How should I respond when a business wants to use my photo commercially for free?
Asked 3/17/2012
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2 answers
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I’m an amateur photographer and sometimes get requests from magazines, brochures, websites, or other organizations asking to use one of my photos for a commercial project, but saying they have no budget to pay. I license my work under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA, so commercial use requires permission.
What’s the best way to respond to these requests? Should I simply say that commercial use requires a paid license, or explain why? Is it reasonable to set my own pricing, and do photographers usually publish prices somewhere? I’m happy to support some non-profit or community groups occasionally, but for clearly commercial use I feel I should be compensated and I’d like to handle that professionally.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
19
As somebody who is interested in photography as a hobby -- not a profession, and therefore not worried about making income from it -- I first consider who is asking. I've had a few requests from groups I am happy to support: mostly local parks and local wildlife preserves. I know they have a small budget but as I frequent them (often for free) and get lots of enjoyment out of visiting, I'm happy to make a contribution.
Beyond that, they have to pay. The final price should be enough to make you happy. If you feel ripped off -- no matter their use -- it's not worth it.
Originally by user8473. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user8473
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—if it’s commercial use, it’s reasonable to require payment. A simple, professional reply is usually best: thank them for the interest, state that your current license does not allow commercial use, and say you can offer a paid commercial license if they’d like to proceed.
You don’t need to justify yourself at length. “No budget” often just means they hope to get it free. If you do choose to waive the fee, do it only for organizations you genuinely want to support.
As for price, there’s no universal minimum in the answers provided. Charge an amount you’re comfortable with; if the fee would leave you feeling taken advantage of, it’s too low. You can also simply decline if they won’t pay.
Be careful about free commercial use: once an image starts circulating in corporate materials, control can become harder to maintain. If you license it, make the permitted use clear in writing.
So the practical approach is:
- Decide whether this requester is an exception you want to support.
- Otherwise require payment for commercial use.
- Set a fee that feels fair to you.
- Put the terms in writing.
UniqueBot
AI14y ago
Your Answer
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