DSLR Photography Forum

Hi,

I just got an e-mail form a publisher in the US who found one of my images on a forum and wants to use it on the cover of a Science text book - as well as on the chapter introductions.

Here is the image:



I would be interested to hear from you what you think they are willing to pay. The text book is a once only print run for The USA and Canada of less than 40,000 copies.

Cheers,

Chris

A friend of mine just sold one of her pictures to a writer for the cover of her book. Let me see if I can reach her and ask how much she was paid for the picture. Just to have an idea.

Oh! Congratulations!! BTW...

There may not be much money in it - but there may be resume-building value. A single use of a stock photo probably retails for about $175.

She has answered and gave me this info...
I write this straight from the text no to mix up the info.

"It depends on how big the book is and how well they think it will sell, really. If it might be a best seller, I would ask for royalties. The book my photo was used for was a very small publishing company. They only ordered 200 books to begin with. Of course they hope to sell all of them and print more. They first offered me $25 but I balked because from what I had read this was way under what I could get. I did then agree to $100 for the use of my photo. My name and web site is printed on the inside cover of the book. I did not sell any rights to the photo. They were allowed to use it just for this one book and any promotions for the book. If they happen to sell 2000 copies I will then get $1000 bonus."


She also gave me this link that she things might come handy http://photographersindex.com/stockprice.htm

Hope this is useful Chris.

Btw, I agree with Toad about resume-building value. Some people also told that to my friend.

Hi Irma,

That site is really useful. Anyway - they have offered me $1000 US and I think I will take it. What do you all think?

I think it is great!!
What are you actually selling, Chris? Are they paying for the copy rights?

They are giving me $1000 for the rights to use the picture on the front cover and 13 indentations in the text book on a once only print run. I retain all copyright. I also asked for a copy of the book.

I will give them my answer tonight.

Sounds like a good deal to me. Nice work.

Congrats on the deal - hope there will be more of them!

Great Chris, a very good deal, indeed...
I am very happy for you.

While I can't vouch for the dollar value, it sounds like you're dealing with a reputable buyer if they're already acknowledging that you keep the copyright. If they have a contract, ask to see it before you agree to the pricing. I'm no expert myself, but I'd look to see if it was an exclusive license, and what the terms are if they want to do a second printing run.

Hi Everyone,

Here is part of the original e-mail - I am pretty sure it is all legit. As you can see it is a one off job.

I’m contacting you from WH Freeman Publishers in NYC, where one of our editors saw your windmill photo (attached) on the HarphamPix site, and would like to consider it for the cover of our college textbook “Environmental Chemistry 4e” by Colin Baird. Would you happen to have a 300 dpi version at roughly 10” X 12”available for purchase? This book has a print run of under 40,000, circulation of US and Canada, and is one-time English language rights.

$1000 is a great price for a single usage -and retaining copyrights. Go for it. (The check is in the mail...)

Congrats.

This might be a silly question... but....

How big has to be your file (Í mean how many pxs your picture need to be) to have a 300 dpi version at roughly 10” X 12” image?

I more or less understand that there is a relation pxs - dpi but I don't get it quite well. :|

10.8 MP image - I think. I shot it on a 2.6MP camera

But it went ok enlarging it - there is not a lot of detail in the image. I just had to clean up some noise.

Hopefully it will be ok.

Great, well done.
I think it's excellent

Well - I got the purchase order tonight and have sent off the image. Will let you know the end of the saga when I know.

The image was shot on my very first digital camera - the trusty Canon Pro90 IS. A legend in it's time. It died last year

Finally it has paid for itself - glad to see it earning it's keep even after it kicked the bucket

Moral of this story - put as many of your favourite images on the web as you can and name them by something meaningful. This only got picked up because of how I named it before I put it on line.

Congrats Chris.

Great image aswell.

/Paul L.

hey Chris thats great.......you got to be happy with that