Usage of Lake Placid image as a Post Card

I was just approached a few days ago by a New Hampshire based Postcard company looking to expand into the Adirondacks to use my Lake Placid photo for a Postcard. They offer $100 which is not much money. I have only used photos in the past for promotional invitations for my 10 solo exhibits including 2 in NYC. I have never really considered selling postcards since the photographer does not make much money on them.

I have been participating in Fine Art Shows for the past 11 years; I have cut back on my Art shows and am in the process of looking for gallery representation for my work. The Lake Placid photo is one of a series of 3 images that I sell as fine art. The 3 are shown below (the Lake Placid photo is the 2nd image). These images are the 3rd, 6th, and about the 10th (shown in order below) most successful images that I have. These images have resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in sales of fine art photographs.

I also supply stock images, which I do not push and have had only a small amount of success.

My photos have been used as stock in Hong Kong and Czechoslovakia. Additionally my work has been used (including for stock) by Leica Camera USA; Bogen Photo/Gitzo (images in their corporate offices); Microsoft; Cymbolic Sciences (maker of the LightJet); Sierra Club; Ever Color Fine Art; and Laser Light Photographics. Additionally, over the years, Fuji Film USA has expressed interest in using several of my images.

In any case, I would appreciate any comments about having this or perhaps several of my Adirondack photos used as Postcards. Do you think that this would damage the sale of my fine art images or do you think that having images that were turned into postcards would be of enough promotional value to aid in further business success.

Thanks for any comments and suggestions.

Rich

How would your rights be protected?

Will you just permit them a limited use license or will they have a more broad franchise to use the images in other contexts (e.g. their own promotional materials or as "poster art" sold to local restaurants and other enterprises)?

BTW: Although the town is named Lake Placid; the actual name of the body of water is Mirror Lake - as your first photo so well demonstrates!

George,

It would certainly would be copyrighted (shown with copyright notice) and would be "sold" for one time usage- that of the postcard and nothing else.

Yes the town of Lake Placid is on Mirror Lake. However, the Lake Placid is very close (I mean really really close) close to Mirror Lake and the town of lake Placid. This is a photo of the lake Lake Placid from White Face. It was taken from the top of the Ski lift on White Face in 1995 and the colors were extraordinary that year.

Rich

Years ago Dexter Press used to buy post card images for $15.00....

For post card use, why not? Or just up your price if you are not happy with the 100.00.

For $100 I would insist in a small credit line on the card or perhaps a link to your home-page. That might generate sells of your work.

By-the-way, have you researched what the standard rate terms are for postcard work?

Eli

$100 seems awfully low.

For one time, nonexclusive rights it is normally between $600-800 per image.

If the press run is over 10,000 copies then there is normally additional charges. Promotional $.10, retail $.50

Additional Usage;
Reuse after 1 year
Exclusive
Unlimited
Buyout / All rights

You really need to know their intentions.

Also you will by a byline as well.

eli griggs said:

For $100 I would insist in a small credit line on the card or perhaps a link to your home-page. That might generate sells of your work.

By-the-way, have you researched what the standard rate terms are for postcard work?

Eli

Click to expand...

Eli,

Thanks for the suggestions. I have not checked the standard rate terms for postcards. I have never seen a postcard that did not have a © and the photographers name listed. I would be a good idea to include my website if the maker would be agreeable. It may also be wise for me to have some of the postcards for my own usage as well.

Rich

I think I would pass on the deal, unless there is a line with your name and website on the card.

"In any case, I would appreciate any comments about having this or perhaps several of my Adirondack photos used as Postcards. Do you think that this would damage the sale of my fine art images or do you think that having images that were turned into postcards would be of enough promotional value to aid in further business success."

are these going to be 'photo quality' ?

"I have been participating in Fine Art Shows for the past 11 years; I have cut back on my Art shows and am in the process of looking for gallery representation for my work. "

ask for their input on this.

just a thought, AA started off with place-mats and post-cards at a roadside diner, didn't he?

Whilst $100 seems low, it is $100 more than you would get otherwise.

I don't know what the US pricing for postcards is but in the UK you can buy a postcard for between 10p and 50p ($0.20 - $1). Add another side to it and call it a birthday/christmas/greetings card and you can easily multiply the asking price by five!


Steve.

A minor point of semantics: NEVER "sell" your images. Always license them.

Rich,

That is great news, and an excellent opportunity. Especially if you are keeping the rights to the image. Be sure to specify how long they can use the image, ie 1 printing of a thousand cards. If it goes into printing several times you can renegotiate for a little more money. Just a thought.

Yours;

Can you licence the image on the condition that the URL of your website is printed on the back of the card? Even though $100 isn't a lot of cash, it may then lead to further sales

naturephoto1 said:

George,

It would certainly would be copyrighted (shown with copyright notice) and would be "sold" for one time usage- that of the postcard and nothing else.

Yes the town of Lake Placid is on Mirror Lake. However, the Lake Placid is very close (I mean really really close) close to Mirror Lake and the town of lake Placid. This is a photo of the lake Lake Placid from White Face. It was taken from the top of the Ski lift on White Face in 1995 and the colors were extraordinary that year.

Rich

Click to expand...

Rich,

Thanks for the info. I never knew there was an actual Lake Placid even though the like-named town sits on Mirror Lake!

Very confusing!

BTW: You're absolutely correct about the great colors you had that year. Not to mention that a damned good photographer took the pics!

copake_ham said:

BTW: You're absolutely correct about the great colors you had that year. Not to mention that a damned good photographer took the pics!

Click to expand...

I hope this doesn't break your heart George, but I've got a 16x20 of the first photo sitting over my desk, and I can see it while I type. You should visit one of Rich's shows, because you can't begin to see the depth of the image over the web. It is truly stunning in person.

My 2 cents. It's not like these will be framed and hung over fireplaces. Having somebody pay even a pittance to distribute 10,000 or more small examples of your work is fantastic marketing. Just put a cap in somewhere. If you look at the top of mind recognition gained for these images, and the resultant sales of the real deal, it is a no brainer. Why break the deal over a few hundred bucks, when if the recognition generates real print sales, you will be light years ahead. After all, you are a fine art photographer, not a merchandiser. Milk it for what you can gain in the recognition regard.