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Key words in this issue: Photographer Survey | Ownership | Advice | July 4th | Free | Sell Photos |
NEWSWORDS: Art World | Webshots | Plug-ins | E-Blasting | Montage | 1826 Photo | Polaroid |

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## PhotoAIM weekly newsletter for 06/29/02 ## 381d
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PhotoAIM, the weekly newsletter from PhotoSource
International. http://www.photosource.com ==>

ISSN 1530-0511

If you no longer wish to receive PhotoAIM, see the instructions at the end of this newsletter.
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Here is the survey that was directed to stock photographers, both part-time and full time.
The following results are tallied from 798 respondents.

Gender:
Male: 71.3%
Female: 25.3%
Did not specify: 3.4%

Marital Status:
Single: 20.6%
Married: 46.4%
Did not specify: 33%

Age:
18 or under: 7%
26-35 years old:16%
36-49 years old: 31%
50-65 years old: 28%
Over 65 years old: 18%

Averages:
age you began photographing: 18 years old
days per year that you take pictures: 90 days per year
stock size: 10,595 photos
money spent on equipment in last year: $2,785
money spent on photo-related travel: $1388

Own a scanner:
Yes: 82.5%
No: 12.7%
Did not specify: 4.8%

Own a CD-Burner:
Yes: 70.4%
No: 23.3%
Did not specify: 6.3%

Own Picture-Editing Software:
Yes: 85.4%
No: 9.77%
Did not specify: 4.83%

Own a Digital Camera:
Yes: 40.7%
No: 52.2%
Did not specify: 7.1%

Published Photos Last Year:
0 photos: 223
5 photos: 130
12 photos: 77
24 photos: 68
36 to 250 or more photos: 253
Did not specify: 47

Rolls of Film Used per Month:
1 roll: 51
3 rolls: 85
5 rolls: 166
10 rolls: 234
25 rolls or more: 197
Did not specify: 47

Attended a photographic workshop in the last year:
Yes: 28.4%
No: 66.2%
Did not specify: 5.4%

Subscribe to:
PhotoStockNotes: 19.4%
PhotoAIM: 23.5%
PhotoAimLite: 43.4%

Other publications read (listed in order of most to least):
Photo District News, PhotoSource Publications, Outdoor Photographer, Shutterbug, Popular Photography, American Photographer

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This week's featured photographer on PhotoSourceFolio: Margaret L. Holmes:
http://www.photosourcefolio.com
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Note: Need to answer to a stock photography question? At our website http://www.photosurce.com/board you'll find our Bulletin Board, called the "Kracker Barrel." Check it out. Our staff answers marketing questions; fellow photographers and our columnists offer their input and experience. The following is a typical exchange:

A Dual Ownership Situation

Perry Jasper of Davenport CA wrote to the Kracker Barrel

Q: "My partner/girlfriend -- soon to be "ex" in both cases -- and I were working on a children's book project. She was the bank most the time. She paid for film, let's say, and the majority of costs for the project. I was the photographer. I was not paid any amount for services. With a lawyer's assistance, she will be signing over the complete project to me: a children's book manuscript, photos, and model releases.

"She feels the project was a cost to her as she also donated money to the group of children who were the subject of the book. The organization will also get free use of the photographs that will be accompanying the manuscript. But, she says that because she paid for materials and other bills, she should be able to retain use of the photos for her personal collection. She has a duplicate copy of the slides. Are the photos also hers?

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A: Your "sweat equity" in the resulting photos has material value also.

Unless your former partner/girlfriend has a written agreement signed by you that this was a "work for hire" situation, the Copyright Law says the copyright of the photos belong to you. There is a provision in the Copyright Law for joint ownership of photos, [Section 302b], but it doesn't sound like this was the arrangement.

It sounds like she is requesting to keep a "physical" copy of the photos for her personal use. Why not give her permission to keep the dupes as long as she will promise (in writing) not to commercially exploit the photos is a way that could jeopardize your future sales? This is especially important because your model releases for the project sound like they were written only for the specified purpose of a children's book, not for some alternative advertising or commercial purpose which could result in the owner of the copyright being faced with a legal problem.

It sounds like there was a manuscript involved in this project. Who owns that and what happens to it?

It's rare that photos such as the ones you have described become of great monetary value (unless one of the children grows up to be president!).

Pass this all by the lawyer that you originally consulted and get his/her opinion.

My answer to your dilemma would be this: why not go back to square one? Get a 'go ahead' from a publisher. Re-take the photos. Or, if that's not possible, find another group of children, and start over. You'll be free and clear of who owns this set of photos.

This is a lesson. I've seen it happen before where a verbal partnership was formed and both parties, each a photographer, copyrighted the resulting images under a business name such as "PhotoSuperDirect." When it came time to sell the business, or there was a parting of the ways, the parties confronted major difficulties in trying to decide how to separate the collection of accumulated photos.

It's always better to copyright your pictures under your name, even if you have a joint partnership arrangement.

--Rohn Engh

Too often, photographers miss a great marketing opportunity by presenting what, in effect, are barriers to potential on-line customers. For example, a photographer will build a beautiful web page and then splatter "warning" signs all over it, like signs that it is illegal to copy the photos the visitor is viewing unless they get permission. This is tantamount to walking into a shopping mall store and encountering "Shoplifters Will Be Prosecuted" signs on every aisle. This does not create a pleasant place to shop. You need to make sure potential buyers feel good about coming to your website.

Want to read more of this article? Go to: http://www.photoaim.com/gen581.html

ADVICE-ON-THE-WEB is available at several sites. A typical one is Keen.com. The advice ranges from computer technology to tax planning. Your first call is free. After you've tested the service, subsequent calls range from $1.50 per minute to $3.00 per minute. http://www.keen.com/. Other advice sites are http://www.exp.com; http://www.liveadvice.com; http://www.infomarkets.com; http://www.expertcity.com; http://www.askanexpert.com; http://www.experts.com. -RE

Query Strategies: Query Many Publications At The Same Time

Some writers like to play the numbers game at its most literal. They seek to ensure they remain constantly busy by always having as many as 50 queries out at any one time.

They do this by submitting a range of queries on different subjects as well as submitting the same queries to several publications. If it makes you feel happier to know you have so many lines out in the water, you might choose to do things this way.

It clearly makes sense to propose as many different story ideas as possible. It is also logical to query several publications at the same time with the same story idea.

Let's say you have identified six publications, which carry stories similar to the one you are proposing. After researching the publications thoroughly, you still believe all six to be possible buyers of your story. It makes good sense to query all six editors.

While all six publications might be suitable carriers of the story, you have no way of knowing whether one or other is just about to publish a story similar to yours, and would therefore have no interest in a second piece on the subject. If you spend too much time trying to identify just one or two publications that would be the most suitable for a specific story, there is a risk you might end up only querying the very publication that is just about to bring out a similar story.

Want to read more of this article? Go to: http://www.photoaim.com/sp4.html

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WATCH FOR IT! July 4^th.
A new Home Page on July 4^th celebrates our fifth year on the web.

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PHOTOSHOP USER'S ENCYCLOPEDIA: Every Photoshop Term You're Ever Likely to Need, See or Use, by Peter Cope. With more than 3000 examples of the lingo and over 650 color photos, this encyclopedia will guide you through the language maze. After the word finder, go through terms for computing, interface, file and color management, document structure, image manipulation, imageready, web, photography, printing, and more. Plus: entries for terms outside Photoshop's program that Photoshop users need. ($24.95; 256 pages; ISBN: 1-58663-460-7) Contact: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 387 Park Ave S, New York NY 10016-8810. Phone: 1 800 805-5489.
http://www.photosourcefolio.com/bookstoreone.htm#1586634607.

HOW TO SURVIVE & PROSPER AS AN ARTIST, Fifth Edition, by Caroll Michels. Learn how to: generate traditional and unusual exhibition opportunities; establish prices for your work; negotiate with dealers to your advantage; attract media and public attention; build an immunity to rejection; sell from your studio; apply for grants and fellowships; prepare effective presentation tools, and more. ($17; paperback; ISBN: 0-8050-6800-7).
http://www.photosourcefolio.com/bookstoreone.htm#0805068007.

WHERE AND HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH WILDLIFE, by Peter Evans. World-class photographer Peter Evans shares his experience with the aspiring wildlife photographer. The author shows you where to go, how to organize your trip, and how to ensure great pictures. His book is a travel guide and photographic guide in one. His book covers traveling independently or with a company; organizing your own accommodation and transport; solving the luggage problem; equipment and how to use it; what makes a good wildlife photograph; the best locations for the beginner, intermediate and advanced traveler. ($29.95; 180 pages, all in color; ISBN: 1-86108-224-X) Contact: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 387 Park Ave S, New York NY 10016-8810. Phone: 1 800 805-5489.
http://www.photosourcefolio.com/bookstoreone.htm#186108224X.

"What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure."
-Samuel Johnson

Free HP Cleaning Kit - Easy-to-use PC software on CD-ROM and five single-use cleaning sheets.
http://www.hp.com/cposupport/printers/support_doc/dj6ser_trklst.html

You'll receive a MovieBuxTM certificate for up to $10.00 in movie tickets or video rentals for participating in this program. PLUS, you can order tickets online at Fandango.com, or rent any movie at your local video store. Your choice.
http://web1.customoffers.com/click.asp?lnk=5568

Inside information on digital images, scanning, and submitting digital images to photobuyers is provided by the 2002 Photobuyer Digital Survey Report, from PhotoSource International. To order your copy today (only $14.95 electronic delivery) simply follow this link
http://www.photosource.com/101/survey2.html

Watch for developments in the field of stock photography in PhotoAIM's
PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE NEWS
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You'll be the first to know...

Note: If the URL is long, it may extend to two lines. In that case - clicking on it won't work. Instead, "copy and paste" the URL.

Photography rules the art world. At Documenta, the twice-a-decade extravaganza of contemporary art that opened a few weeks ago in Germany, there were three painters on display. There were maybe a dozen sculptors. And most of the other hundred or so artists in the show, especially the most talented ones, worked in some kind of photographic medium: in black-and-white or color stills, in video or film.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24457-2002Jun21.html

Webshots is the "most visited" general photography site on the Web. Not much in there about stock photography but there a lot of pretty pictures! Now WebShots and Shockwave.com Launch Promotional Partnership
http://investor.cnet.com/investor/news/newsitem/0-9900-1028-20083203-0.html

Graphics plug-ins - You don't need a degree in technical drawing to put these plug-ins to good use. If you have a solid understanding of your favorite graphics programs, these add-ons will give you what you need.
http://www.zdnet.com/products/stories/reviews/0,4161,2871421,00.html

Printers See Little Opportunity in E-Blasting -According to Forrester Research, e-mail direct marketing will become a nearly $5 billion market by 2004, and the number of e-mails is projected to equal the volume of direct mail processed by the U.S. Postal Service.
http://www.trendwatchgraphicarts.com/fastfacts/fast177.html

Every Montage Tells Another Story;the photo was actually a montage -- a composite photograph of two pictures;
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,53348,00.html

Scientists Analyze 1826 Photo
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020626/ap_on_sc/oldest_photo_1

Photographers Wrestle with Color-Managed Digital Photography
http://www.trendwatchgraphicarts.com/fastfacts/fast172.html

Bankrupt Polaroid names new chairman
http://news.com.com/2110-1040-939526.html

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Photographers! Now you can reach our photobuyers without leaving your home! Ask about our PhotoSourceBank.
http://www.photosourcebook.com/bank/index.html

PhotoAIM is a collection of excerpts from our monthly newsletter, PhotoStockNotes, available through the web anywhere in the world $3.00 per month. (We now have it available in German.) PhotoStockNotes is also available via postal mail in the USA: $3.00 per month. Outside the USA: $5 per month.
http://www.photosource.com/psnintro.html

Feel free to forward this issue of PhotoAIM to your photographer friends.
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Got a question about travel photography? Type in the names of our travel experts, Effin and Jules Older, or Jeremy Hoare in the Search section of PhotoStockNotes.
http://www.photosource.com/trvltips/index.html

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and type in your keyword. (Your password is listed on the final entry of your current newsletter)

To cancel your subscription, send email to:
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with "PhotoAIM UNSUBSCRIBE" as the subject line.
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PhotoAIM weekly newsletter is a product of PhotoSource International, Rohn Engh, Director, who is solely responsible for its contents. Sell Photos!
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http://www.photoaim.com/order.html
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http://www.photosource.com/services.html
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381d

Next Week: Freelance vs. Corporate Representation

"PhotoDaily is working for me. At first I wasn't sure if I wanted to subscribe, but the subscription has paid for itself several times over since I began. As a college photography teacher I can also say that your books sellphotos.com and the classic Sell and ReSell Your Photos are among the best books on the market for photographers just entering the stock publishing field."
---Betty Sederquist, Photographer, Lotus CA