Free Use Of My Photo?

[heard03]

I was contacted by Schmap.com for possible use of a picture of the Sam Houston Statue at Hermann Park I have posted on Flickr for their guide. They offer no payment and attribute credit. It's nice for someone to want to use one of my images for anything, but I'm more concerned whether this would be an example of hurting Pro photogs who pay their bills with images? To me, an ego byline isn't worth making it harder for you Pros to make a living. But, I also like to support open and free use of stuff on the internet. What do you think?

[Tom]

Completely ignoring the pro aspect, why would you let someone use your work without any form of compensation? Tell them to take a hike.

[jtriron]

I agree with Thomas.

[dryicerx]

Originally Posted by heard03

I was contacted by Schmap.com for possible use of a picture of the Sam Houston Statue at Hermann Park I have posted on Flickr for their guide. They offer no payment and attribute credit. It's nice for someone to want to use one of my images for anything, but I'm more concerned whether this would be an example of hurting Pro photogs who pay their bills with images? To me, an ego byline isn't worth making it harder for you Pros to make a living. But, I also like to support open and free use of stuff on the internet. What do you think?

If you want to hand out free stuff, that's your choice, this will gain you exposure. That's like saying people should stop open source development because it hurts payed developers, or one shouldn't post their cooking recipes because professional cooks will suffer. If a pro is hurting because people are giving stuff out for free, then there is something horribly wrong with that pro's field.

BUT, definitely take payment OR attribute, but not neither... if you do this as a hobby and don't want a payment release the photo as Creative Commons license, so other's can use it as long it's credited to you how ever they want. (If the place that wants to use it is non-commercial, release it under a CC non-commercial)

[Tom]

If you want to hand out free stuff, that's your choice, this will gain you exposure.

No, it won't. Not a single person will see that photo and say "Hey, I gotta hire Heard03!"

[dryicerx]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

No, it won't. Not a single person will see that photo and say "Hey, I gotta hire Heard03!"

True, but it can work the other way around as well.... say if you're doing photo stuff it on side/hobby atm, but do plan on doing more later or just as a portfolio for whatever purpose, you can always use this as a starting point saying "my photos were user here", etc, as a starting point.

[Tom]

It is highly, highly doubtful that anyone is going to care that you had a picture published on an obscure map website.

From someone who has been published a lot, people don't really care about my great pictures published in small publications. They care more about weaker pictures that are published in bigger publications.

And being published doesn't mean anywhere near as much as the strength of your work. You could NEVER have a photo published, but have a great portfolio and get the job.

A photo published on an obscure website without a credit will never have any value to you.

[Jeff_Green]

Is it going to hurt the professional photographers? Absolutely not. Schmap.com is not going to pay anyone for the picture, so how would it hurt pro's? You aren't taking their business away from them.

The question is, will it hurt you or help you? Or neither? It may not land you a big job or lead to a big publication elsewhere, but it may be something that you can look back on and say "they liked my photograph and wanted it published".

[dryicerx]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

It is highly, highly doubtful that anyone is going to care that you had a picture published on an obscure map website.

From someone who has been published a lot, people don't really care about my great pictures published in small publications. They care more about weaker pictures that are published in bigger publications.

And being published doesn't mean anywhere near as much as the strength of your work. You could NEVER have a photo published, but have a great portfolio and get the job.

A photo published on an obscure website without a credit will never have any value to you.

Yeah, I think we are on the same page, the difference is you do it professionally and the op doesn't. Also, I never said to publish without credit though, definitely payment or attribution/credit, or preferably both.

[Tom]

Is it going to hurt the professional photographers? Absolutely not. Schmap.com is not going to pay anyone for the picture, so how would it hurt pro's? You aren't taking their business away from them.

The argument is that as more people get free pictures without credit, organizations that do pay will slowly stop paying (which we have seen) and that does hurt pros.

Also, I never said to publish without credit though, definitely payment or attribution/credit, or preferably both.

I'd be happy to start taking just credit the minute that Chase bank decides to allow payments to be made on my mortgage with photo credits. Until then, pony up. I get absolutely nothing out of my name being below a picture in 6 point type. No one cares but my mom.

The question is, will it hurt you or help you? Or neither? It may not land you a big job or lead to a big publication elsewhere, but it may be something that you can look back on and say "they liked my photograph and wanted it published".

He can say that now without giving them something that has value with nothing in return.

They are a company seeking to make profit, and to maximize their profits, they are taking your work and not compensating you at all for it. Why would you ever let them do that?

[dmcantrell]

This schmap.com thing has been infecting flickr for some time.

Some google search results may help guide your decision :

schmap.com scam - Google Search

[Jeff_Green]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

The argument is that as more people get free pictures without credit, organizations that do pay will slowly stop paying (which we have seen) and that does hurt pros.

And if this was one of those organizations then we would all say the same thing. There is a difference, isn't there, between a company that won't ever pay for images and companies that do pay for images?

He can say that now without giving them something that has value with nothing in return.

What is it's value to him? That is the ultimate question. If it's just sitting in flickr for him to look at and anyone who stumbles on his page, what is it doing for him? Is it something he would like to sell or just an image that he took that he likes? If it's just a good image that he put on Flickr and doesn't have any plans for it then I would say it does gain value. Monetarily? Not necessarily, but it does gain value because it has been "published" no matter how miniscule the company.

JMO

[Tom]

And if this was one of those organizations then we would all say the same thing. There is a difference, isn't there, between a company that won't ever pay for images and companies that do pay for images?

I don't think you understood what I wrote.

What is it's value to him? That is the ultimate question. If it's just sitting in flickr for him to look at and anyone who stumbles on his page, what is it doing for him?

What is the value of giving something away for free so that a for-profit business can use it commercially? They get value, he gets none for his creative work.

If you are really that desperate for a company to use your images commercially so you can say you have been published, I would be happy to put them on one of my websites.

[ldelacruz]

Philip,
Don't do it unless they pay! No one is going to look up your name to find you. It is cool that they asked but don't give it away. Plus the statue might be protected like most art work? Have you thought of that?

[Jeff_Green]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

I don't think you understood what I wrote.


What is the value of giving something away for free so that a for-profit business can use it commercially? They get value, he gets none for his creative work.

If you are really that desperate for a company to use your images commercially so you can say you have been published, I would be happy to put them on one of my websites.

I guess neither one of us are understanding each other. Isn't it possible that it would be more valuable to him to have his image published (even by a nobody company) than for the image to sit idly in cypewebz?

Now, maybe I misunderstand the scenario, but when he said "guide" I assumed it was a printed guide and not just a webguide.