LightVision

Recently I was asked this good question by Sydney fashion photographer/art director, Edmund Chiu, regarding model releases and payment for stock photo shoots:

Q. “if a model wants a cut of the sale of the images, how does it work? I assume a written agreement is in order before the shoot, but what is a decent percentage that the model should get?

Some models are fine with their pics taken and don’t want any money from it, just  time in exchange for a CD of digital images (TFCD) is good for them.”

A. If you really have to go down that road then most models get 10% of any sale where they are the subject. Be sure to limit the duration to a couple of years, you don’t want to be paying them for 10 years! In practice it is difficult to administer such ‘cuts’, and certainly if you were to submit those pictures to a library, the library will not pay the model, it would have to come out of your percentage. Example, the library sells the picture for $100, you get $40, then you have to pay $10 to the model out of your share. Then there is the paperwork, you will have to get a Tax Invoice from the model each time you pay them, or you need to fill out an ATO form saying that the income is part of their hobby and is not subject to 46.5% withholding tax. You see, it’s much cleaner to ‘pay’ them once upfront and not worry about it later. This doesn’t mean you have to pay them wads of hard cash, remember, paying them could mean printing some images for them or an extra photo shoot of them, their partner or their kids…etc. It’s called valuable consideration.
Yes, a written agreement is mandatory. Both a model release and an agreement of what, how and when they will be paid and for how long.

Here’s a cute exhibition by photographer Mayu Kanamori called The Island of the Ancients. It’s an exploration of the largest percentage of centenarians in the world, on the tiny and seldom talked bout Mediterranean island of Sardinia. How do these people manage to live up to three times longer than the rest of us? Find out the secrets in the accompanying book, published by Murdock Books. Mayu’s sensitive portraits can be seen at Customs House Library, Sydney until the 28th September.  The exhibition has been put together by Sandy Edwards, herself an accomplished photojournalist, through her new photography project venture, ARTHERE.

We’ve been loving Sheridan Nilsson’s new images of Australian beach life. You’ll agree that this neat collection of images taken at the Bondi Icebergs Club won’t disappoint. Since 1929, winter swimming races have taken place at the Bondi Iceberg Club on the south end of famous Bondi Beach. The mateship, competition and spectacular setting make this an intrinsic part of our modern cultural fabric. There’ll be lots more vibrant collections from Sheridan uploaded in the coming days - subscribe to the LightVision blog to keep up-to-date.

With spring at the doorstep, most Aussies already have a weather eye on the beach. Sheridan Nilsson comes to the party with new collections of life defined by surf and sand. Tony Yeates gives us a curtain raiser to the Summer Olympic Games and more of Richard Woldendorp’s dazzling aerials of the Australian landscape are published in his new book, a copy of which can be yours if you win our whacky Wild about Wildlight testimonial competition:

Stronger, faster, higher and China—an Olympic story

Wildlight Photographer, Tony Yeates, keeps on moving on with his latest commission by VISA (Singapore) for their Visa Moving Images competition. Tony is one of five photographers in the Asia Pacific region to produce a series of images representing themes around the Beijing Olympic Games. The themes were stronger, faster, higher & China. The images were used as examples of subject matter to inspire the amateur photographers entering the competition Visa Moving Images. The commission also involved judging the final work from the entrants.

Aerial abstracts prize can well be yours

Last month we told you about Wildlight photographer Richard Woldendorp’s great new book of aerial images called Abstract Earth. Make a signed copy yours by entering our Wild about Wildlight attestation competition. Write a humorous testimonial of 50 words or less about Wildlight Photo Agency and the Australian way of life. The lucky winner will receive Richard’s book that retails for $50. Here are the submission guidelines: 1. you must be registered on the Wildlight website 2. stay cool with your language to make it fit for publication! Aussie slang is tops! 3. maximum two bravo testimonials per entrant with submission deadline of midnight 15 August 2008. The winner will be announced in our next LightVision during the first week of September and published simultaneously on our home page. Email your sidesplitting testimonials to wild@wildlight.net with your contact details.

Beach as life

Sheridan Nilsson conclusively proves that beach is life with her amazing new collections of all-Australian summer images just added to her portfolio at Wildlight. Coming out of winter, the reviving experience of seeing these pictures of invigorating surf and warm sands, almost leaves you with a residue of sea spray on your skin or sand between your toes! Click here to get a head start on the approaching season that transforms Australia.

Picture us there….

Wildlight will be an exhibitor at the Picturehouse Australia exhibition in Sydney, this year on Wednesday, 17 September. Come see us at b2 photographic studio. Unit B2, 46 - 62 Maddox Street, Alexandria, NSW

Picture buyers can register now for a free admission ticket here.

Picturehouse events offer a unique opportunity to discover new sources of imagery, meet the people you only contact by phone and email, and network with peers in the industry — all in one location, all in one day! Hope to see you there. We’ll try and sneak Ernst in!

Friday is Mufti Day at Wildlight. If this is dressing down imagine when Andrew and Jean-Marc dress-up! Thanks to Martin Wiseman, VFX Producer from Rising Sun Pictures for the great pictures.