Re: Stock Art/Photos Resource Question

At 11:58 AM 8/17/00, Adams, Lisa wrote:
>I'm looking for a hassle free website where I can download and pay for stock
>art/photos.  The sites that I have seen are expensive and they want to know
>too many details about how I'm going to use their art.  Please send me your
>favorite hassle free sites off the list.

As far as I know, all the reputable stock photography sites NEED to know 
information about how you will use the images. You pay a fee based on how 
it will be used. Limited use pays lower fee. Generally, that is per the 
contracts they have with the photographers.

Picture yourself as a photographer who hires a model, gets the appropriate 
releases, does the photography work. Would you *truly* expect a photo 
you've taken to be sold for the same amount for both of these purposes? : 
part of a national brand's logo which will appear in their printed 
material, on TV, on their website, in magazine ads, vs, part of a small 
company's hand-out brochure only.

Yes, you will pay a few bucks for the photos. Alternative: hire 
photographer, hire model(s), hire lawyer to draw up photographer contract 
and model releases that are agreeable to you and them (otherwise they won't 
sign/work for you), pay transportation costs if the photos are to be taken 
at specific locations, etc. When you weigh what it would cost you to do as 
an individual/company arranging for professional photos yourself, compared 
to what their purchase price is, the purchase price looks a lot better.

Beware of using photos that appear at "bargain prices" for their usage. How 
reputable are they? Are you *sure* they have gotten the proper signed 
releases? If your use attracts a lot of attention, and they haven't gotten 
the releases or other paperwork done correctly, you could find yourself the 
target of a very expensive lawsuit, and a lot of grief you wish you didn't 
have.

Roxy

HWG: hwg-graphics mailing list archives, maintained by Webmasters @ IWA