Photo Price For Image File

Ok, tho I've had prints for sale on my web site for three years, I've never sold a print. So this came as a surprise & I have no idea what to ask for a price. They want to use an image (have the high quality file for their use) to make a huge glass mural with the image "printed" on it so to speak. It's going in the entry way of a new hospital. The image will be printed in a semi-translucent manner on glass.

I'd buy Fotoquote but am reluctant to drop the cask on it if this is a "less than couple hundred" sale. I guess it's more the licensing of the image file rather than a print order which is where my confusion lies.

Thanks in advance!

Hey Kate, I don't go after stock photography, but when someone does ask for an image I usually ask what their budget is for the image, and depending on what they tell me, I may feel the price is fair, and if not I up the price. What ever they tell me their budget is, I'm usually thinking they start out lower then they can actually pay.

Who is making the request? The hospital or an artist who is rendering it onto glass? That's important because the hospital is much more likely to pay you what it's worth than an artist who needs to make their own profit.

It basically is a licensing request, and FotoQuote offers different rates based on the duration of the display. If this is going to be a permanent display (likely), you should take that into consideration... though as Hank mentioned in another recent thread, limiting the duration of the license allows for an opportunity to get paid again down the road. In this case you're looking at hundreds of dollars, if not a grand or two.

I don't find the budget question useful, because as Mike said, folks are always lowballing. I find that 90% of the time, potential clients "can't afford" the rate I quote them, and I definitely don't quote on the high end. So I don't even bother asking what they can spend any more. Often they'll tell you that anyway after you send them a quote, and then maybe there's some middle ground.

Even if you don't license many images, FotoQuote's a really good deal at only $150.

Max

Thanks guys. I may spring for Fotoquote as i hear it is valuable for general information as well as the numbers game. The Interior Designer for the project contacted me. They have a contract with a specialty glass company who will produce the image. It is the interior design company's responsibility to supply the artwork to the glass company. The hospital hired the design company who contracted out the art production to the glass company. But the design company needs to seek out and find the artwork and close the deal between the photographer and the design company/hospital. At least..that's what I've gathered after an email or two. I'm unclear as to who is ultimately paying for this. I appreciate the advise. I've got images in magazines etc...but that's always been a "we pay $200 for cover, $100 for full page" etc... This is a whole different realm for me.