Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/24

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Photos on the Web
From: Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 23:12:43 -03-30

At 08:23 PM 24/03/00 -0500, you wrote:


>Most commercial shoots, at least all the ones I have done, the clients/reps
>require me to sign over any and all rights to exclusive use of the 'work'
>to them.  I have NO problem with that, since I am getting paid quite well
>to do so.  I do retain the rights to use the 'work' for my own
>promotion/portfolio etc. use (even, in some cases, photo 'contests')...but
>I can not sell the images, nor do they have to ask me to use them.

Not knowing the nature of the subjects you are shooting for your clients 
I'll go out on a limb and say that you are giving away your retirement fund.

Twenty years into this business and I have reached the point where I make 
as much from sales and licensing of my stock photo library as I do on 
assignment work during a year.

You won't be able to say the same because you gave away the copyright to 
your photos.

In ten years time (at age 50) I hope to make 80 percent of my income from 
my stock library.
I am still selling photos of people, places, events that I shot 10 and 15 
years ago. Every year they make me money....

.... do you see what I'm getting at?

A stock photo library is a photographer's retirement fund.



Greg Locke                         St. John's, Newfoundland
locke@straylight.ca              http://www.straylight.ca/locke
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