Photo potentially to be used in a TV programme!

[Gaz.]

Just logged onto flickr, and found this message;

Dear Gareth,

I am a Researcher at Tiger Aspect Productions in the UK. I am working on a programme titled 'Restoration Man' for Channel 4 with Presenter/Architect, George Clarke. The series follows families breathing air into old historical buildings by restoring them into their dream homes.

One episode features a Coach House being restored in Sussex. For part of the episode we would like to feature a variety of fantastic buildings such as dovecotes, stables and hop kilns to highlight that we do not want them to become derelict and disappear. I am searching for images to represent these fantastic buildings - I have come across your picture titled 'Camblesforth Manor Farm Steps' and would be interested in using it within the programme. Unfortunately we do not have a budget for the use of images, however, for our part we are willing to offer a web credit, subject to broadcaster's discretion.

It would be much appreciated if you could reply to this message or call me on ***** ******. I look forward to hearing from you.

This is the picture...

I have given them permission, I'm just happy to have had the interest!

 

[Jon.G]

awsome mate!

 

[Gaz.]

Cheers

 

[Remedi]

Well done mate, it's a nice shot

 

[Revels]

Nice one dude. Exposure is good.

 

[Gaz.]

Well done mate, it's a nice shot

Nice one dude. Exposure is good.

Cheers guys. Somebody on another forum was saying I'm mad for letting them use it for free! They obviously aren't into photography as a hobby, as to me this isn't about money, it's about the satisfaction of having my shot displayed to people.

 

[Billy]

Great image and well deserved.

 

[Gaz.]

Thanks Billy.

 

[Alex H]

Cheers guys. Somebody on another forum was saying I'm mad for letting them use it for free! They obviously aren't into photography as a hobby, as to me this isn't about money, it's about the satisfaction of having my shot displayed to people.

I totally agree with what you say. I've had shots used in BTCC programmes, driver's websites, promo cards and Teen Now magazine. All for free but it's just a hobby, don't need renumeration, something a lot of pros don't understand.

 

[brisa4984]

yeh but.. for professionals their only sources of income could well be from photography. Consider it as earning a living and i guess u may see their view also.

 

[5parky]

Congrats mate what a great result. Boosted confidence a bit?

 

[Ribena]

ahh, well done dude!

 

[Ian]

Great news mate, well done. :approve:

 

[Mike_182]

Well done - and certainly deserved IMO. The only point I'll raise to defend those that have moaned about you doing it for free, is that you're taking food out of the mouths of the professional's children. If the media can do everything for free because hobbyists are happy to let them use material for free, then the professionals have no place to go.

However, don't let it detract from the fact that someone has very much wanted to use your picture and that in itself is a hell of an achievement.

 

[Gaz.]

Thanks again guys.

I know what you mean about it being the income for a Professional. But I'd rather let an image or 2 be used for nothing, and potentially get a little bit of publicity than none at all. It has helped along with the new lens to get me back into my photography a bit too, so that's good.

 

[Mike_182]

Yeah, definitely - and the flipside of it is nobody gets to being a paid professional without being a free hobbyist beforehand. It's all swings and roundabouts!

 

[Gaz.]

Very true. I doubt it will ever go that far, but you never know. I doubt I'd quit my job to photograph full time anyway, I'd need to be damn good at it to clear the wages of what our guys earn.

 

[dunganick]

Well done mate, Nice picture too.

Its always nice to see your stuff used. One thing it does do is open your eyes to how many images are used everyday in the media, thats a hell of alot of photographers all trying to do the same thing

 

[Gaz.]

Aye. I do remember when I started using flickr reading an angry statement about National Geographic poaching images from hobbyists and not using pro images. But at some time they must have let some images be used for free to get to their position.

 

[ukaskew]

Aye. I do remember when I started using flickr reading an angry statement about National Geographic poaching images from hobbyists and not using pro images. But at some time they must have let some images be used for free to get to their position.

It's a tough one that's for sure, but if amateur shots are good enough to be noticed and make it to print, I'm afraid the pros really have to up their game. I can't say I've generally seen a drop in quality when it comes to published shots in all walks of life, so I don't think standards are dropping as a result of more amateur usage. It sounds harsh, but that's how I see it. In many forms of photography the pro will already have the advantage (better position, multiple bodies/lens, more access, more time etc etc), it's up to them to utilize that to the absolute limit.

I had a load of shots published (with permission) in the same gallery as a pro, and whilst I constantly put myself down, I have to admit I honestly couldn't tell the difference between them despite me being at a massive disadvantage in terms of where I could shoot from. If you're a picture editor and you see near-identical shots, some free and some at a price, what are you going to choose?

 

[Gaz.]

If you're a picture editor and you see near-identical shots, some free and some at a price, what are you going to choose?

Pretty obvious that one really lol.

 

[Gaz.]

Series starts at 9PM on Sunday. Never heard anything else so don't know if it'll be on there!

 

[meady100]

Bloody awesome for you - but very cheeky for them to say they haven't got a budget. Like hell they haven't - of course they have! It's cool to have your work featured, but there is absolutely no reason you shouldn't get something for it. Channel 4 are a commercial channel and they are now making money using your work, some fat cat is sitting in his mansion emailing his minions telling them to claim budget poverty - it's naughty really! Not to take anything away from you - I just like people to get what they deserve.

 

[RyanD]

Good to see you got approached and that they liked the picture.

bit shocked to see some of the narrow minded posts in here though. (its only a hobby so I dont need money and having pics used for BTCC and mags is nice to see)...

How would you feel if someone came and started doing your job for free because they didnt need the money or it was a bit of fun and then you got laid off??

The amateur photographer these days in the digital era really doesnt understand that they can do alot of damage to what is to some a profession by simply giving work away for a free but for the ego boost. Especially in todays economic climate when it seems the 'price' or freeness is more important than the quality.

 

[GaryS]

"Unfortunately we do not have a budget for the use of images"

And you believed them?!

It's a shame some people don't have a higher opinion of their work, I'd be insulted if someone said they wanted my work for free. Tv programmes/magazines aren't daft though, they'll always try the "we have no budget" line knowing that there'll be someone willing to give their photographs away for the possible chance of getting a credit (which likely won't happen anyway).

 

[dunganick]

The trouble is i guess that if you say no this work is worth something, they will most likely just go else where. Its entirely a problem of our own making, but its what we have to deal with. Not only this but professionals seem to have excepted this, a certain 'professional' in my field is giving away his motorsports work to fan sites as a form of advertising. I see no reason they shouldn't pay, but now he has set a president and produces good work, why would anyone pay.

 

[GaryS]

a certain 'professional' in my field is giving away his motorsports work to fan sites as a form of advertising. I see no reason they shouldn't pay, but now he has set a president and produces good work, why would anyone pay.

A similar thing happened in rallying, work given away to magazines in the expectation that it would lead to paid work in the future. It didn't. It just lead to the magazines expecting that everyone should give their work away for free. Consequently there is now very little money in rally photography and even the well known pros are now doing more weddings/corporate stuff to make ends meet.

 

[Revels]

I mean look at Nicks BTCC thread, awesome pics and I hope you're making the cash from those. You're helped by the press pass and good locations and have a foot in the door with regard to selling them etc but obviously have a talent.

You only have to look in here after general motorsport events to see that the quality of the amateur is very good. People can produce great shots for not a lot of money. They get home, post a few on a forum/flickr and that's that. Ready for work on the Monday. Then an email appears asking to use it somewhere. People are excited to get their work featured.

 

[dunganick]

Its understandable why people would want there work published, i still get a buzz out of getting good photos published, i would also be telling porkies if i said i had never given away work. Its seemingly a right of passage for media passes

I did a dissertation with the title 'Has the digital camera killed the professional photographer?', so i covered alot of these points in depth. I concluded that no it hasnt, but in the same way you dont see photographers shooting film complaining that other photographers are cheating by using Digital and getting their shots to editors in hours not days, we shouldnt be complaining about how good it used to be, find ways around it and move on.

Photography as an industry adopts the new technologies or situations and moves on. This will like as not happen again. Vincent LaForet wrote an interesting blog entry last year where he basically said any photographer not learning to shoot HD film and edit it creatively is not going to have a future in photography professionally for very long.

 

[Scott™]

Well done mate. Cracking shot.

 

[Gaz.]

"Unfortunately we do not have a budget for the use of images"

And you believed them?!

It's a shame some people don't have a higher opinion of their work, I'd be insulted if someone said they wanted my work for free. Tv programmes/magazines aren't daft though, they'll always try the "we have no budget" line knowing that there'll be someone willing to give their photographs away for the possible chance of getting a credit (which likely won't happen anyway).

TBH I'd rather that was used for free and I got a bit of recognition, it's more than any of my others photos got. But having had no reply I bet it's not even used. Give a s**t anyway, bored of photography.