Have problems with free portrait session and watermark

9 years 5 months ago #412139 by Craig Stone
I gave a free portrait session to a upcoming model a couple weeks ago.  She had a good look that I figured would be fun to photograph.  I just sent her copies from the shoot and she is not happy with my watermark and has asked me to remove.  Now I do want to say again, this was a free photo shoot.  So she was charged a dime.  Being such, I want to make sure these photos all have my watermark on them.   I have that right correct?  


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9 years 5 months ago #412141 by JeremyS
Perfectly reasonable as far as i'm concerned. I wouldn't do free work to get nothing from it. Tell her that you don't do free work for nothing.


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9 years 5 months ago #412235 by Tristan R
:agree:  exactly!  What did she expect?  


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9 years 5 months ago #412308 by garyrhook
1) This should have been clarified up front. Take a lesson.

2) When I do freebies, I give out the high-res images, unwatermarked, along with low-res, watermarked versions, and request (demand?) that only the watermarked versions are used on social media. 

You got a chance to practice your skills and acquire (hopefully) some good images of a lovely model. What did she get? Usually, for TFP, both parties end up with something usable. She would not, for example, provide a headshot that was watermarked.

I would encourage you to reconsider your position and find a win-win resolution to this.


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9 years 5 months ago #412352 by Joves
Personally I would have had a contract even for a free shoot specifying the terms up front. I do not know it you did this or not. Part of the getting it for free is that the WM will remain on all images. Now Gary's response may be more reasonable to most people, but I have never really been considered reasonable when it comes to people wanting freebies from me. I would tell her that I want free advertising from this, after all you got free photos. Also I might ask did she contact you? Did you reply to an ad she placed, and she liked your examples? Or did you run an ad that she replied to? It all makes a difference in the business power structure. 


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9 years 5 months ago #412359 by garyrhook
:rofl:  aside, :agree:


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9 years 5 months ago #412382 by Little Kate
What sort of terms did you both have when you first started talking?


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9 years 5 months ago #412417 by icepics
Do trade (not work for free) and get a contract that specifies the number and type(s) of images (prints, low res copies for social media use, etc.) that you'll provide in exchange for a photo session of a specific amount of time etc. You should have after the session some photos for your use in a portfolio (online? print? social media?) and she should be getting usable images (which might be her issue with watermarked photos). Try PPA or  http://asmp.org for resources re: contracts etc.

Sharon
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9 years 5 months ago #412447 by Craig Stone
That's where I screwed up, it wasn't discussed in the beginning.  :pinch:   Definitely a learning lesson.  


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9 years 5 months ago #412513 by garyrhook

Craig Stone wrote: That's where I screwed up, it wasn't discussed in the beginning.  :pinch:   Definitely a learning lesson.  


Well, there you go. A learning opportunity.

I would suggest having a discussion and finding some middle ground. But you already got something out of it, presumably, so perhaps you could give a bit? Suggest that she use the watermarked versions for social media, and use non-marked images for headshot prints, auditions for work, etc. If she's happy with the pics, good for you, by the way.


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