Episode 9: Don’t Give Your Work Away, (Unless You Want To)

It’s not stealing if you give it to them. In this episode we try to answer the question, “What do you do when someone asks to use your photos for free?” As with many things photographic, there’s no easy answer. It’s flattering when people want to use your images, but pump the brakes on giving them away for free unless you get something out of the transaction.

We discuss the fine print in photo contest rules that grant them rights to your work, how trading your work for “exposure” can be a good thing, and how when there’s money involved, you need to stand up for yourself. In short, if someone thinks your images are worth something, they should give you something for them.

WARNING! In this episode, Mason does get a little worked up and while there isn’t any profanity, he does get steamed. No microphones were harmed in the making of this episode.

As with all of our episodes, we also record and produce video versions which we post to our YouTube channel. These are lightly-edited versions of the audio podcast, but the trade-off is you get to see our handsome faces while we opine. You’re welcome!