Expert: Kitty Kavey - 8/24/2010

Question
Hello Kitty,

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the public. When a model
is hired for commercial/print, if the images will be used over a three
year period as well as on the web, will that model's rates increase
based on the time the images are used and on what medium?  
(website / cross platform?

Thanks,
Leesa

Answer
Generally, each job would be negotiated, so the rates would vary based on usually several factors. The model may make more if the company is a larger rather than smaller company.  If the job is done in NYC rather than, say, Ohio - even for a very similar situation/client the rates may be higher.  

For print it's good to negotiate based on where the image(s) will be used.  A photo used in a local newspaper ad would probably not expect to pay a model as much as if she or he was doing a photo for a billboard, or a national advertisement seen in well-known magazines.

The Web can also be a place where a model hired for a shoot to promote a product or service can be paid according to the scope of the client's site.  A one-man business advertising to a smaller region would most likely pay less than a well-known brand with a national or international website.

Also, as you noted, the amount of time an image is going to be used for is negotiable.  In many cases the model is paid for the type of shoot he or she is doing, and where/by whom the image(s) will be seen.  For copyright/ownership, such as when the client buys the rights to use an image for one year, then the copyright usually reverts to the photographer or company in charge of getting the image - not necessarily the model.  

But if the client decides after a year that they want to use an image again, in this example they would need to purchase the rights again, and much of the time that gives the model a "royalty" unless the model had originally arranged a buyout situation with the client or photographer.  Then they are just paid once.

If you have a choice, I would advise to ask for more based on the image(s) being used in more than one medium, and you should absolutely ask for more if they want you to sign a non-compete clause.

~Kitty