Most of the photos on this page are shot for the use of the
environmental movement. I have particularly shot unknown landscapes because
these are the ones that need to be saved. There are already a ton of photos
of National Parks, and those places already have tons of friends. Any
development in a National Park gets a ton of scrutiny. Not that this isn’t
good—it is—but what is on my website are places that don’t
have many friends.
Even though I’ve shot them for the use of the environmental movement,
that doesn’t mean that they’re free. I use a sliding scale,
dependent on the size of the publication, numbers printed, and the availability
of funds to determine what I’ll charge for a given use. Even for
large groups, these rates are substantially discounted—but even
for the smallest grassroots group, I expect a t-shirt. If it’s free,
it’s worthless.
When you request the use of a photo, tell me about the use, and the size
of the group, and the number of copies of the photo printed. I’ll
tell you what my rate will be. If you simply can’t afford the stated
rate, then tell me, and we’ll try to work something out. As long
as both of us are working in good faith, I’m sure we can come up
with a solution.
There are two things in life, however, that I find particularly enervating.
#1 is the tradition of “potluck”. Don’t ask me over
to your house and expect me to bring dinner. Though it seems to be widely
accepted, I find it the worst of manners. Unless it’s a large group
event, I don’t do potlucks. Republicans don’t do potlucks
either, and they’re currently kicking ours and the environment’s
asses. We might learn a thing or two from them.
The SECOND has to do with my photography. Don’t request the use
of a photo, and then say “of course, we’ll give you credit.”
This implies that you’re printing my photo as some sort of dysfunctional
chit to me. While this seems to be big among enviros, I’ve had my
photos published literally thousands of times. I’d much rather hear
“of course, we’ll give you a bottle of 12-year-old Scotch”
or “of course, we’ll send you a bottle of VSOP cognac.”
These are much better (and relatively low cost) methods of showing your
appreciation for my generosity. I appreciate both fine whiskey and fine
wine. Considering that commercial use of most of my pictures would go
for around $300+ (that’s a minimum) you might ponder such a gesture
next time you use my work.
Don’t hesitate to call or e-mail.
I’m always happy to discuss your needs, and how I can help.
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