Question About Selling Snapshots

[lovemesideways]

So I have a Nikon D80, and I suck with it! (so far )

But I am learning and it is a huge amount of fun!

I have been taking the camera out with me to the local dog park and beach when I take my dogs, and so I do get photos of other peoples dogs. The other day I was phootgraphing a lady I knows Staffy jumping after a ball. She came over and asked too see the photo I just took of her dog. I obliged happily and she really loved the photo, and wanted to know how much it was? I said no charge obviously(I didn't think it was that good a photo, out of focus), give me your email and I can send it to you.

She was happy to do so, but kept mentioning I should charge for it.

It got me thinking, for one thing is it legal to take a photo of someones dog and then say, hey gimme $10 and I'll give you this photo of your dog? Seems like there must be something wrong with that.. even if someone approaches you and asks to pay for it.

If it was legal, how much can they really expect to get for a snapshot of not that great quality?

Note I'm in no way at all thinking I could sell my photos I've been using my camera for like 3 weeks and I still don't understand focus, iso, aperture ect! I just thought it was interesting.

This is the photo.

Edited November 9, 2010 by lovemesideways

[:ange:]

Personally I wouldn't ask for money for a photo.. Would probably be inclined to say 'no thanks' if someone said 'for $10 I will give you this snapshot of your dog'. Somehow it reminds of the street barterers in Thailand! Now if someone came to you (like the lady in your post did) and offered you money for a shot - it's entirely up to you.

A poor quality shot is not worth much to me..

I think once you are better (as in many years of experience with a camera) and understand the cameras to be much more than just a point and click with a "wow this takes awesome pics!" and you start consistently producing great photos, maybe then you could request a fee.

Great pic by the way!

[tlc]

Nice shot, only looks like the tail is slightly out of focus, did you take the shot on Auto? I have a D80 too and it took me a while to navigate my way around it, I never use it on Auto anymore but it used to be my number one setting the photo forum and challenges really helped me along with much encouragement and lots of knowledge from the more professional poeple, so lucky to have them here!!

As far as selling the shots, I think it is one thing if a person asks you to take the photos and is willing to pay but to just snap away then ask for money doesn't seem right. I know if I am out and about with my camera and there is other dogs I always ask if the owners mind if I take some shots, no one has ever said no. But I know personally I absolutely hate it if we are out and about and people start snapping pics of my guys, We live in a pretty high tourist area and in summer the amount of people out and about with thier cameras is amazing and on occasion I have had people ask me if they can take a shot of the dogs, I guess to non dog people my lot appear to be out of the ordinary especially with 4 of them. People from other countries seem especially fascinted?

Anyway back to the matter at hand, did the lady ask you to take the shot or were you just snapping away and took the shot. I think some people (non) photography people who don't use a camera are wrapped when they see a great shot of thier dog and would be happy to pay for it. I guess it depends how you get to that point. Do you think the lady thought you were a pro, the D80 does look pretty cool to a non savy camera person!!

[lovemesideways]

Personally I wouldn't ask for money for a photo.. Would probably be inclined to say 'no thanks' if someone said 'for $10 I will give you this snapshot of your dog'. Somehow it reminds of the street barterers in Thailand! Now if someone came to you (like the lady in your post did) and offered you money for a shot - it's entirely up to you.

A poor quality shot is not worth much to me..

I think once you are better (as in many years of experience with a camera) and understand the cameras to be much more than just a point and click with a "wow this takes awesome pics!" and you start consistently producing great photos, maybe then you could request a fee.

Great pic by the way!

Yeah Im the same as you, if someone was taking photos of my guys and then asked money for it I would be walking away laughing. I was just so suprised by someone saying asking how much, rather than asking if I could send it to them.

Wondering if there are people who actually do that!

Nice shot, only looks like the tail is slightly out of focus, did you take the shot on Auto? I have a D80 too and it took me a while to navigate my way around it, I never use it on Auto anymore but it used to be my number one setting the photo forum and challenges really helped me along with much encouragement and lots of knowledge from the more professional poeple, so lucky to have them here!!

As far as selling the shots, I think it is one thing if a person asks you to take the photos and is willing to pay but to just snap away then ask for money doesn't seem right. I know if I am out and about with my camera and there is other dogs I always ask if the owners mind if I take some shots, no one has ever said no. But I know personally I absolutely hate it if we are out and about and people start snapping pics of my guys, We live in a pretty high tourist area and in summer the amount of people out and about with thier cameras is amazing and on occasion I have had people ask me if they can take a shot of the dogs, I guess to non dog people my lot appear to be out of the ordinary especially with 4 of them. People from other countries seem especially fascinted?

Anyway back to the matter at hand, did the lady ask you to take the shot or were you just snapping away and took the shot. I think some people (non) photography people who don't use a camera are wrapped when they see a great shot of thier dog and would be happy to pay for it. I guess it depends how you get to that point. Do you think the lady thought you were a pro, the D80 does look pretty cool to a non savy camera person!!

I wouldn't call her a friend but we know each other from the park (our dogs are friends). I asked her to bounce the ball for Dyson (the staffy) and she was happy to. He gets seriously airborne! Very cool to photograph. The focus wasn't spot on though, like you said, tail is out. His face was somewhat out and I sharpened it a tad around his face in photoshop. Also got rid of 2 dogs from the background. The photos always look better on the LCD screen as well so that could have had something to do with it. Seems very low to try and get money of someone for a product that is not worth it.

Shot was taken on Manual with AF 70-300mm lens. First time using the lens so I was pretty happy that I got some ok photos :D Haven't used Auto at all actually. For me I figured it was like learning to drive a car, go Manual from the start and you'll be able to drive any car in the long run!

Edited November 10, 2010 by lovemesideways