How I earn on my architecture photos & increase my audience by sharing them for free
I have been published in architectural media, numerous books on architecture as well as foreign exhibitions and public speaking opportunities. My photos of large public buildings tend to focus on the architecture that stands out from the crowd. I plan photo journeys ahead of potential commissions, which gives me a chance to expand my experience and a sense of freedom in selecting my desired locations.
Admittedly, having an extensive collection of buildings photos taken in over 50 cities of some 15 countries on three continents, helps. However, this is also a result of certain decisions, strategies and many of my efforts to take this photos, share and publish them and finally get to sell them. With skills to publicise and promote, my archived photos are purchased even months after the actual shoot. The actual price for an architectural photography will always vary depending on the object, quality, requested licence, profile of the client and recognisability of the photographer. Choose your preferred currency and be fair with your clients, don’t be afraid to negotiate.
You have to understand that photography is a product.
A product of your time, workshop and experience that you put in. Value that. Despite being digital, it is a tangible product, which can be reproduced in different shapes, sizes and most importantly for various purposes.
Learn to put a price-tag on your photography.
It is virtually impossible for potential customers to purchase anything that doesn’t have a price. Position your product towards your desired customers according to its quality. You would be surprised how easy it is to sell photography when it has a price-tag.
On regular basis I receive requests to give permission to use my architectural images in someone’s upcoming publication — book, magazine, exhibition, brochure. Unfortunately, some of them still includes offers, which I treat as not serious. These often include sentences such as:
There is no fee available for use, but we can offer attribution and the photo will be seen…
We can offer you your name under the photograph.
I just want to ask you, if we could use this picture for our publication at no charge? Of course you will be mentioned as the photographer.
We would of course mention you as the image’s copyright owner
I have no problem contributing to non-profit or education publications with my images, but don’t be fooled, the quotes above were for purely commercial use, where someone else will take financial credit for the work.
I always try to politely educate my potential customers that appropriate signing of photographs is a must-do requirement under most copyright laws. Unless the image author purposefully declare to withdraw their name in order not to use it, for which he/she usually gets reimbursed. As you saw above, there is not much offered there in return for work’s input.
At some point in time I found it more beneficial to share my architecture photography online under Creative Commons licence. In contrast to “All rights reserved”, this licence allows you to protect certain rights over others. Which means you can choose to have your images shared, reproduced for free or even “remixed” as long as it is for non-commercial purposes and the author is attributed by name respectively, often also linking to the original. In my experience, giving up photos in limited resolution of 1000px wide under CC resulted in two very important results:
- I avoided having my images “stolen”, reposted, reblogged, retweeted, copied with no control. Why would anyone “steal” something that is free in 1000px wide? Many online sources don’t require high-resolution imagery. On top of that, the print quality was too low for commercial purposes.
- My images increased the network of publications where my work was not yet introduced before. Each photo had its copyright author signed and on top of that I was able to see where my audience comes from.
To increase your audience it is best to show up sooner in any graphic search engine. To raise images profile it is worth tagging them appropriately, gaining favourites and comments from other users on social media, attracting online media publications and ultimately increasing views.
Everyone has to start somewhere. Remember that it may be more beneficial to get published for free than not get published at all. Of course, sometimes it is also better to earn less instead of not earning at all.
Finally, you have to learn to politely decline and say no to people, however important they may seem, if they expect you to release rights to your work for free. Most of the time, they sure as hell are being paid for their part and you deserve similar appreciation for your input.
Wojtek Gurak is an Alumni of MSc International Public Relations at the Manchester Metropolitan University and PR & Communication at Sheffield Hallam University supporting architecture publicity and commercial property clients while working in Advanced PR. A tireless traveller whenever possible, he journeys in architecture, exploring contemporary buildings and urban landscapes.
