Need pro advice - pricing for magazine ad usage

[FlyingSquirrel]

Hoping some pros with experience having published work can help me out.

Imagine there is an international nature photography magazine with circulation 150K+
And there is a brand / company that sells photography products, and they are creating a full page advertisement for their product to be shown in that magazine
And that company wants to use a photographer's nature image in that advertisement, with a name credit

1. What would be a reasonable fee for the one time use of that image in that ad in that magazine?
2. Would the fee change if they offer to list the photographer's website URL along with the name credit?
3. Would the fee be different if the photographer's image is being used as part of a "featured photographer" image vs an image that is directly being used as a commercial image for the product itself?

Thanks for any advice you can offer

[William W]

The parameters are vague, but:

1. US$ 500~15000
2. Yes
3. Yes

I have found that much depends upon:

1. Who approached whom and how and why
2. Exclusivity of and impossibility to recreate the image
3. Know brand or name or fame of the Photographer

(general) examples

1. Photographer approaching company demands a lower fee than company commissioning photographer
2. Image may be exclusive because of restricted access to site; image might be impossible to recreate because a building has been demolished or Subject has died.
3. Fame might not necessarily be photographic fame - a New York street scene made by John Lennon is valuable

WW

[FlyingSquirrel]

Thank you very much for your detailed reply, Bill. Very helpful and insightful. As I suspected, pricing is complex and tricky due to so many possible factors. I feel I have much less bargaining power since I am not known in the industry, I have never had work published, they approached me and are offering a 'hand out' basically, and it is being a featured photographer as opposed to using any kind of commercial image for advertising purposes.

However, the opportunity for this kind of exposure in a full page ad in a magazine would be incredibly powerful for someone such as myself who is trying to build a following of people and jump start my website traffic.

It seems they are offering this exposure and possibly a link to my website, in exchange for one time use of a photo of mine. I am hesitant to accept an offer that does not include monetary compensation which would be standard in the industry, for many reasons, but I would be foolish to turn down such an opportunity for exposure, and the ability to list this as a credential on my websites.

I realize that the additional stuff I wrote above doesn't really mean much to anyone, but it's more of a way for me to "think out loud" about the situation.

Thanks

[William W]

. . . I am hesitant to accept an offer that does not include monetary compensation which would be standard in the industry, for many reasons, but I would be foolish to turn down such an opportunityfor exposure, and the ability to list this as a credential on my websites. . .

Your general response implies that your Photo is not exclusive and it would be easy to find another image for the advertisement.

I concur: this appears to be an opportunity for: exposure; web traffic; relationship/contacts with staff at the magazine?; relationship/contacts with staff at the company?; the status of "being published"; the status of and "having Clients" . . .

Depending upon how you use those assets to stimulate interest and sales for your business, those assets might be worth more to your business than (for example) $1000 cash.

For your business, think laterally and outside the nine dots . . . take your own advice and believe in your "wild, crazy ideas" and always openly question "mainstream thinking".

Good luck.

WW

[Mike Buckley]

they approached me and are offering a 'hand out' basically, and it is being a featured photographer as opposed to using any kind of commercial image for advertising purposes.

I recommend that they provide to you at least three examples of other photographers they have featured in the same way. Until you see how they are going to feature you, you have no idea about the relative value of this opportunity or even whether it really is an opportunity.

If you then decide that the way they plan to feature you has value to you, enter into a contract that ensures that they will indeed feature you as promised.

Develop a marketing plan to capitalize on the piece featuring you and then implement it once the publication is released. The longer it takes you to implement that plan, the less likely you'll get any real benefit from the published piece.

[FlyingSquirrel]

Bill,

Thank you again for your helpful insight. Your recommendations confirm my own thoughts. Well played to quote my website, thanks for that clever bit

Mike,

Thank you. Excellent advice as usual. At this point, I had not considered actually creating a 'marketing plan to capitalize on the piece' ...I am sure it would have occurred to me at some point, but the earlier I think about it, the better off I'll be.

I am right there with you as far as the examples and contracts - I replied to the gentleman who contacted me and kindly requested a few examples of the kind of ad he was referring to, and I also requested an example copy of the contract that would be used.

Thanks again guys, I really appreciate the help navigating these unfamiliar waters. Will post updates later as they come.

Matthew

[Mike Buckley]

My guess is that an international magazine with more than 150,000 subscribers has an online version. You will probably be able to find the comparable advertisements online unless this particular advertising program is so new that none of the ads have been published.