Requesting Your Advice About Publishing Photos

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

And what better place to ask than a so-called cycling forum?

I've been asked if I would allow use of some of my waterfalls photos by an author of several books on waterfalls. 

From what I understand, if one transfers the copyright one transferred ownership entirely; the photo belongs to the person holding the copyright.  I don't think I want to do that because I want to retain the right(s) to use my photos as I wish.

I also understand one can also grant a license to use a photo.  I would imagine boundaries and restrictions could be placed on the license to limit use.

I harbor no pretentions that my photos are anything other than amateur, especially when compared to the photos normally found in a waterfall book.  I do admit to the vanity that I would like to see photos of mine published in a 'real' book, so the idea of letting an author use the photos has some attraction.

Of course, the next question becomes 'How much?'.

 

My thought is to grant a license to use my photo(s) in the given book, but with the use limited to that book, and have the license carry over to any subsequent re-printings of that book.  That would save me and the author the trouble of going through all the rigmarole again and again.  Then I would also keep ownership of the photo.

As far as compensation, given the amateur quality of the photos, I am thinking about asking for a nominal fee (i.e. $1) that would provide legality to the agreement provided the author makes a donation to the charity of my choice, with the amount somewhat linked to how many photos he'd like to use.

 

What do you recommend?

[maddmaxx]

I think you should ask for a free 1st edition of the book.

[donkpow]

There is the "new" licensing paradigm.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/