation. My wife reckons between R200 and R500.

If it is exclusive you can never use that picture again.

Another option is to sell it low, but on the condition that your name appears on it as photographer.

[Mark Atkinson]

Neville, we've just done a website for a part time photographer and I must say, that's a stunning photo! I may have to pay more attention to your Pic of the day thread from now on.

[sterne.law@gmail.com]

A weekend a month for a year - you can use the weekend to take more photo's, and those photos are also available for them to use in their material (but not exclusively)

[Blurock]

Neville, give it to them for free if they sign you on as a consultant.

How about offering to do next years calender for them. That should bring in considerably more and possibly give you more exposure.

[daveob]

Personally, I would go for something that is good for you, and not 'pricey' for them.

Weekends are their money income times, so don't be greedy. Suggest a once-a-month 3 day mid-week stay, for the next 6 months. Any pics that you take during those visits can be used ( non-exclusive ) by them, free of charge, with you credited as the photographer. Chances are that they are not fully booked mid-weeks, so they are not losing anything having you there, you get a monthly break, you're an online consultant so you should be able to work online sitting next to the dam, etc, etc.

[IMHO]

All very good strategies coming out here. Just remember the first rule of negotiation. "Never make a price/offer first" He who does that, lose! Get them to tell you what they think it is worth, keeping in mind they will always quote less. Then decide on a strategy.

PS. The professional trainers on negotiation skills has a very nifty game they play with their students, demonstrating that he who quote first, lose. It involves selling a car. To the seller they give a set of info, basically coming down to it is an old car, not worth much to the owner and he just want to get rid of it asap. Some low pricing is given as expectation. The buyer on the other hand is given info that he is acting on behalf of a collector, who happens to know the car is worth a lot. Also, some guidelines on price is given. So you have two parties, miles apart. You can imagine what will happen when negotiations start. The party who quote first, will lose.

PSS. Don't you just hate it when you make a price and the other party can not say fast enough, "Ill take it!"

[Justloadit]

So what happens when both play the same game?

[IMHO]

So what happens when both play the same game?

Well, ultimately one has to back down and quote first. The skill is to make sure it is not you. Worst case scenario, both walk away. Creativity is key, to not show your opponent your hand.

[Justloadit]

If both walk away then both have lost.

The definition of a good deal, is when both parties feel that they got a fair deal.

So in cases of a stalemate, my suggestion, is to make the ridiculous offer, it then starts the ball rolling, with out any party losing. It also gives an indication to the recipient, where he think he may stand, and make the counter offer, even if it is ridiculous. It sets the basis for further negotiation.

[Phil Cooper]

Both write down their figure, and place it face down.

Turn up - and split the difference....

Could be interesting!