Selling photos to Newspapers

[4Lmike]

I need some advise on whether to ask for a fee from the newspaper or not, for using my photo.

One of my clients is a specialist swimming pool contractor and I have been taking photos of their pools for use on their website. The newspaper wants to do a piece about these types of pools and has asked my client if they have any photos they can use. The piece is not a promotional piece for the company, but just about these certain types of pools.

One of the photos that the newspaper has chosen is one of my, and so my client is asking for my permission for the newspaper to use it.

Is this something I can charge for, or should I just grant permission to keep my client happy? There's plenty of images that the newspaper could use that are not mine.

[CubanPete]

If it doesn't have much value / plenty of other photos about, let them use it, but ask to be credited.

[4Lmike]

Cheers, that's what I thought

[Simpo Two]

And make sure you ARE credited; often they agree but 'forget'. So perhaps a nominal fallback fee (to the paper) if it isn't.

[GravelBen]

Simpo Two said:

And make sure you ARE credited; often they agree but 'forget'.

I had words with one newspaper that used a rally photo from one of my flickr albums (though they said it had been provided by the driver, so maybe he got it from there), and not only gave no credit but cropped a watermark off it and claimed they 'hadn't noticed it'.

[4Lmike]

Thanks, they did...

[Nigel_O]

Not looking to pick a fight here, but surely if the photo had been purchased from you by your client (for use on their website) then its up to THEM if they let the newspaper use it, not you

I guess it depends on the terms of the sale to your client

[Simpo Two]

Nigel_O said:

Not looking to pick a fight here, but surely if the photo had been purchased from you by your client (for use on their website) then its up to THEM if they let the newspaper use it, not you

Nope.

Nigel_O said:

I guess it depends on the terms of the sale to your client

Yes. Unless you specifically sell the copyright as well, paying for a photograph does not transfer copyright. That remains with the author of the work. Commerical work normally includes a licence agreement which governs usage.