DJ wants to use one of my images for advertising. Fee?

<p>Hey guys,<br>

a DJ at one of the weddings I shot contacted me and wants to know if he can use one of my images from the wedding for advertising his company. <br>

Should I charge him some kind of fee? Or just give them to him for free? <br>

I just don't wanna be screwed. I'm still new to all of this.</p>

<p>Thanks guys, merry Christmas!<br>

Rob</p>

<p>Everyone is probably different. Personally I would only want to be giving the credit for the photo in all advertising that he does. That way your getting more exposure that is probably worth more than a one of payment. </p>

<p>John McCosh says it all! It is better to have a good relationship between artists, my 2 cents. Merry Christmas!</p>

<p>This question gets asked a lot. I will normally give images to other vendors hoping for referrals. Unless your images are exceptional I doubt the DJ would pay for them since I think most photographers will share images with him.</p>

<p>Obviously you are not chummy chummy with this guy and thats ok. There is nothing wrong with charging a fee (what ever that may be) for your professional images to be used for the gain of someone else Artist or not. Do you do free work for all your friends and family? if so then why not him too. In fact give all your work away for free to every person you work with. If this was a party coordinator which is someone who would get you work then I would say give it to them…. but a DJ? Give me a break!! You want to barter something then thats different, otherwise don't expect him to Dj for you for free.</p>

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<p>"a DJ at one of the weddings I shot contacted me and wants to know if he can use one of my images from the wedding for advertising his company"</p>

</blockquote>

<p><br /><br />Sure, but, if it has anyone's likeness other than the DJ is prominently shown in it, he risks liability for commercial use misappropriation if he does so without a proper corresponding model release. (I know that's not the context of the actual question but it is something for someone in his position to consider).</p>

<p>Michael Mowery made a point! Charge him: $10, $50, $100, $200? Whatever money you can get. Again if you are charging the DJ for the photo, shouldn't the client get the percentage after all it is their photos. <br>

John H ,thanks for the reminder of the model release since your client will need to know where it is going. Best of luck and I'm sure you will find your answer within.</p>

<p>merry Christmas you also. No, you should charge but a little bit according to you. </p>

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<p>"Again if you are charging the DJ for the photo, shouldn't the client get the percentage after all it is their photos"</p>

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<p><br /><br />Unless the contract terms arranged for a transfer of the copyrights to the images, it is not "their photos". </p>

<p>Moreover, if it were "their photos" due to a copyright transfer, the photographer would have no authority to sell the images to the DJ unless there was a license granted back to him allowing sales like that which would be very unusual.</p>

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<p>you are not chummy chummy with this guy and thats ok.</p>

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<p>I would hope so.</p>

 

No John a client does not get a

percentage of the photographers photo

sales. Secondly, the Dj usually wants

a photo of himself in action which

includes some environment in the

background.

<p>I would just give it to him in exchange for a decent ink on his web page(s). Cross pollination is better than a few bucks.</p>

<p>Ian, Thats fine but understand you are not just giving him the images, you have placed a value on this and set conditions for the use of your image. He might say no and then what? </p>

<p>There are two schools of thought on this. The first and most obvious is to charge him. You're a businessman, he's a businessman so it's to be expected. He shouldn't think that your work is any less valuable than his work.<br /><br />The second approach is using your photos to make friends with DJ's, wedding coordinators, caterers, videographers, jewlers and anybody else in the wedding business. Some wedding photographers freely hand out pictures of DJs and bands, wedding cakes, etc. to those people as part of making friends. The expectation is that if you've done them the favor of giving them a picture to use that they will refer clients to you. You can ask for a photo credit or link from their web site, but what you really want is that they give people your name when their clients ask them for a recommendation on a photogrpaher. Or that they volunteer your name to their clients whether they ask or not. Word of mouth advertising is almost always more valuable than anything you can pay for. The problem of course is that there's no guarantee they will ever mention your name to anybody, or that people will listen if they do.<br /><br />Both approaches have their merits. Up to you.<br /><br /></p>

Referrals are the single best way to find new clients in the wedding business.

 

If this DJ want to use the images as part of a "media buy"... such as an ad in The Knot or some other wedding

publication, then a fee would be appropriate.

 

If its use would be on his website, then a visible photo credit, a hot link to your page from the image, and inclusion on his

list of recommended associates would be as valuable to you as the image is to him, and of greater value than the fee for

a non-credited image in an ad for his services.

 

Assess his business potential, and how much work he does... that he's not just a weekend warrior, but a professional with

steady work and client traffic on his website, and that *his* clients are *your* clients. Don't be so business "smart" that

you miss an opportunity for such market-specific exposure and the referral from a professional in your market... t

<p>I'd say it depends on the wedding, the DJ, and your situation. Do you need a DJ? If so, maybe you can get him to DJ your event for half price for letting him use the photo, as long as you have permission from the bride and groom. (I'd say do a 3-way phone conversation with the DJ and the newlywed couple.) If you don't need a DJ, then what sort of DJ is he? Is he good? Does his Web site look good? Is it going to get a lot of traffic? If so, maybe the advertising would be a good deal. If not, because his site looks bad and he is a DJ you really don't want to be associated with, maybe charge him some money. How much depends on how much you think he can and is willing to pay. You can't charge him $500 if he can only afford or would only pay $50. Ask him what he thinks is fair, if you want to go the way of charging. He may only be willing to use it if he can get it for free. He might think you're a dick if you want money for the use of the photo. You need to "feel out" the situation. What does this guy think? Do you know him at all? Where does he come from? He could be a big DJ who's making $1,000 per week and wouldn't think twice about paying you $200, but he might only make $200 per week by doing DJ work on the side, after his day job or on weekends. In that case he'd be thinking $200 would be a week's work. He might still go for it though. What does HE charge to DJ a wedding? What did you charge the bride and groom? If you are new to this I suspect you charged $500 or $600, but you might have charged $1,000. That means that $500 for him to use the photo might not be out of line, but if the wedding was really expensive, and you got paid $3,000 for shooting it, and he got $1,500 to DJ it, you might tell him you would feel really wrong to give away a good photo, but you don't want to ask him for what it's worth. Then you could suggest that you two could come to an "arrangement" that would be mutually beneficial. Then ask him what he had in mind.</p>

<p>Everything depends on something else. To answer your question as well as possible, we would need to know a lot more information.</p>

<p>We don't need to know any more info. Every aspect has been already addressed. The answer is no you don't give it away. How you choose to trade the photo is up to you but there has to be a mutual benefit whether that is barter or payment. If in fact he is a $200 DJ you may not even be interested in him recommending you cause the client won't want to pay your prices. You have to know who you are dealing with and weigh out all the options and benefits before you decide to give out a photo to another vendor. </p>

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<p>No John a client does not get a percentage of the photographers photo sales.<br /><br /><br /></p>

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<p>I didn't say they did.</p>

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<p><br /><br /> Secondly, the Dj usually wants a photo of himself in action which includes some environment in the background.</p>

</blockquote>

<p><br />I didn't say they didn't.</p>

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<p>"The answer is no you don't give it away."</p>

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<p><br /><br />The real answer is you do whatever the heck you want.</p>

<p>Lol John.. I agree… so why does one even ask the question in the first place right...</p>

<p>I guess it depends on the person asking. In this case the poster explained that they "just don't wanna be screwed". In what respect, wasn't quite clear. </p>

<p>I'd give him a photo and ask that your website be linked somewhere near the photo. If you're worried, put your logo on it. He isnt asking you for free work-- you were both already paid by the client: the bride and groom. Now you can decide if you want to build a network of referrals with something you have that all other vendors want: great photos of themselves and their work! If he was creating some national ad campaign I'd be a bit more wary and get things in writing/some form of compensation. But most vendors arent doing that.</p>

<p>I've had this situation occur today and I am not a wedding photographer, Hampton Court Palace in the UK want to use one of my images for free, website and Twitter use, no problem as they are going to give me the relevant credits and links to my site.</p>

<p>Lauren is right, get something back it doesn't have to be money. How many people will look at his page and think great photo and see your name?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Hi Rob,<br>

<br />Let's look at it from a revenue standpoint. If you want to be in this industry in 5 years, let's look at 5 years. Once you charge this DJ, will he recommend you to any of this potential clients? I know DJs are booked after photographers, but still, they are players in the industry and can introduce you to venues where they are preferred vendors, etc. <br>

<br />Scenario 1) you charge him $...enter the amount ...and you never hear from him..<br>

Scenario 2) you don't charge him, he gives you credit for the photo and refers you clients. <br>

<br />To me Scenario 2 is the way to go if you want to think long term. Even more, this is free advertising for you as it is your photo!!! I would give all the partners I can find all the photos I take if they give me credit. It builds brand awareness and brides will see you everywhere. If you are top of mind when they think to hire a photographer you hit the jackpot. </p>

<p>My 2 cents. </p>

<p>Cheers and happy bookings, <br>

Calin</p>

<p>Scenario #3 You don't charge him and he still doesn't recommend you.</p>