Picture Licensing Universal System

So today I had to put together an estimate for licensing of three images for use in a magazine in Europe. I was lucky that the client at least can type descent english, but am I expecting that he is going to understand what I mean when I say he has one-time Non-Exclusive Restricted rights for one time print run on half page in the inside of his magazine and that there is no web usage authorized???

Enter the PLUS Coalition. 

I knew about these guys about 2 years ago and always checked them out from time to time to see if they developed. Even became a member through my wife's company. It has been slow growing, but they are progressing and the meat and potatoes are there. What is very cool about their concept is the fact that I can describe a certain usage that I want to give and it will pop out a code that would coincide with a definition in the client's language that they would understand. It is like math for the licensing world. 2 + 2 = 4 No matter what language you say it in. That is what the PLUS code is about. When it is all said and done, I could use one code to describe one use in all languages. Pretty cool. 

And yes, licensing still does exist. For those who lost faith and simply give their images away because they don't like discussing this matter with a client (I have tons of friends out there doing this) you need to think again.

First off, this really is one of the main things that separates a professional from someone who sees no value in their work. 

Second, there is a residual income here that is important to the survival of a photographer and 

third, this is your work. You have no idea what the value of an image is going to be in 2 or 20 years.

I just relicensed a set of images from my first shoot since being out of the Navy (2 years ago). Great feeling.

NEVER do work for hire! Never do buy out!!! First of all, both terms are vague to a lawyer. Second, everybody perceives it as being that the person that paid you is therefore the photographer and owner of the images. How can you like that?  

NEVER NEVER NEVER!!!

In a worse case scenario (I mean worse as in you want the job very bad and the client absolutely will not budge) Then grant them unlimited unrestricted use in perpetuity. Never buy out!

ANYWAY... I digress. Back to the PLUS coalition.

These guys are great. Try them out. It is free to try for now. search around their website and read about what they are doing. I think you have to be a member to download their embedder tool. This allows for you to create a license package and embed the rights into the image. Pretty cool! Also, anybody can take the image, grab the code and go to the USEPLUS.com website, paste the code into the reader and see exactly what the image rights are. 

I donated to the cause a while ago, I would suggest paying and becoming a member and be involved with the start of a future in universal licensing.

www.useplus.com

Best,

AA