fazendo dinheiro com a fotografia

8/15/2019 Fazendo dinheiro com a fotografia

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LEADINGPROSATWORKPHILMAKANNAMakingMoneyFromPhotography Profitableprojects

“I started working on the market aroundtwo yearsago, after being maderedundant from my job in I.T. Havingbeen a keen amateur photographer for anumber of years, I set aside a few monthsto work out thebest way tomake moneyfrom myimages. I had been selling myphotosin a shop, but that wasn’t going

Casestudy

AnthonyLewisAMATEURPHOTOGRAPHERANDMARKETSTALLHOLDER

too well. The market was close byand

I thought perhaps I’d havemore of achanceselling my images on the marketstall than in a shop.

“As soon as I started selling my imageson a market stall, I was making a prot.They were selling really well, reallyquickly, which built my condenceupand is the reason I’ve stuck with it. Everymonth is different but, on average, halfmy incomecomes from selling at themarket, while the other half comes fromportrait andproduct shootsthat I’vebeen commissioned to do, often off the

back of seeing myimageson the stall.

I’ve also hadcustomersask me to frameother prints that they have too.“Every week is different, but on

average a week’stakings (that’s two dayson themarket) is between £400 and£500 – but you’ve got to remember it’staken nearly two years to grow to thisstage and there are times when I won’tmake anything like that. It’s earlymornings and long daystoo: I’m up at6.45am to be at the market by8.30am toget a pitch so I can start trading from10am - 6pm. It’s worth it though.”


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100 Profitableprojects MakingMoneyFromPhotography

W HEN YOU BELIEVE your printsare perfect andyour images arebeautiful, powerfulor thought-provoking, you should think about showingthem to a gallery. An exhibition of yourwork cando wonders for your prole andcondence, andyou might sell a few printsand/or wina commissionor two.

Don’t imagine for a minute thatorganising an exhibition is going to be easy.Galleriesare very picky, setting theirstandards high to protect their reputationsandkeep their visitors happy. The biggestgalleriesare the fussiest (sorry, mostdiscerning) and you might have to wait awhile to be told your photographs aren’tgood enough. Wewould all love to see ourwork in The Photographers’ Gallery inLondon, but exhibitionsare scheduled twoyearsin advance and most are ‘invitation-only’. The Photographers’ Gallery doesn’trespond to unsolicited proposals but itdoes hold regular portfolio reviewsandwelcomesnews fromphotographers viaemail. Something to aimfor, perhaps.

Similarlywith the Association ofPhotographers (AOP) Gallery, whichcouldset you back as much as £2,500 a weekfor the hire of gallery space. You didn’tthink that because you’re paying you canexhibit anyold tat either, didyou? Therequirements are standard fare: fantastic

images, artistic statement, biography,press cuttings andcontact details. Buttheyare generous enough toonly takea30%commission on any sales,unlikemost gallerieswhose cut is 50%.

Impressions Gallery in Bradford alsoplans itsexhibitions two to three yearsinadvance. It sends out guidelines for

unsolicited proposals to helpphotographers adhere to the requiredformat. If you do get accepted,you couldbe one of the photographers whoselllimited edition signedprintson theImpressions Gallery website for £250.

The Bristol Gallery exhibitsall types ofart, includingwork by the renowned localphotographer Beezer. Holly Lopez, gallerymanager, described the approach foroffering your work:“We wouldask theartist tosubmit some images and a CVtothe gallery viaemail.Weperiodicallyassess oursubmissions and contact anyartistswhose work we feel would t withourexhibition schedule.We would thenhang the work in an exhibition and wetypically takea 50% sales commission.”

If this all feels likea bit ofa stretch foryou, there are lots of provincial galleriesthat do exactly the same thing on a smallerscale. A growing number of pubs, cafésand restaurants are also makingwall spaceavailable to local artists. While you can’t

Mountingyourown exhibitionisa fantasticfeelingandmayevenmakeyouabit ofcash, but itdoesn’thavetobeinagallery:cafés,restaurants andhotelsare greatplatformsforsellingyourwork

PROFIT FROMSHOWCASING

YOUR IMAGES

Smallestablishmentsmightbehappyfor10%commissiononprintsbutyoushouldbepreparedtonegotiateando ernomorethan20%

© M A R K B A U E R expect the same exposure or high-priced

sales as you get from the major galleries,it’s a great way to boost your local proleand have your work seen by differentpeopleeveryday, plus you canearn somecash in the process. A lot of independentbusiness owners are very open to the ideaof selling images as they’re getting free artwork on their walls,plusyou can offer asmall commission on any prints they sell.Small establishmentsmight be happy for a10%commission on printsbut you shouldbe prepared to negotiate and offer no morethan20%. Gallery commissions start from30%andthey have dedicatedstaff sellingyour work.Make sure the business owneragrees to pay the cost of any damage toyour work displayed on theirwalls too.

When choosing your images, start withlocal scenes that local people andvisitors


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Whena Northamptonshire pubwasrenovatedby thenewlandlord, SylviaAdams mentionedhowniceoneof herlocallandscapeswouldlook on thewall.The landlordagreedso Sylviacame back with a 16x20in print of thenearbyabandonedstately homeat LyvedenNew Bield.Shealsogave himsomehorseracing printsforthegamesroom.Thelandlordframed and

hung the printsandnow keeps a stash ofSylvia’sbusinesscards behindthe barforanybody whoenquires aboutthe photographs.

Shecharges £75 for a signedprint.“I havean Epson A3+printer andonly ever usegenuine Epson inksformaximum longevity, butI explain tocustomers that, as for alltypesofprintedart, they must avoidhanging theminsunlight,” saysSylvia. “Icutmy owndeepdoublemounts beforecarefully putting theminframes fromZanart in Kettering.”

Thepub doesn’t take anycommissionforsales,the landlord’s just pleased tohave theimages. Back in 2005 Sylviaraised£1,600fora charity trek byselling hand-madegreetingscards.Theywere sold in the local shop,which

Casestudy

SylviaAdamsLANDSCAPEANDEQUINEPHOTOGRAPHER

was how thepubcameto know about Sylvia’swork.A memberof staff inanother pub tookafancyto oneof Sylvia’spictures, soSylviapromisedher a free print inreturnfor a fewsales. In August, Sylvia’sworkwill be hangingina tea roomin thevillageof Aldwinkle andSylviawillpaythe tea room10% ofanysalesduringthat month.Her pictures then move tothecafé atBosworth’s GardenCentrein BurtonLatimer, andfor everyprint sold duringSeptember, a donationwillgo tocharity.

It’s allgoingvery well for Sylvia. She’sverybusy with alltypesof photographybut thetranquil landscapes shetakeson herearlymorning walkswith herdog areproviding a

steady income andgrowing recognition. Sheloves horses, andher equestrianphotos,hangingin the localanimalfeedsstore andofces havebrought commissions tophotographanimals.

Rightnow, she’s probablymostexcitedabout herwork appearingin a touringexhibitionorganisedby The PhotographicAngle, a charity thatorganisesfree exhibitionsinvacantspace aroundthe country. “Arepresentativefrom The PhotographicAnglegavea talk atmycameraclubandencouragedus tosubmitwork viathe website,” explainsSylvia. “They chosesome ofmytravel work andthatwillbe seenall over the country, sowhoknowswhat willcomeof that.”

ThePhotographers’Gallery:London, www.photonet.org.uk

ImpressionsGallery:Bradford,www.impressions-gallery.com

TheAssociationofPhotographersGallery:London, gallery.the-aop.org

TheBristolGallery :email [email protected]

SylviaAdams:www.apersonalviewphotography.co.uk

Keycontacts&resources

canrelate to. A photograph of Brooklyn

Bridge will look out ofplace in a Somersettea room, but a cider orchard at dawncould sell like, erm, hotcakes. Printqualityis vital, so don’t cutcorners with theproduct and thinkcarefully about framing.A professional-quality frame thatcomplements the image, thevenue andmost customers’ home décor is best.

This level is a true ‘pocket money’venture. You might only subsidise yourhobby with incomeyou get from thecafébuthavingyour images on display in publicwill give you a thrill. And that’s probablythe bestreason for giving it a go.


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102 Profitableprojects MakingMoneyFromPhotography

S INCE ITS LAUNCH in1995,eBayhas provento beone ofthebest-knownand mostprotablewebsites in theworld.Offering anyoneanywhere thechance tobid on andbuyquite literally anything, it has provena hitforthose wishingto off-loadunwanted itemsandget their hands on hard-to-ndproducts. It also provides theopportunitytopickup some real bargains too. Apart frombeing rippedoffby unscrupulous eBay

members, thereis very little that can besaid against eBay, so if you’ve never tried it,we’dhighly recommend giving it a go.

Becoming a member is straightforwardandonce you’ve signedup and providedyour details, you canbegin bidding, buyingandselling items. Most major countrieshave their own dedicatedeBay sites:eBay.co.uk for the UK,eBay.com for theUSA etc, and you are able to list items forsale internationally (as well as buyfromnon-UK-basedsellers), to appeal to aworldwide audience.

As a quick example of nding qualityphoto kit, wesearched for a Canon EF50mm f/1.8 lens: the six listingsdue to endsoonest gave the chance tobuy the itemimmediately for£69.90 (plus £10p&p) orplace bids, with the item closest to endingalready at £57. Both offerdecent savings.

eBayis fast and easyto use. Byclickingon any item you can get further details onboth it and the seller, and makea bid if youwant the item. Aswith any auction, youshoulddetermine the maximum you wanttospend and don’t get carried awayifanother member outbids you.

As you buyand sell successfully, you’llbuild up and receive positive feedbackfrom thepeople you deal with and thisfeedback score is vital. It provides othereBaymembers with an idea of howtrustworthy you are, so ensure you providea decent service to avoid receivingnegative feedback.

SellingyourphotosFirst things rst, don’t expect tomakealiving from sellingoriginal prints on eBay –signed or unsigned – it just won’t happen.Thefact is,nding high-qualityphotographic images on eBay isn’t easy.Head to the ‘Photography’ category in ‘Art’and you’ll ndthe majority of imagesareglamourshots of 1970’sPage 3 girls,

MAKE EBAYWORK FORYOU

nudesandother shots that in truth wewerevery surprised tond on eBay. While thisonline auctionmarketplaceis perfect forsellingmostproducts, it seems that there isa long way togo beforewe can hope tobeable to seriously consider selling originalprintson it. The one glimmer ofhope is thatif you do lista high-qualityimage; say ofastunning landscape, it could well stand outfrom thecrowd, as thecompetitionis poor.Butconsidering you have to pay for each

listing (unlessyou start at 99p), thechances are that you’ll need to pay to re-listseveral timesbefore you ever sell a print.And even that’snot guaranteed.Bearing inmind very few peoplewill visit eBay to buyan image– certainly until eBay improvethis area – we’d suggest you be pragmaticabout thepossibility of makingmoneyfromselling your images on eBay.

SellingkitoneBayIf you have upgradedyourcamera, lens orashgun,orhaveanykit thatyou rarely ifever use, such as sparelters, hoods,tripods or gadget bags, then listing it oneBayis a fastand easywayto exchange itforcash.Listing itemsdoesn’t take long andis quite straightforward todo, with two waystollingin details: easy andadvanced.Thereare also two main formsofselling on eBay.Youcan listan itemasa Buy itNow, setting aprice that you arehappywith,which allowstheitem tobe soldimmediately tothe rstbidder. Or you canuse theauction-stylelisting, which runs overa setperiodof time(one toten days). Ifyou like, you can set aBuy ItNow price when listing theitem,orseta reservewhich, if notreached,prevents theitem from being sold. Beaware theseoptions allcost extra touse.

You’ll need to provide basic details of theitem that will appearon the listings page,uploadan image, provide a description ofthe item that coverswhatit is and thecondition it is in, set a price,cost of

postage and the time periodforthe listingto run. You’ll receiveconrmation fromeBayboth when the item is listed andwhen/if the listing ends.

When listing items, provide an accuratedescription or else you maynd the buyerrequests a refund and may leave younegative feedback.Also, contact the buyerwhen you’ve posted the item so they’reaware it’s on itsway.

eBayfeeseBay charges you for listing an item. It’susually free to list if the starting priceis99por less. Should the item sell, eBay willtake a small percentage of the sale.Charges are reasonable and more detailcan be found on the eBay website.

eBayhasrevolutionisedonlinebuyingandsellingfor consumersandbusinessesalike, andoffersgreatpotential forphotographers.Plan it rightandyou can makemoneywhilepickingupsomebargains too

Providinga decent image is essential toenticebidders to buyyour item. Producingagood qualityimageis relativelystraightforward:place your itemagainst awhitebackdrop, ensurethe WhiteBalanceiscorrect, andavoid directionallightas it cancause shadows.Also bearin mind that asthe le sizes that are uploaded need tobe

small,set your camerato shoot in JPEG,preferablyat a Small/Low resolution,as thiswill save time preparing theimage later.

With small items,you canusually getawaywithusing a sheetof white paper neara patio door, secured to where thewallmeets theoorto createa curvedbackdroponwhich toplace theitem.If you plan tosellitemson eBay regularly though,we’drecommend that you spend £45 onaLastoliteePhotomaker, a whitepop-up tent,witha diffuser onone sideand a silverreector on theother. It comessupplied withan EzyBalancewhite/greycardto ensureyouset thecorrect WhiteBalancefor thelight source used (atable lampis suitable),as well as a mini-tripodfor compactcamerausers.It’sfastto setup andperfectfor eBay.

HowtoeasilyshootproductstoselloneBay

eBayhasprovenahitforthosewishingtooff-loadunwanteditemsandgettheirhandsonhard-to-finditems.Youcanpickupsomerealbargainstoo


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HIREANEBAYASSISTANT!

Ifyou’re seriousaboutsellingphogear oneBay,considerusinga tradassistantwho cansell items onyo

behalf. Their expertisecan helpsel

itemfora higherprice although thechargea feefor theservice.

Stuff U Sellis oneofthe bestforshiftingphoto gear

Ifyouregularlyuse eBay andhave an iPhoneor Android smart phone,or an iPad, it’sworth downloading eBay’s free apps. Theseallow youto monitoritemsin your watch list,bidviayour mobile device, monitor howlisteditemsare selling andreply to enquiriesby potentialbiddersquickly andwith ease.

eBayApple&Androidapps

Ifyou buy or sellon eBay, we’d advise you toopenan account with Paypal, whichprovides a very smooth andone ofthe safest– ifnot the safest– online service forsending and receivingpayment. Sellersincur a small fee, while bothbuyersandsellers benet fromPaypal’s excellentprotectionservice. Themoneyyou earnfrom eBay sales sitin a Paypalaccount andcan be transferred atany timeto yourbankaccount. You canuse your Paypalaccount tobuyfrom eBay (and many other websites)and ifyour Paypalfundsdon’tcover thetotalofanyeBay purchase youmake,Paypal willautomatically retrieve the differencefromyour creditor debit card registered to theaccount. It’s an excellentand trustworthy

service thatthe eBaycommunity respectsandrelieson. For furtherdetails,visit:www.paypal.co.uk

Paypal

Here’s itemswe’vebought in the last year:Canon EF 50mm f/1.8II.Used in mintcondition. £46 plus £4 p&p.Averageusedprice is around £65 .Setof Zeikosclose-uplters(+1, +2,+4,+10): £10 plus £5 p&p.Guideprice: £40Nautilus shellfor still-lifes £20 inc postag

OurfavouriteeBaybargains

ToptipsforsellingoneBayGet the basics right with your listing and

it can add 10-15% tothe value of yourproduct. Text on a plain pagewith nopictures is the general formatand canwork well. Butusevarious pictures of yourproduct from differentangles, give it astrong title and description andyou couldendup selling it for substantially more.Bear in mind only one image is free –creatinga singlemulti-image JPEG inPhotoshop canhelp you save money!

Provide a detailed description andadecent photograph of what you’reselling.Mention anydamage to the product as thiswill build trust with the buyer.

Writea good title. You have 55 charactersandall of them are searchableterms thathelp them get found. Pick words you thinkpeoplewill use when tryingto ndan item.

Time it so you’reselling at a peak periodsomore people can see it. Aim to endlistings on a Sundaynight as it’s thebusiest time (Monday night if it’s a BankHoliday weekend). Starting Thursday and

endingSunday is a typical but an effectiveten-day strategy. Or aimfora seven-daylisting tostart and end on a Sunday.

Forart prints, sellit asa ‘BuyIt Now’asyou rarely get competitive bidding. But forphotographic equipment, be hopeful thatyou have a bidding war on your hands.

Build a good selling reputation by beingaccurate with your listings and providingfast and efcient delivery. Ideally dispatchwithin 48 hours and useParcel2Go(www.parcel2go.com),as they’reone ofthe best for value as they negotiate withdifferent couriers for the best price.

BuyingkitoneBayUnless you’re looking for a very specic orrare item, you canusually nd what youwant listedon eBay. At the time of writing,there were more than half a million itemslistedin the ‘Photography’ section of eBay.co.uk, including 19,000 digital cameras,31,000 lenses and over 120,000 digitalcamera accessories. As well as lots of useditems, many are new, often being sold bythe eBay Store outlets of populardealerships such as Calumet. Some greatbargains canbe found, so add items youreally likethe look of toyour ‘Watch list’, tobe sureyou don’t missout.Always check aseller’sfeedbackrating, as it’s a goodindication of whether they canbe trusted,and don’t be afraid tocontactthemvia the‘Contact Buyer’ link if you have a query.Don’t assume items listedas Newhave aguarantee – it simplymeans they’ve neverbeen used – so check this before bidding.

Sellers should give a good description ofthe item, so read thisbefore contactingthem. It should state if the item is working

or faulty, lightly or heavily used, free fromdamageor marks and soon. If bidding ona DSLR, always askabout sensordust andgeneral wear and tear. If bidding on a lens,ensure optics aren’t scratched or markedand are free from mould. If in doubt, don’tbid. Take care if buying from overseas,such as the Far East or Africa. While pricesmay be lower, you may be hit with a bill forUK dutyand if theitem is faulty, it may notbe covered under warranty. That’s not tosay don’t buyfrom overseas, just be awareof any pitfalls and check all details with theseller before bidding.


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106 Businessmatters MakingMoneyFromPhotography

based projectsthat focus onpersonalcareerdevelopmentofan artist. Therefore, takingpart in photographyexhibitionswould beconsideredas eligibleforfunding.”

The Arts Council hasseen fairlydramatic cuts to itsbudgets, so greaterexpectations are being placedoncorporate sponsorship. Manycompaniessetaside money for arts sponsorship.Register your requestsfor funding atUksponsorship.com or WeFund.co.uk tocatch the eye of a benefactor.

So, lots to think about and, sadly,nobody’sgoing to shower you with cash.

Y OU MIGHT IMAGINE that the bestplace foryour money these days isunder the mattress. It’s not. Youneed a bank account if you are seriousabout making money from yourphotography. Ifyou only earn a few hundred

poundsa year, you can manage quitewellwith a personalaccount. But banksdo take adim view of people using their personalaccounts forbusiness and if they discoverthat you’redoing so, may closetheaccountor start applyingbusiness accountcharges.

GettingabusinessaccountIf you decide to create a limited companyyou denitely need a business bankaccount. The business bank account formsthe hub of your accounting process and aquick glanceat statements will quicklyreveal what shape your business is in fromone month to the next.

Bank charges are a fact of lifeinbusiness. You’re using the bank to run aprotablebusiness, so the bank is entitledto charge for the service it provides to helpyou. Somebusiness accountsareadvertisedas ‘free’ butthismight just mean they don’thave a monthlyor quarterlycharge. Watchoutfor thecosts they applytotransactions.

Usean internet comparison site tochoose three or four banks, goto thewebsites of each forthe details and thenarrange to meet a personal advisor. Thesearen’t accountants or nancial advisors assuch, but they will be very knowledgeableabout their bank’s services.

According to their critics, banks aren’tlending enough money to businesses atthe moment. The banks deny this. AsBrian Capon from the British Bankers’Association told me, banks are providing inexcess of £500m of newlending to smallbusinesses each month. Banks are stillwilling to lend to small businesses andaround 10,000 newloansarecurrentlybeing agreed each month.

“Banks look closely at applications forloans.They will need to be satised thatthe business is viableand cangeneratesufcient income to meet all itsnancialcommitments as they becomedue.

This means that businesses will need toprovide the bank with three years’ auditedaccounts, managementaccountsincludingcash ow forecasts forthebusinessand a ‘plan B’ in casethings don’tgo as expected.”

So, if you think your business needs acash injection, you’d betterhave a goodstory to tell about why you need a newcomputer, A1 printer and four primelenses. Thedays of banks throwing moneyat risky business are over.

SecuringgrantsandsponsorsIf getting a bank loan is hardwork, thenbagging a government-funded start-uploan or grant isn’t anyeasier.

Business Link was set up to help newbusinesses get access to advice, supportandfunding. Itswebsite, followed by ameeting with one of its advisors, is a goodplace to start. Grants are limited anddepend on yourpersonal circumstancesandwhere you live. Business Link advisorJohn Grange says: “Business Link doesn’tprovide money. It uses local advisorswhoknow what nancial support is available.Wecanhelp to write your business plan,too, which doesn’t have to be ‘geek-speak’or War and Peace .”

Some parts of the country havea‘businessangels’ typescheme. Angels arelocal investors whowill put money intoyour business if they canseea return,Dragon’s Den -style.

Thenal source of funding worthconsidering is arts funding. Arts fundingisn’t just for ne-art photographers, it’sthere to help those whose work has acultural or socialvalue. If your work hassocial signicance, enriches your region’scultural heritage or provides opportunitiesfor deserving members of your community(such as unemployed ex-offenders,orthose with learning difculties) you canmake your pitch. Your local authoritywillpoint you in the direction of local arts andcommunityproject funding. Then there’sthe Arts Council, whose MathewHanrattytold us: “Photography activitiesthat areconsidered eligibleforfunding aretime-

Youhavetospend money tomakemoney. Butwhere can youget themoney to spend and where shouldyouput itonceyou’ve madeit?Readontondout aboutloans,government grants& bankaccounts

BANKING&FUNDING

Banksareprovidinginexcessof£500mofnewlendingtosmallbusinesseseachmonth.Banksarestillwillingtolendtosmallbusinesses

USEFULLINKS

www.businesslink.gov.ukwww.smallbusinesspro.co.uk

www.thisismoney.co.ukwww.artscouncil.org.uk

www.wefund.co.uk

www.uksponsorship.comwww.voluntaryarts.org


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LEADINGPROSATWORKPHILMAKANNAMakingMoneyFromPhotography Businessmatters

Comparisontable: Businessbankingcharges

Freeeriod (fo

start-ups)

ont y Standingorders

Autodeposits

Branchdeposits

Cheque

BANKS

HSBC 18months

£3.15 p per s 18p percredit

74p percredit

63p

Barclays upto24months £5.50 p per s 15p percredit 75ppercredit 59p

Natwest mont £5.00 p per s 22p percredit

66pper£100

71p

Lloyds TSB mont £5.00 p per s 20p percredit

70ppercredit

65p

Alliance& Leicester* for life free free free free free

*NowSantander.Conditionsapplyto somefree services,e.g.cheques limited to100 permonth.Source:Banks’ownwebsiteson1 December,2010.This isintendedas aguideonly,pleasecheckcurrentrates.

Otherbanks toconsider:Clydesdale,RBS, Nationwide,Allied Irish,Bank ofScotland,CaterAllen,Co-operativeBank,Halifax,Bankof Ireland,UlsterBankandYorkshireBank.

Katherine Green is a documentaryphotographer. In 2008she received grantsforher exhibition, Goingto the Dogs . Thproject documentsthe closure ofWalthamstow’s famous greyhoundstadiumandits impacton thecommunity. “Theexhibition was ambitiousas it consistedoftwo venues, 29newpieces ofwork,ten oralhistory interviewsfor gallery listeningposts,one interactive display ofarchive material, aDVD of imagesand audioplaying on aat-screenTV andone publication,”explainsKatherine.“Thegrants contributedto theproduction ofthe images, the framing,signage, touring costs andmarketing.”

So,millions,then? Er, no,not exactly.“The total grant from ArtsCouncilEnglandwas £5,000and £750 from Apex Arts,”saysKatherine.“Theexhibition took oneyear toplan anddevelop. TheArts Council England

application procedureis particularlylengthyandin-depth; it took approximately a monthtoplan andwrite.”

Katherine hasadvice for otherphotographers:“Apply withplenty of time;meet with a funding ofcer; asklotsofquestionsand askfor feedback if you’re notsuccessful. If youaresuccessful, beprepared tokeep lots of records about theprojectand itsdevelopment, asyouwillbeasked for evidence in an evaluation report.“The ArtsCouncil hasspecic aims andgoals. It is importantto be familiarwiththeseandmakesure youunderstand them.When applying for funding, it’s important todemonstratehowthe grant will help developyouand benetothers.

“Mywork involvesandrepresents thecommunityI live in.Thesethemeschimedparticularlywell with theArts Council’s

aims.However, this was thesecond timeI hadapplied to theArts Council. Thersttime I wasn’t successful andthe feedbackI receivedwasthatthis was due tolack ofexhibiting experience. I managed toput thatparticular exhibition togetherona verymeagrebudget soit wasreally exciting tobeable to investin high-qualityprints andframing this timearound.”

Casestudies

KatherineGreenFULL-TIMEDOCUMENTARYPHOTOGRAPH

I S T O C K P H O T O


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companies tomake surethe name isunique. Thecompany becomes a legalentity, subject to company lawand also,as Richard Hallsworth pointsout, to issuesover privacy. “If you trade as a company,a lot of data is held about the company onpublic record,” he says. “Details ofdirectors, accounts, shareholdings anddebenturesheld by nance institutions arejust examplesof data readily available forinspection or download fromCompaniesHouse.”That’s a good point, Richard. Nowreaders cansee forthemselves just howmuch I’m struggling.

Choosing a name for your business isprobably worth an article in itself. You canagonise over it the way you would thename of a baby. Things to consider includehowmuch currency there is in your name.

F OR MOST PHOTOGRAPHERS, thejourney to becoming a professionalis a transitional one.It begins as ahobby, leads to a few quid tocover yourcosts, grows into ‘beer money’ and endsupas a small prot.This isthekind of

growth that gives people the condencetogiveturning pro a go.Simon Chaplin is the managing director

of accountancy rm GreenStones inPeterborough and we asked him if there isa clear point at which someone turns pro.“Deciding when you started trading is quitehard,” says Simon.“Most photographersstartout taking a few snaps for friends andfamily and might receive a drink inexchange. Technically, that drink is taxablebecause it is a reward for services you haverendered! The question ‘when does ahobby become a profession?’ is difcultandexpert adviceshouldbe taken on eachindividual case.”

Accountants say that a lot, but he’s right.Everyone’s circumstancesaredifferent andalthough there is a lotof informationavailable, some of it is quite complex.Expert advicedoesn’t have to be expensiveadvice. Contact Business Link and set up ameeting with an adviser in your area. Do itsoon though, as the regional Business Linkadvisory service is being restructured from25 November2011.

One of the most commonquestionsasked of Richard Hallsworth,partner atNicholsonsAccountants in Lincoln, is,“Should I form a limited company or be asole trader? ”Richard is a keenphotographer and regularly blogsaboutphotographers’ nances. His response:“The easy ‘taxsaving’ answer is yes, tradeas a limited company over a sole traderand you will savetax.This is if you takeasalary up to the personal allowance leveland then dividends on top. The tax is savedbecause you don’t pay national insuranceon dividends extracted fromthe company.Based on the 2010/2011tax rates, if youmake a protof £40,000 you would savearound £2,375 of tax andnationalinsurance by trading as a limited company.His blog goes into moredetail than wecan

here and is a mine of useful information.Visit: www.nanceforphotographers.co.uk

LimitedcompanyvsoletraderSimonChaplin agrees with Richard:“The ‘frame’ for this is how much tax you

save versuswhat an accountant willcharge for the extra work. ‘Zooming in’ ona tax point of view, if your prots are overabout £16,000 a year then your ‘exposure’to tax will be high enough for you to‘focus’on becoming a company. Excuse thephoto puns.” Simon’salso a comedian.You shouldseehis invoices.

“Becoming a limited company alsooffers you the protectionof limited liability,so your personal assets are safe (most ofthe time)and increases creditability asmost people think of limited companiesasmoreestablished and reliable. Thedownsideis the extraadministration involvedinbecoming limited:extra taxforms tole,anextra bank account,and formsto beledatCompanies House. Mostpeople arehappy to do all this admin because of thetax that they will save.

Another option to consider is a‘partnership’, if you earn below £16,000and your partner hasno income. You canthen share the prot and makesure allyour taxallowances are used up.”

Legally, you have to registera sole traderbusiness or partnership within threemonths of earning your rst pay cheque.You cando this either by telephoning theNewly Self-employed Helpline (see panel),registering onlineor postinga form to HerMajesty’s Revenue and Customs(HMRC).A limited company, however, needs to beformedbefore you start trading, byregistering it with CompaniesHouse. Boththeseprocesses are dull but relatively easy.

Beforeyou can llin theserather boringforms, you haveanother bigdecisiontomake:your trading name.This is less criticalforsoletraders but theycan’t reallyprotectthename. Theycan suefor ‘passingoff’, thatis someone pretendingto be them,butthismightbe difculttoprove.

Registering a limited company is morerigorous as it involves a search of existing

Once the money startstoroll in, you’ll needto decidewhether tobeasole trader orset upa limitedcompany, nottomention dealing withthethornyissueofVAT.Weguideyouthroughthispotentialmineeld

TRADINGSTATUS

Theeasy‘taxsaving’answerisyes,tradeasalimitedcompanyoverasoletraderandyouwillsavetax


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BUSINESSNAME: TAKENWITHPASSIONWEBSITE: WWW.TAKENWITHPASSION.COMAINACTIVITY OFBUSINESS:WEDDINGANDPORTRAITPHOTOGRAPHYTYPEOF BUSINESS: SOLETRADER.ANNUALPHOTOGRAPHYSALES:UPTO£16,000.VAT REGISTERED? NO.“Istarted outas a soletrader. It’s not ascomplicated as a limited company andafterall, there isonlyme andthelesspaperworkIhave thebetter! However, nowI understandthe businessa bitbetter I might stop usingan accountant (who wasinvaluable at thestart)and start doing mytaxreturnmyself,directly withthe taxofce, tosave money.I’mnot VAT registered as myturnoverdoesn’tjustify it,and I dealwith thegeneralpublicso I donotwantto passthe coston tothem. Adding 20%to myprices,when localcompetitionis erce andI need mypricestobe relative to everyone else, could stopclients from hiring me.I don’t think it’s worththe riskor the hassle ofthe extra paperworkat this stage in mybusiness.”

Casestudies

CharmaineStark

BUSINESSNAME: NORTHLIGHTMEDIA LWEBSITE: WWW.NORTHLIGHTMEDIA.CO.MAINACTIVITY OFBUSINESS:CORPORATEPHOTOGRAPHY,WRITINGANDMEDIAPRODUCTION.TYPEOF BUSINESS:

LIMITED COMPANY.ANNUALPHOTOGRAPHYSALES:UPTO£16,000.VATREGISTERED? YES,ONFLATRATESCHE“Most of myclients arebusinesses.I takephotographs forcorporate brochuresandwebsites.I decided tobecome a limitedcompany because some ofmyclients arelarge organisationsor public bodiesandthese guys like the‘corporate feel’ of alimited company when they do businessandthey canclaimbackthe VAT I charge them.I don’tholdstock or buy muchin the way ofmaterials,so theat-rateVAT schemesuitsmemostof the time, althoughI feltthe painwhenI moved into a newofcerecently.You can’t claim backthe full 20%VAT onpurchases under £2,000.”

Casestudies

MartynMoore

If people havegot to knowJoe Blowas atalented, reliable photographer, ‘Joe Blow’sPhotos’ should be on the list. Is locationimportant? If so, maybe the name of yourtown or county should be part ofthe name.The same goes forany specialist servicesyou provide such as training. (ReadpXX ofthis guide to learn more about brandingand for more on choosing the right name.)

GettingtogripswithVATThat’s already quite a lot to think about forthis issue, but there’sjust room to look atone more big decision you will face:whether or not to register for VAT. If yourturnover of VAT taxable goods and servicessupplied within the UK forthe previous12months is more thanthe currentregistration thresholdof £70,000, or youexpect it to goover that gure in the next30 days alone, you must register forVAT.

You canalso register for VAT if yourturnover is less than £70,000, and theremaybe good reasons fordoing that.Simon Chaplin again: “Ifyour sales in thelast 12 months are morethan thethreshold you have to register – no choice.If they are not andyou take photographs

formembers of the public, you should notbe registered. If you take photographs forbusiness clients then you shouldbe.”

Members of the public are not in aposition to claim back the VAT they pay, soif you don’t charge them VAT, your servicesand productsare cheaper. The downside isthat you pay VAT on stockand businessexpenses but you can’t claim it back.

Most business clients will reclaim theVAT they are charged, so are lessconcerned about the gross invoice. Theother advantageof being VAT registered isthat you get to reclaim the VAT you pay onsupplies and services.

There is alsoa scheme known as ‘atrate VAT’ that benets businesses thatdon’t hold much stock or don’t have tobuylots of raw materials. The basic idea is thatyou charge VAT (currently at 20%) butclaim back a lower percentage (currently11% for photographers) of your total sales.It saves a lot of time on bookkeepingchores and working out what is claimableand what isn’t.

It’s a lotto thinkabout,isn’t it?Startingoutas a professional photographer isn’t abouttaking pictures all day, that’s forsure.

BusinessLink: Forpersonalised,freeadvice for how toset upand growabusiness, contact BusinessLink:www.businesslink.gov.uk.

TheTaxOfce: For adviceon lingyour yearly tax returncall O845 3000627.

HMRevenue&Customs: To regisas newlyself-employed: 08459154515.

CompaniesHouse: To register yourbusinessnameor setup a limited company,contact: www.companieshouse.gov.uk.



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“For business expenses there are twomost important rules to remember,”explains Simon. “The expense must be:One, whollyand exclusively for thepurpose of the trade (printing paper, inks,batteries) and two, of a revenue andnotcapital nature (acamera would be capitalwhereas consumables are revenue).

“Capital expensesare treated differently,with the cost of big ticket items such ascameras, lensesand lighting claimed ascapital allowances.”

There isn’t a lot hereto separate thefull-time professionaland the part-timeenthusiast earning a few quid at weekends.The truth is, earnings are earnings andtheyare subject to tax. If you haveanotherjob, you will probablyhave earnedmorethan your personal allowance. An added

difcultywill be working out what costs are“wholly andexclusively forthe purpose ofthe trade”. If some of your ink and papergoes on personal projects, it’s hard tomake that claim.

SteeppenaltiesfortaxevadersWe asked Tom Buchan, photographyenthusiast andqualied taxaccountant(www.tombuchan.com),how will HMRCever know about the details? “The answeris they mayneverndout,”saysTom.“But (and its a big but) UK tax law placesthe onus on you to be honest.

Consequently thepenaltiesfor notbeinghonest aresteep;nancially andotherwise.HM Revenue & Customs do operate ablack economy unit and, as your magazinehas already reported,one professionalphotographic body has been submittingnames to HM Revenue & Customs in aneffort to catchout taxevaders andmaintain the integrityof the profession.”

Manyphotographers report satisfactorydealings with HMRC. In certain cases it haspaid interest on overpaid taxandwillsometimesoffer easy payment termswhen taxhas been underpaid. Like manybig organisationsdealing with largenumbers of people, mistakes get made onboth sides, and HMRChas gone to greatlengths to show it canbe reasonable. Butyou probablywon’thear The Beatles

singing about that.

BusinessLink: For personalised,freeadvice for how toset up and growyourbusiness,contact Business Link:www.businesslink.gov.uk

FinanceForPhotographers:www.nanceforphotographers.co.uk

HMRevenue&Customs:www.hmrc.gov.uk

GreenStones: Peterborough-basedaccountancy rm: www.greenstones.co.uk


A typical set of accounts for aphotographer would probably includethe following expenses:

Car, van and travel expenses(parking, fuel, repairs, servicing,hotel rooms and so on)

Repairs andrenewalsof equipmentPremisesexpenses (either useof

homeas ofceor rent, rates, power,security, property insuranceandsoon)

Business insurance costsPhone, fax, stationery, printing,

computer software and othergeneral ofce costs

Computer and websitecostsAdvertising, mailshots, free

samples and so onAccountancy, legal & professional feesBank andcredit chargesInterest on bank or other

business loansBad debts (invoices included in

turnoverbut notpaid)Tradeor professional journals/

magazine subscriptionsMembership of professional bodies

Typicalaccounts


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Hayley Luxford is Towergate’s operationsdirector. She says: “There is not just onepackage that will suit all. Full discussionswith clients determine the exactrequirementsof the individual, and thepolicywe offeris tailored to individualneeds. Our semi-professional and

professional products automaticallyinclude ‘all risks’ cover (subject tolimitations) for equipment, theft fromvehicle cover and liability cover.

“A quick ‘fact nd’ discussion with one ofour handlers will establish the best level ofcover togetherwith values of equipment,your travel pattern anda few more generalunderwriting questionsand we canusuallyprovide you with a competitive quote. Youcan then arrange cover without a proposalform. A Statement of Facts form will besent to you in the post.”

David Jayne is managing director ofImaging Insurance andhe lists the types ofcoverhiscompany provides: “Our policyprovidesoptions for the insurance ofbuildings; photographic,video, computerand otherbusiness equipment;photographic, video, and lm images;soundrecordings; productions; businessinterruption; businessmoney; public andproducts liability; employers’ liability andprofessional indemnity. Depending upon aphotographer’s individual circumstances,all sections of the policy may be required.”

CovercomesintoitsownThat’s a lot ofoptions and servesas areminder of all the many things that couldgo wrong in business as a professional oreven semi-professional photographer.Maybe instead of looking at insurance as agrudgepurchase, weshould look at it as aninvestment in peace of mind.

David agrees:“Photographers whoreceivea claims settlement thinkwe’vesaved theirbacon.For example, a recent claimfor thetheft ofallofa photographer’s equipment(worth more than £7,000) was sorted out injust three days.Ourpolicy automaticallyincludescoverfor thehiring costofalternative equipmentuntillost or damagedequipmentis replacedor repaired – weaimtomake sure that policyholders don’t lose

I NSURANCEIS THERISK business.Both professional and semi-professional photographers need toconsider insurance. Thebig question for allofus is “what are the odds?”

All trades have their specialist insurancebrokers and photography is no exception.

A numberof companies offerphotographers insurance cover that hasbeen tailored to the profession. Aphotography specialist understands theindustry and will help you to solve aproblem quickly and cost-effectivelythrough their knowledgeof the business.Theyknow how much kit is worthand thebest ofthem will come to your rescuewhen you most need it.

There are many components tophotographers’ insurance and the rightcover for you will be a combination of theelements – possibly your own uniquecombination. Let’snd out what they are.

Theeasiest to understand is the coverfor your kit. Weownexpensive equipmentand the cost of repairing or replacing thatequipmentcanbe frightening. So we needinsurance forour kit forthe same reasonwe insure all ourvaluables against theft,loss anddamage. Next is public liability. Alltrades should consider public liability andyou shouldn’thire a plumber whodoesn’thave it. If one of mylighting stands takeoutthe eye of a model, you can bet they’ll seeme in court. Not very clearly, but I’ll still bein big trouble.Public liability insurancewouldofferme nancial protection, but itwouldn’tget me off a health andsafetycharge if I’d been negligent.

Photographers takeon the responsibilityfor recording special or one-off events. Ifwe enter into a contract, basicallyapromise, that we’ll succeed and then wedon’t, wecould be liable to our client fordamages.This is professional indemnityinsurance and it can even cover thecost ofrestaging an entire wedding if yourmemory card malfunctions.

Most insurance is discretionary, butsome is a legal requirement. If you hiresomebody tohelp you with a shoot ,youmusthaveemployers’ liability insurance.The exception is if its a familymember.

You can nd out details on the Health andSafety Executive website (www.hse.gov.uk).Employers’ liability insuranceprovidescoverif something unfortunate happens tosomeone as a result of them working foryou and they decide to sue you.

ArrangingbespokecoverI used to work for a company where thephotographerswould hang out of a movinghatchback, shooting carsand motorcyclesthat came within inchesof their wide-anglelenses. Can you imagine writingup thatrisk assessment?

It’s difcult to say howmuch yourinsurance will cost. A landscapephotographer, selling prints and carryingout the odd commission, might be a fairlylow public liability or professionalindemnity risk, but they have to considertravel and all the kit theytake with them.Overseas travel canmake quite adifference and, incidentally, the Republic of

Ireland is usually considered foreign travel.If you own a studio, thebuilding and its

contents need tobe insured, but if you hirea studio everynowand then, insurance islikely to be included in the hire charges.The owner of the studioshouldbe insuredbut it’s always worth checking.

There are so many variables and all thespecialists I spoke to offer bespoke cover,rather than a one-size-ts-all policy. Thisapproach tends to be better for allconcernedbut leads to large variations inthe cost of premiums. One tip, though: it’sdenitelyworth mentioning if you’re amember of a professional association likethe SWPP or MPA, as you’ll be eligible for adiscount on yourpremium.

Towergate Camerasure calculatespremiumson an individual basis.

Replacingallyourkitif itwas stolen or, worse,having todefendyourselfagainstlegalaction,couldnishyourbusinessbefore itgetsoff theground.That’swhere tailor-made photographers’ insurancecomesin

INSURANCE:A NECESSARY EVIL

Therearemanycomponentstophotographers’insuranceandtherightcoverforyouwillbeacombinationofalltheelements


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LEADINGPROSATWORKPHILMAKANNAMakingMoneyFromPhotography

Businessmatters

any workeven thoughthey’ve hadanincident.” That’snot thekindof serviceyou’llget with a home andcontents policyis it?

“Usually home contents insuranceceases toprovide coveras soon as theequipmentis used forbusiness purposesor the insured starts working as aprofessional photographer,” says David.“While normal housecontents insurancemay be better than none at all, if you earnany money from your equipment, housecontents insurance probably won’t apply.Even if you don’t earn any money fromphotography, yourkit probably won’t becovered if it’s stolen from your car. Andthere may well be restrictions on values of

single items or if you go outside the UK.”Travel is alsoan important factor.Holiday insurance won’t normally coveryou if you’re working abroad. We askedourspecialist insurers what stepscanbetakenby photographersto keep theirpremiums down.

Towergate’s Hayley Luxford again:“Premiums couldbe reduced by additionalsecuritymeasuresbeingpresent thatareover and above insurers’ requirements.Another option is takinga voluntary excessin addition to thestandard excess appliedto thepolicy. Customers canalso

accumulate policy discountsfor no claimsand the length of time they have been aclient, which will all be taken into accountand canresult in reductions in premiums.”

David at Imaging Insurancerecommends beingextra careful. “Mostclaimsresult fromaccidentaldamage toequipment – so morecare can meanmaximising theno claimsdiscount andsaving money,”he says. “You canalsocover equipment for secondhandreplacementcost if it is availablesecondhand. Try tokeep theamountofequipment taken outon location to aminimum andeven consider movingto alower risk rated postcode.”

Knowwhatyou’repayingforMoving home or premises might be a bigask, but there’ssome good advicethere.It’s essential that you read thesmall printof an insurance policy. Sorry about that,butyou really ought toknow exactly whatyou are buying. If one quote is signicantlylower than all the rest, there’sprobablyagood reason for that. And if you makeaclaim, you must expect your premium torise. You’re nowa proven risk.

For a long time insurance companieshave suffered from what some peoplesee

as a ‘victimless crime’ – falseclaimsfromclients whofeel they have paid theirpremium for a few years, so are entitled tomake a claim.Theinsurance industry willtell you that it is paying out £1.47 in claimsfor every£1 it collects in premiums. Thesenumbers are not sustainable.

Insurance is not likely to get cheaper,butby dealing with a specialist whounderstands photographyand knows therealistic risks, you’re more likely to buy thecover you need. And if you do need tocallon your insurer, you’ll want them to reactlikeImaging Insurance and Towergate.

Hayley Luxford has a favourite story:“We had a very famous celebrity

photographer whowas on a ight to LosAngeles. Theclientarrived at LAX but,unfortunately, the photographic equipmentdidn’t. All of the kit was checked in atHeathrow but mysteriouslydidn’t maketheight. With a demandingproductioncrew, models and celebrities waiting, wehad to work rather swiftly. Thankstosupplier connections in theUK we wereable to arrange thehire of replacementkittoenable theshoot tobe successfullycompleted later that day. Allof this wassorted from ourofces in Hampshire andourclientwas over themoon.”


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The semi-pro was quoted£63.60 extra forjust£25,000 of professional indemnity,whichmeansTowergate struggles tocompete on that part of the policy.

Glover & Howewere a delight to dealwith on thephone,but to be fair, all thecompanieswe spoke to were excellent.Aaduki suggested a couple of questions toaskother insurers, condent that theirpolicy providedcovers that others didn’t,making Aaduki quotes verycompetitivewith some of the best policies on offer. Thesame can be said for Glover & Howe.

All of thesecompaniesunderstandphotography, so sit down andcompile yourown personal information, decide yourown ‘must-have’policy features and ourlist of 14 questions. Then resign yourself tomaking ve phone calls between tenand15-minutes long. Don’t buyright away;getquotesemailed to you soyou can haveagood look at that small print.

W E WANTED TO CALL thisfeature We takethe pain, soyoudon’t have to but I’mafraid youmay still experience some slightdiscomfort. Nobody likesbuying insurance,

butlikewe’ve saidbefore, thinkof it asbuyingpeaceof mind.Theprevious articleoutlined thebasicsof insurance,butdidn’tlook indetailathow much time buyinginsurance takesorhowmuchmoney itcosts,sowe’veaddressed those criticalissues in this section. Wepromise tomake itaspain-free andas helpful aspossible. Youwillhave morefunreading it thanwe did onthephoneand analysing thequotes.

At the end of it, though, you are going tohaveto hit the phones and get your ownquotes. While most insurersnow havequote engines on their websites so you canbuyyour policyonline, we’dstill adviseyoupick up thephone and speak to someoneto ensure the policymeets allyour needs.In an attempt to give you a really usefulguide to insurance policies andprices, theDigital SLR Photography team rang arange of photographers’ insurancespecialists to nd out what they charge,and the policies they offer to an enthusiastand semi-pro photographer.

Whatweasked..Bydescribing our needs,we had hoped tobe able tocompare likewithlike. No dice.Put simply, the policies offeredby differentinsurersare all different. Some offeronly£50,000 or £100,000-worth of publicindemnitycover, others canonly quote for£75,000. Wewere happy to accept anexcess, where we would pay the rst £250of anyclaim,but some companiesboastedtheir policies are‘no excess’ and wouldn’tquote a cheaper price, even when weoffered to pay the rst ‘half a monkey’.

Soat the endofa longday we had aslightly frustrating set of data and a lessonfor you. The lesson is shop around, ask theright questions (that we have been able tolist for you)and do your best tobe clearabout theextent of the cover you need andndout the limitations of your cover. It’s

that blooming small print again.The aimof the exercise was to establish

the range of products on offer and therange of prices. Wewanted to produce anapproximate guide to premiums being

asked forusing typical proles forour twolevelsof photographer (you canread theproles in the adjacent table).

The biggest denominator was the valueof kit, which weposed as £3,000(plus£500 for computer equipment, if theinsurer could include it in their policy) forthe enthusiast and £8,000, includingcomputer equipment, for the semi-propolicies.In some cases, particularly for theenthusiast policy, insurers allowed roomfor morekit value to be added on withouthaving to increasethe premium, whichwe’ve indicatedvia the Value of Kit sectionin the adjacent table.

Whatwefoundout...If you really can’t be bothered working thisout from our table,we don’t mind tellingyou that the cheapest quote wegot for ourenthusiast prole was fromPhotoguard foritsSelect policy at £202, with professionalindemnity as an extra. Photoguard,however, was the mostexpensive forsemi-pros at £454 (Select) and£593(Pro).Photoguard wasprobably hardest tounderstandtoo, separating out theprofessional indemnityand applyingdiscounts to parts of the policy.

When speaking to Towergate,we didn’tget a quote for£100,000-worthofprofessional indemnityon the phone sowhen the email came through with anincreaseof almost £300 on the premium,it was a bit of a shock for the enthusiast.

Navigatingthemineeldofinsurers is tricky, especiallyifyou don’task the right questions.We try tomakeita littleeasierbydoing someofthe legwork foryouandseeking out helpful hints andadvice

THE BREAKDOWNON INSURANCE

Employer’sliability: Protectsyoufrom claimsfor damages or loss made bysomebody working for you, e.g. an assistantclaiming fordamagesafterreceivinganelectricshockfromyour kit.

Excess: Theamount paid by thepolicyholderin theeventof a claim.Usually, thehigher theexcess, thelowerthe premium.

Freeandopentheftpolicy: Coversyoufor thetheftofunattended equipment.

NCD: NoClaimsDiscount, a reduction inpremium after a periodwithout claims,usually a year. Rewards loyalty toa companyanddiscouragesclaims.

Policyholder: You,afteryou havetaken outthe policy.

Premium: Thecostof an insurancepolicy, paidin anannuallumpsumor inmonthly installments.

Professionalindemnity: Cover foranylossor damages toclients causedbyyourprofessional failure,error or equipmentmalfunction, e.g. a corrupt memorycard ordamaged camerameansyou lose anentireshootor a car crash prevents youfromreaching the venue.

Proposer: You, before youhavetaken outthe policy.

Publicliability: Coverfor any loss ordamageto otherscaused byyour work asaphotographer, e.g.someone tripsoveryourcamerabag or lights,taking a tumble.

Jargonbuster

Bydescribingourneeds,wehadhopedtobeabletocomparelikewithlike.Nodice.Putsimply,thepoliciesbydiferentinsurersarealldiferent


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1) IfI workoutside the UK, amI covered?2) IfI amcoveredfor travel, isthere a limit on

thenumberof overseasdays a year?3) WillI get the fullreceipt value ofmy kit back,nomatter how long I haveowned itfor (called a‘new forold policy’)?4) Can I make a claimif I don’t havetheoriginalreceipts?5) Is the theft cover ‘full andopen’, meaningI’mcoveredeven if I’ve left mykitunattended?6) CanI getan emergency replacement if mykit fails,is thisan extra costand will itbedelivered to me?7) Aretheresituationswheremy equipmentmight notbe covered?8) Doesthe professional indemnitycovermefor unforeseenor unavoidable circumstances

Reallygoodquestionstoaskinsurersoverthephone(e.g.vehicle breakdown leadingto missedappointment)as wellas negligence?

9) What arethe consequencesfor makingaclaim? Howmuch will mypremium go up?10) What’s the cancellationpolicy?11) Is it cheaperto have a higherexcess?How muchmoreis itnot tohave anexcess?12) Whathappensif I addkitto mypolicy afterit’s beentakenout?13) Howexible is thepolicy?For instance,ifI turnprofessional inlessthan12 monthsorstart renting a studiohowcould this affectmypolicyand premium?14) IfI rentequipmentfor a shoot, do I need totemporarilyadd itto mypolicyand does thiscostanything extra?15) Ismy kit covered ifit’s stolen frommy car?

Theenthusiastphotographer

Thesemi-professional

Company Valueofk Valueofpublic lia

Valueofprofession emn y

Overseascover Ishired-incovered?

Excess Annualpremium

Notes

Aaduki £3,500 £2m £75,000 up to 60 days worldwide extra £268.64 Check property securityrequirements

PhotoguaSelect

£3,000 £1m extra un imite , up to ayworldwide

included no excess £202 persona acci ent, pindemnityis extra

ImagingInsurance

£3,500 £2m £100,000 up to 60 days worldwide extra £150 (£250 third party) £267.31 o item wort over 1,overs£600 hiringin cos

TowergateCameras

£4,000 £2m £100,000 wor wi e regionrestrictioon pro indem/publicliabilit

n/a £250 £609.50 nc u es 1 m emp ia iatarecovery, bus interru

Glover&Howe

£5,000 £2m £75,000 multiple trips, up to20consecutivedaysworldwid

extra 1 o c aim min an£250max)

£266.50

Company Valueofkm or q

Value ofpu c a

Valueofpro ess oindemnity

Overseascover Ishired-incovered?

Excess Annualpremium

Notes

Aaduki up to , £2m £75,000 up to 60 days worldwide extra £100-£200 £328.29

PhotoguaSelect

£8,000 £1m £100,000 UK only included no excess £454 wi pay 1 o rep acehire

PhotoguaPro

£8,000 £2m £100,000 UK only included no excess £593 20% of replace hire, £10ccident, portfolio, indem

ImagingInsopt1

£8,000 £1m £50,000 up to 60 days worldwide* extra £150-£250 £313.51 liability does not incluor Canada

ImagingInsopt2

£8,000 £2m £100,000 up to 60 days worldwide* extra £350.60 liability does not includor Canada

TowergateSemi-pro

£5,000-£8,000

£1m 25,000 f. ex

up to 45 days worldwide n/a £250-£350 £272.60

owerga ePro

£8,000+ £2m £25,000included

excludes US and Canada n/a £150 £330

Glover&Howe

£8,000 £2m £75,000 multiple trips, up to20consecutive ays wor wi

p to£2,5value

10% ofclaim(£50minand£250max)

£324.75

You don’t earnmuch money from your photography,but youdo shoot theoccasionalweekend weddingand portrait shoot.When youdo a weddingyourpartner normallycomesalong formoralsupportand tohelphold your camerabag/bea secondshooter. You have a decentcamera outt based around amid-rangeDSLRwith an older entry-level model as a back-up, twoor three lensesand theessential accessories, all totalling about £3,000. You also havea home PCand printer costing inthe regionof £500.Most ofyourshootsare local butyou’dlike toworkoutside ofthe UK, giventhe chance.

You have a full-time jobbutyou’re also seriousaboutmakingmoneyfrom your photography, shooting up to12 paid weddingor portrait sessions a year.Youoften havea secondshooter or an assistanton a weddingshoot andyoumay haveconverted your garagein toa studio for portraitsor youoccasionally hire a studio. Yourequipment is worth about £8,000, comprisingthe likesof studio lights, a full-frame andAPS-C DSLR witha selectionof fast lensesand accessories.Last year youwere given a small assignmentoverseasand you’re planning a stockshooting tripto NewYork.

OursmallprintThe quotes we obtained are based on theinformation provided to the insurers on14March, 2011.We wereas consistent aspossible with the prolesand questionswe used for everycall, butthere was somevariation depending on the insurer’squestions. Every phone quote wasconrmedby email, but sometimescontained additional information notrevealed during the telephone call. Thequotes were only valid for a limited periodof time,andthat time hasnow lapsed.Please do not rely on these quotes asevidence of comparable cost betweeninsurers or as an accurate representationof what you might be charged for similarrequirements.Thank you.

7.5%of claim(£250 min)

£150-£250


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“However, the samewording aboutinformation ‘of a kind likely to be useful’ iscontained in the original section 58.Andthe House of Lords has interpreted that tomean ‘information of such a natureas toraisea reasonable suspicion that it wasintended to be used to assist in thepreparation or commission of an act ofterrorism’.So, in short, no, there is noblanket legal banon taking photographswith police in them.”

Another worry related to the TerrorismAct is around powersto stop and search.

It was originally covered in Section 44,which is no longerbeing enforced.However, its remit lives on in Section 47A,jokingly referred to in some parts of thelegal communityas “Section 44 reloaded”.TheCode of Practice relating to Section47Acanbe downloaded from the HomeOfce website. It’s a long web address, sotype it carefully: http://www.homeofce.gov.uk/publications/counter-terrorism/terrorism-act-remedial-order/code-of-practice?view=Binary

Or just go tothe Home Ofce site andtype “terrorism act s47a” into the searchbox. Page 19 of the code deals withconcerns raised by photographers.

The Metropolitan Police Service hasdedicateda page of itswebsite tophotographyand although it could do witha bit of help from the Plain EnglishCampaign people, it’s very informative,especially the bit that says“Ofcers do nothave the powerto delete digital images ordestroy lmat anypoint during a search.Deletion or destruction may only takeplace following seizure if there is a lawfulpower (such as a court order) that permitssuch deletion or destruction.”

As you might expect, there arerestrictions on private property. Basically,the owner of anyprivate space canimposetheir own conditions on you being allowedto enter that space. If the managementcompany of a shopping centre says youcan’t takephotos, well, you can’t. And if aconcert venue stipulates ‘no photography’,you will be asked toleave if you try. Bybreaking the conditions of entry youbecomea trespasser but the propertyowner can’t conscate your equipmentorinsist youdelete images.

So what about the kingshers, then?Well, although there is no restriction ontakingphotographsof animals andbirds,the Wildlife andCountrysideAct1981

B RITAIN IS ONE OF themostrelaxed countries in the worldwhen it comes tothe freedom ofphotographers to takepictures. Broadlyspeaking, we can take photos of prettymuch anyone, anything andanywhere aslong as it’s in public. Most ofthe time wecan photograph policemen executing theirduty, we canusually photograph otherpeople’schildren playing in the streetandwe don’t need to askanybody’spermission. We have to be carefulphotographingkingshers, though.

There are restrictions and the lawschange. Linda Macpherson is one of theUK’s leading experts on photography andthe law. She’s a successful photographeranda freelance legal consultant,specialising in mediaand intellectualproperty law. On the subject of what lawsshould mostconcern photographers, shesays: “The area of most general concernfor amateur photographers centres ontaking photographs of people, includingchildren.And, having taken them, whetheror how theycan be used or published. Thisis a very difcult area because some of therelevant law is both vague and continuallydeveloping. The law relating to privacyrightsis particularlyuid anddataprotection lawpresents a further set ofissues that have notbeen denitivelydetermined by any court.

“I get a lot of questions related tothegeneral right to take photographs, both inpublic places and on private property andthere is sometimesconsiderable confusionabout what constitutes a public place.Issuesof policepowers and the law oftrespasswould fall within this area. Itdoesn’t help that the lawin Scotland differsfrom the rest ofthe UK in some respects.”

To help photographers steerclear oftrouble, Linda haswritten a guide calledthe UK Photographers’ Rights Guide . Itcanbe downloaded fromthe accompanyingwebsiteat www.sirimo.co.uk/ukpr. In herintroduction to the guide, Linda writes:“It is often said that there is no law againsttaking a photograph, but in fact there aremany legal restrictionson the right to takea photograph. So it would be more correcttosay that one is free to takephotographsexcept when the law provides otherwise.”

In most cases it’s legal totakephotographs of buildings and privateproperty from a public place, such as thepublic highway, but it’s an invasion of

privacy to takea photo of someone in theirhome using a telephoto lens, even if thephoto is taken from a public place.It’s notillegal to take pictures of children playing inpublic, but a local authority’schildprotectionpolicymight place heavyrestrictions on photographing children atevents, schools and swimming pools.

Professional commercial photography isprohibited in Trafalgarand ParliamentSquares in London and in the Royal Parks,unless written permission is obtained anda fee paid. Touristphotography is allowed

but a clear, sharp, well-composed ‘holidaysnap’ ofBig Ben could easily end up on astock photography website.So it’s notclear cut, is it?

It’s illegal to obstruct highways,footpaths andcycleways, so expect to bemoved along by the police if you set upyour tripod in a busystreet. Your kit maybe deemed to present a risk to the healthand safetyof the public or just a nuisance.

One of the biggest areas of concern inrecent years is the powergiven to policebythe Terrorism Act2000. Section 58Aofthe Acthas led to misunderstandingsbetween photographers and policeofcers. The section covers the offence ofeliciting, publishing or communicatinginformation about members of the armedforces, intelligence servicesand police thatis likely tobe useful to a personcommittingor preparing to commit an actof terrorism.

Some coppers mighthave interpretedSection 58Aas:“You can’t take pictures ofme.”Linda Macpherson’s take on this is:“‘Information’would include a photograph,and the section is very broadly drafted, asit doesn’t suggest that the informationneeds to be intended for terroristpurposes, only that it is of a kind likely tobe useful for those purposes. That might intheory include any photograph from whichsomeone might be identied as a policeofcer, andsome policeofcersseem tobe interpreting it this way.

Morethan ever, we’rehearing aboutphotographers having a brushwith thelaw. Andthedifferencesbetweenthelaw, itsinterpretation andpublicopinion haveneverbeen lessclear. Timefor some facts

IS IT LEGAL?

Theareaofmostconcernforphotographerscentresontakingphotographsof

people,includingchildren.Thisisaverydi cultareaasthelawisvague


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makes it an offence to disturb kingshers,along with dozens of other schedule 1

protected birds, at or near their nestingplaces. Manywild animals, includinginsects, enjoy thesame protectionand canonly be photographed near their nests orplacesof shelter by photographerswith alicence fromNatural England, ScottishNaturalHeritageor the CountrysideCouncil for Wales.

Oh,and it’s illegal to photographbank-notes without writtenpermission fromtheissuing bank. Soif the UKis one ofthemost liberal countries in theworld when itcomes to photographers’ rights, imaginewhat some of the othersmustbe like.

IT’S A MINEFIELD. Thelaw asappliedtophotography is confusing,subject todifferentinterpretationand it changes fairly regularly,sodon’tcounton thisfeatureto keepyouout oftrouble.Use it tolearnwhento be most careful.Photographers need tostand upfor their rights,lawenforcement agenciesneedto be clear onthelaws they areenforcing andpeople shouldusea lotmorecommonsense. Then maybe wecould all calmdown a bit.Herearea few piecesofadvice from LindaMacpherson onhowtokeep outof trouble:

Whenphotographingchildren it is advisabletogetat leastverbalconsentfromparents.

KeepoutoftroubleEven parents ofchildren takingpart inschool

or sportsactivities shouldinquire about childprotectionpoliciescovering thoseevents.

Whenphotographingriotsor civilunrest,make sure thepolice don’t think youare aparticipant.Moveawayif thepolice askyou to,and staycalm,or you might runtheriskofbeingarrested forobstruction.

Cooperate withthe police. It might beirritatingto be searched or questioned,butafailure tocooperatemay resultin detentionat apolice station for severalhours.

Anyphotographer faced withspecicdifculties should seeklegaladvice.

PAU


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Therst thing to sayis thatthis conversationneedsto takeplace before a singleshotistaken.Youshouldknowwhatyou aresellingbeforeyou start work. Default positionshouldbe to say‘no’ to requests forfull copyright.Some photographerswill walk away from a jobrather than give up copyright,knowing thatthere’s a line of journeymensmudgersbehindthem, readyto snap itup.

You maywant to control theprinting of thephotographs,charging extraeach time copiesaremade.This is your prerogative and in thatcase youwouldn’t give theclientdigital les,either. Explainthat yourbusiness and livelihoodisdependent on the revenue from prints.

Ifyoudon’tmake money from prints,youmayjust want toprotectyour intellectualproperty andbe freeto use itin future.So when

Howtohandletheclientthatasksforcopyrighta clientattemptsto securecopyright, explain thatyouretaining copyright neednot prevent themfrom doing whatever they want withthephotographs. You cangrantthem a licence to dowhatever they like withthe images(apart fromre-selling them, perhaps) in perpetuity. Or youcandraw up an agreement with terms andconditions.Maybe they canuse your images only in materialthey themselvespublish, or in print butnotonline,or for a xed termsuchas threeyears.Duringthattime youmightagree to limitations on your ownuse ofthe image too,suchas not tosell ittoacompetitorof theclient, or only tosell it overseas.These arereasonableconditionsthat shouldallowbothparties to getwhat they want.

Ifa clientinsists on fullcopyright, rstof allaskyourself why. Is there a huge commercialopportunityfor theoutright owner of these

images? If so,couldthat be your opportunity?Could youexploit thatopportunity or is theclientin a uniqueposition?If theclienthasaccessto marketsthat yousimplycan’t reach,consider a revenue-sharewith theclient. If thatwon’t work, thenyourprice forthe jobshouldreect thesurrender ofcopyright.

To decide howmuch extra to charge forfullcopyright,imagine howmuch money youcouldpotentiallymakefromthoseimages yourself.Sure, that kid inthe school portraitmightbe afuturewinnerof theX-Factor, butwhat aretheodds? Then again,it’sknownthat there wasanagencythatdid someworkfora haulagecompany. A photoof a random driver ina cabwent on to becometherst publishedphotograph of the Yorkshire Ripper. Boughttheagencyboss his swimming pool, thatdid.

ISTOC


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W HILE IT’S ALMOST secondnature for professionals toponder whether it’s worthhiring rather thanbuying the gear theyneed,mostamateur photographers rarely,if ever, consider this option. Over the

following pages, we provide the answers towhether buying or hiring makes sense andwhere to look for the best deals.

Whyshouldyouhireratherthanbuy?There are a number of reasons forhiringequipment. The most obvious is,of course,that you can potentially savea lot ofmoney. As you’ll see from ourprice guidetable over the page, the difference betweenbuying an expensive lens and hiring onecanstretch to four gures!

What this effectively means is that youcanafford to use equipment by hiring itthat you simplywouldn’t have the funds tobuy outright. This has a number ofbenets. To begin with, if you’re juststarting out on the road to making moneyfrom your photography andcan’t afford tobuyexpensive kit, then hiring equipmentmakes sense if you earn back the cost (andsome prot too) from the photographsyoutake using it. What it also means is that byhiring,you can makeuse of a specic itemthat you only need infrequently, say amacro lens or a portable studioash. It’s afarbetter option thanbuying it andknowing you’ve spent a small fortune onsomething that spendsmost of its timegathering dust.

Hiring equipment also means you can‘trybefore you buy’. This is particularlyuseful if you’re expecting to spend a largesum and need tobe sureyou’re gettingyourmoney’sworth. For example, manyphotographers thinking about upgradinga lens can hirea marque and independentlens and compare the handling, autofocusandoptical performance with their currentlens to see which, if any, is worth investingin. Sure, it may mean forking out £100ormore, but that’s a small price to pay forknowing you’ve made the right choice.Especially as some rms will refund the

cost ofthe hireif you end up buying thelens from them.

Wherecanyouhirekitfrom?There area numberof places, rangingfromwell-known photo retailers through to

web-basedrms dedicated to hiring outphoto kit. Tap in photo kit hireor camerarental in Google and it brings up a numberof options, but we’d suggest you stick towell-known companies, whichensure thekit they supply is regularly serviced andwell stocked. The easiest way to do this isto check out theclassied ads in the TestCentre section of Digital SLR Photographyevery issue,where you’ll ndseveralreputablerms, including Lenses for Hire,Lens Pimp andHire a Camera.

If you want to visit a hiring centreinperson, then twowell-known photo

retailers we’d highlyrecommendyoucontact are The Flash CentreandCalumet.Both have dedicated rental areaswithextensive stock supplies and trained staff.

Whatsortofphotokit

isavailabletohire?When it comes to camera gear, you’ll ndthat literally anything canbe hired. If youneed a camera body, then you’ll ndanything from an entry-level DSLR like aCanon EOS 400D through to top of therangemodels like the EOS-1D S MkIII oraNikon D3 X is available. And let’snot forgetabout theoption of hiring a medium-format system.Everdreamed of using aHasselblad system? Well you might not beable to affordto buy one,but you couldprobably hireone for a day (albeit even aday’s hirewillset you back a fair bit!).

Don’toverlook theoption torentratherthan buy. Hiringwhatyouneed rather than buying itnotonly savesyou money, butalso allowsyou accesstoequipmentyou mightnot otherwise beable toafford

PHOTO KIT:BUYOR HIRE?

Whenitcomestocameragear,you’ll ndthatliterallyanythingcanbehired,fromanentry-levelCanonEOS400DtoatopoftherangeNikonD3 ”


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Frequentlyaskedquestions: KithireWe asked Calumet, one of the

UK’s leading suppliersofrental equipment, to answerour list of queries regardinghiring photo equipment.

Q What checksaremadeto hirekitsoI know it’s reliable?A Wetestall thefunctionsof theequipmentbeforeit leavesus tobesureit is functioningcorrectly,includingthe imagesensorondigitalbodies.Q What happensif I lose ordamageanyhired equipment?A Wecharge a 15%damage waiverfee, whichcoversfor damageto thekitonly;an excess wouldapply toeach order where an item isdamaged. If thecustomerhas theirowninsurance tocoverthis thenwewouldnotneed tochargethe15%,solongas wesee theinsurance policybeforethe goods leaveus.Q What happensif I want totakeanyhiredkit abroad?A That’s ne. If itis outsideEuropethen wewouldchargea 20%damagewaiver onthe rental.Q How far inadvance doI need toreserve it?A Asfar asyou like!The more noticewehavethe morelikelywe’llhavetheitem availableand wecan thenbookitin advance toavoidanydisappointment .

Q What happensif it’s faultywhenI rst receiveit?A In theunlikelyeventof theproductbeing faultyon arrivalor goingfaultyduring theshootwe will doour besttohave thekit replaced. (Quiteoftenwhenwe areinformedthat thekit isfaultywe willtalkthe customerthroughthekit,as moreoftenthannotitis usererror rather thana faultorit issomethingminorthatcanbeworkedaround.)Q Isthe kitdeliveredor doI need tocollectit?A Wecan deliveror thecustomer iswelcometo collect.For furtherdetailson hiringequipmentfromCalumet,visit: www.calumetphoto.co.ukQ What other equipmentother thanphotokit canbe hired?A It’s notjustphotography kitthatyoucanhire.Manyrentalrmsincludedesktop computersandlaptops,often bundledwith softwaresuchas Lightroom andPhotoshop,so it’s worthenquiring ifyou’reshootingon locationandwouldbenetfrom a state-of-the-arteditingfacility. Manyof thephotorentaloutlets,includingCalumet,offerrentalfor Applelaptopsfor instance.For furtherinformation onhiringcomputers,we’d recommendyoutake a lookat oursister titles:MacUser , Computer Shopperand PCPro .

Buyingyourkit: HowtopayQ Whybuyratherthanhire?A Withso many strongargumentsforhiring, it’s fair enoughaskingwhyit’s worthbuying gear atall. Theobviousreasonof courseis thatowningkit is farmorecost-effectiveinthelongrun; hiringshould beashort-termmeasurewhen youcan’tafford tobuythekit,or simply wanttousesomethingyouwon’toftenneed.For mostpeople, payingby cash isn’tanoptionwhen spendinga sizeablewadon equipment,and aswehighlight below, usinganotherpayment optionoftencomeswith itsownrewards. Here welist themostpopularbuying optionsavailabletoyou, along withtheirprosand cons...

CreditcardsAdvantages: Onceyou’vepaid,

you’llhavea periodof time, usually

around30-45 days,to payoff thebalancewithout incurring anyinterestor fees.If you’re savingup fortheitem,it’s aneasy way tobuyitbeforeyou have thetotalamount youneed. Somecardsoffer anintroductory0% interestperiod,whichis great solongas you clearthebalance beforethe period ends.

Benetssuchas insuranceforpurchases,as well asextensionstothemanufacturer’s warranty, areavailablewith somecards.If you’rekeen ontravel,usea creditcardthatgivesyou Airmiles andbuilduppointstowardsfreeights.

Disadvantages: Creditcardcompanies make a fortunefrominterestpayments,so ifyoudon’tclear your balancebefore thedeadline, you’llend uppayingintereston yourpurchases.

DebitcardAdvantages: If you’remaking a

expensivepurchase anddon’tfancycarryingaround a lotof cash withyou, thenpayby debit card,whichwithdrawscashdirectly fromyourcurrent account.

Disadvantages: Youneedthebalancein your bank accounttoavoidgoing overdrawn(whichcanincurpenalty charges)or havingyourpurchase rejected.

PaymentSchemes‘BuyNow Pay Later’andpay-by-instalmentschemesallowyouto buykit youcurrentlycan’tafford,offeringa periodof timeinwhich youpaybymonthlyinstalmentsor asa lump sumonasetdatein thefuture.

Advantages: A relativelyeasywtobuy kityou haven’t themoneyfor.

Disadvantages: Highinterest raoften setat thetimeofpurchase,meansyou’llbe payingfar more thanifyoupayby alternativemeans,somake thisoptiona last resort.You’reoftenbetteroffwitha bankloani

fazendo dinheiro com a fotografia

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