RM vs RF

[jamiehooper]

I'm a new contributor and am wondering what I should consider when selecting either "Rights Managed" or "Royalty Free"?

For example, should I make all my images to default to RF, but select RM if I feel the image has potential for advertising or magazine use?

What experiences have you had? Upsides and downsides?

[Niels Quist]

http://discussion.alamy.com/index.php?/topic/158-rm-vs-rf/

 

http://discussion.alamy.com/index.php?/topic/3812-to-rm-or-rf-what-is-the-answer/

 

http://discussion.alamy.com/index.php?/topic/2642-royalty-free-vs-rights-managed/

 

If you search the forum there are several threads about this....

 

Edited: and another one: http://discussion.alamy.com/index.php?/topic/3694-changing-to-royalty-free/

[jamiehooper]

Thanks to all. I guess my REAL question is actually, all things being equal, if I have a model/property release, could I expect a higher profit (payment to me) with RM or RF. 

[Betty LaRue]

Thanks to all. I guess my REAL question is actually, all things being equal, if I have a model/property release, could I expect a higher profit (payment to me) with RM or RF.

 

This is a rather sticky question. If you have sold the image elsewhere as RF, you need to list it as RF here. If the image has never sold as RF, you do have a choice if you have model releases. Many times. RF images can bring more money. But then, there's always the question of the buyer not wanting to use an RF image that has the potential to be used everywhere for all sorts of usages.

Most, if not all of my released images are listed RM.

But there are people here who can make an argument for RF.

good luck with that decision!

[Matt Ashmore]

 

Thanks to all. I guess my REAL question is actually, all things being equal, if I have a model/property release, could I expect a higher profit (payment to me) with RM or RF.

This is a rather sticky question. If you have sold the image elsewhere as RF, you need to list it as RF here. If the image has never sold as RF, you do have a choice if you have model releases. Many times. RF images can bring more money. But then, there's always the question of the buyer not wanting to use an RF image that has the potential to be used everywhere for all sorts of usages.

Most, if not all of my released images are listed RM.

But there are people here who can make an argument for RF.

good luck with that decision!

 

 

It's an interesting debate. Most of my images are RM but recently, I have been putting a few images as RF just to see what happens.. I reckon a little experimentation doesn't harm. I'm tending to put some of my more common images as RF.. the ones where I haven't photographed anything particularly unique. I'll see what happens..

 

Just because an image is licensed RM, doesn't stop it being sold several times (albeit only through Alamy). RM-E is the only license that will guarantee a customer exclusivity. 

[Niels Quist]

 

Just because an image is licensed RM, doesn't stop it being sold several times (albeit only through Alamy). RM-E is the only license that will guarantee a customer exclusivity. 

 

 

Not quite correct, RM images can be sold many times through Alamy and via other channels but only as RM. The RM-E licenced images can only be sold through Alamy. This licence type may have been a good idea in the good old days, but I think most contributors have left it behind by now. If a customer wants an exclusive image you have licenced as RM, you will probably be contacted for a negotiation.

 

If you want Alamy to pursue infringers the image has to be sold through Alamy only.

[Betty LaRue]

 

 

Thanks to all. I guess my REAL question is actually, all things being equal, if I have a model/property release, could I expect a higher profit (payment to me) with RM or RF.

 

This is a rather sticky question. If you have sold the image elsewhere as RF, you need to list it as RF here. If the image has never sold as RF, you do have a choice if you have model releases. Many times. RF images can bring more money. But then, there's always the question of the buyer not wanting to use an RF image that has the potential to be used everywhere for all sorts of usages.

Most, if not all of my released images are listed RM.

But there are people here who can make an argument for RF.

good luck with that decision!

 

It's an interesting debate. Most of my images are RM but recently, I have been putting a few images as RF just to see what happens.. I reckon a little experimentation doesn't harm. I'm tending to put some of my more common images as RF.. the ones where I haven't photographed anything particularly unique. I'll see what happens..

 

Just because an image is licensed RM, doesn't stop it being sold several times (albeit only through Alamy). RM-E is the only license that will guarantee a customer exclusivity.

Me, too. I'm doing a tad more RF after a decent sale of one of my RF image recently. Not going wild with it, though.

[Gurcharan]

I have been selling photographs of plants in other websites. Only recently I have started uploading pictures of nature including buildings, roads, mountain ranges and waterfalls. I follow a simple rule following Alamy advice (if you don't have model or property release, we can still sell them as RM), my photographs without a building I list as RF, those having persons (I take care that persons in the frame are not identifiable) or buildings I list them as RM. Please correct me if I am wrong.