Answering a Reader Question #826

Anonymous Wrote:

 Thanks for the article! What are your thought on a freelance photographer offering a percentage of the sale of their photos - what percentage is reasonable? 

 Many thanks!

Hi there, Anonymous!

I don't know if you're a photographer or a model asking the question but that type of payment arrangement would only be beneficial to a model if the photos were being used for publication (namely stock photography) and/or sale of a product or item (i.e. calendar, posters, promo material).

Regular modeling images from a shoot usually aren't going to generate high profits for the photographer (if they're only using it for their portfolio then clearly no money is going to be made), which means not much gets kicked back to the model, either. But if the images are being used for the purpose of selling/licensing the rights to third parties to use the photos, then a model could see some income from that type of arrangement.

So the details of the way the images are going to be used would be a huge determining factor as to whether or not a model should accept that form of payment. As far as percentage goes, I am not readily qualified to throw out a number. That kind of question would be best asked in a photographer forum where you can get direct numbers or a general range from photographers who have done this type of arrangement with models before.

Think of it this way: what if a book author said they wanted to hire you to do a shoot where you would appear on the cover BUT instead of paying you an hourly or flat rate for the project, they said they would share a percentage of their book sales? The odds of any author (especially if they are new or relatively unknown) making a killing in profits off their book is pretty slim these days. You can't predict whether or not their book is going to fly off the shelves and really sell.

I typically do not accept this form of payment when it comes to getting a percentage of sales simply because I can't predict the future. I would rather be paid a fair rate for the time and effort put into the modeling services I am offering for the client.

It really all boils down to your preference and what you feel comfortable accepting but the percentage of sales arrangement is one that is used in the industry but it's not for everybody.

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