skylineboy Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 hi all, very new cotributer here, with only a few images. and im sorry if this is very off topic. i hope to have around 5000 as soon as i scan in and edit old negatives and formats. mainly of cars and related, with many thousands to digitise and more as i continue shooting. i was wondering how many of you also sell your photos as prints as well as stock? and how does this compare with the stock prices gained vs the price gained for prints ? i ask because i think some of my images would be of more interest as actual prints. to give you an idea of my thinking i have amassed a large collection of car marques and models, and i was thinking that a nice print would be of interest to an individual owner or enthusiast of one of the models, for example a ford capri. as well as have images of the same ford capri hoping to get used for a web article on the history of the capri etc via stock sales. i have been looking at photoshelter for this, anyone use them? i have read that they can do all of the printing etc of the errm prints and send out etc. and obviously give a gallery and shop front for my images. the only thing concerining me (and making me think about forgetting the idea), is that the copyright would still apply, as it covers none redistribution etc, but how difficult would it be to stop someone buying a print and then scanning and selling on? Thank in advance dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Register all your scans in bulk with the US Copyright office prior to sending off to agents or selling as prints. www.copyright.gov Be sure to post in your listing that owning the prints does not offer any reproduction rights and you hold all copyrights to the image. L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylineboy Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 does this make any difference that im UK born and bred? is there a UK equiv? and also, some of my images (to be scanned) were bought lock stock and copyright by me, would these copyrgiht offices need to see proof of this, eg the invoices and statements from the original owner, who then sold to me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin P Wilson Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 No official copyright registration needed or possible in the UK. Registration in the US does not confer copyright (that happens on creation or written transfer) but does allow you to seek punitive damages in the case of copyright theft but again only in US, under US law. You will probably only need to be able to show that you own the transferred copyright if an infringement claim (from you or against you) went to court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Register all your scans in bulk with the US Copyright office prior to sending off to agents or selling as prints. www.copyright.gov Be sure to post in your listing that owning the prints does not offer any reproduction rights and you hold all copyrights to the image. L I'd say it would be helpful to put a country proviso on a post such as this, or where you don't know where the poster is. Helpful for the poster to locate themselves as well. Sorry Linda, that sounds a bit bossy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustydingo Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 the only thing concerining me (and making me think about forgetting the idea), is that the copyright would still apply, as it covers none redistribution etc, but how difficult would it be to stop someone buying a print and then scanning and selling on? It's impossible of course. The only way to absolutely guarantee this won't happen is to have no images online, which sort of defeats the purpose of selling images . . . I am more than comfortable using photoshelter for (mainly local) prints (very successfully), and RedBubble for posters/prints/cards etc (less successfully, but still better than a poke in the eye with an angry lizard). The only insurance against what you fear, other than having no images in public view, is watermarking. No amount of disuasion will stop some from stealing, copying or otherwise abusing your images, even the IMO superfluous "registering" of images in the US. Unfortunately it's just the way it is. dd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I have a PhotoShelter website, and I do sell the occasional print. However, I find that I have better luck on Fine Art America. You can set your own prices on both PS and FAA, so profit is often higher than from stock sales these days. As far as the possibility of people scanning prints goes, I think it's impossible to prevent, and I haven't lost any sleep over it. Last year, most of my PhotoShelter sales were editorial (downloads). The net proceeds were more than enough to pay the annual PS subscription fees, and I actually came out ahead. YMMV, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylineboy Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 thanks for the info guys, much appreciated and alamy contributors have been very helpful with newbie-to-the-indusitry questions ive had (some forums are very elitist!) i think a photoshelter gallery is on the cards, as this seems very well set up and good to have feedback from actual users. must get my finger out and get some more images scanned in, and keyworded for alamy and anywhere else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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