Camera Craniums: The Photography Community for Enthusiasts
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: guest4 on March 30, 2008, 12:39:15 AM
In the last couple of weeks I've had 2 people contact me asking whether they can use my images for free.
First one came via flickr and was a woman saying one of my pics had been 'shortlisted' (note the hint at 'winning' something or am I being too cynical?) to be included in an online environmental mag aimed at young people. Apparently I would need to send them a hi res copy of the pic. She included a link to the mag which made it pretty obvious it was published by the UN. As a result I thought they should send me some dosh so I emailed them back to tell them. They replied saying that as the mag was free it was normal for people to 'donate' their work but if they did choose my pic they would be able to pay £50. I've not heard anything since.
It made me wonder whether it was part of the UN's business plan to trawl round flickr taking advantage of people who just want the glory of getting their pic published, rather than paying out to a stock agency like everyone else.
The second one was where I was emailed, presumably via my website, by someone who wanted me to let them use my photos for their photocard business. It may be coincidence but this email arrived the day after I disabled the 'download' function on my site. She neglected to mention any possibility of any of the profits going my way. I emailed back to ask for a link to her website as she mentioned online sales but she doesn't have one, saying she's planning on using ebay but hasn't tried that yet. She's offered to send me some samples though.
I think I'm getting paranoid cos I started to suspect I was being set up for an ID theft sting.
Anyone else had this or is it just a symptom of my growing fame? (in my dreams anyway :2funny:)
Can't say I've ever had that problem myself, no ones ever asked to use one of my images. (can't think why) :doh: :-[ :'(
Don't blame you for getting paranoid though, there's a lot of it about. Not sure I trust anything that comes via email either, as some of these email scams look so convincing.
Same here, I do not have my own site, which helps a bit, but I refuse to deal with anybody regarding my pictures over the web. If they want something they can give me their telephone number and I will contact them. (No 0800 numbers and no mobiles) About 80% does not respond.
:D
Strangely I haven't had a request to use my pics for free for ages. Except for the magazines I actively target to publish my stuff. Often I will give pictures for free use but only for my own purposes.
Heh ;D Funny vid
Talking of which, anyone know of any links for forms to sign for rights for use of shots?