HELP! Someone wants my photos!

[outstar79]

Hello Fellow AP'ers,

I received an email today from the Department of Environment and Conservation stating that they liked particular photos of mine from the Lake Hayward area in Yalgorup NP and want to buy some images from me to put on signs in specific areas around the national park. She said they would have my name beside each picture that was displayed.

The problem being, is I have no business name/abn etc for sales. What are my options? :eek:


Thanks in advance


Adam (outstar79)

[mikew09]

I had this discussion quite some time ago with a freind and this is what I got out of it but may be far from factual. I am not sure you need an abn if it is a hobby with earnings under a certain threshold which I think is up around the 20K mark. Problem here I suppose is the purchaser will want to purchase via an invoice and thier billing system probably requires comp name, abn etc.

I will be interested to see what comes out of this thread as I have been asked to shot at some horse events by a horse association and did give this much thought actually.

[AVALANCHE]

If you don't have an ABN and they require an invoice, your total fee will be halved as I think it is PAYG related on their end. So, if you charge $100, they can only give you $50 if you don't have an ABN.

At least that is my understanding of it.

An ABN costs you nothing to acquire and you get the number instantly online.

[ricktas]

http://www.business.gov.au/BusinessTopics/Registrationandlicences/Registerfortaxation/Pages/RegisterforanAustralianBusinessNumber%28ABN%29.aspx

[ScottM]

We've previously had suppliers and community reps who have been paid for some services. An ABN wasn't necessary; the ATO has declaration forms that allow someone to say they don't have to supply an ABN, and also not have tax taken out.
Here you go, found it:

http://www.ato.gov.au/content/38509.htm

[outstar79]

Thanks for the info everyone, I rang the ABR at the ATO and they said they'll probably reinstate my old ABN and update my business profile. I received another email from the DEC stating that they are after a whole bunch of images for an initial 4-5 information billboards plus more for other parks and park upgrades happening over the next couple of years - so it could end up quite a little lucrative enterprise.

I suppose a business plan will be drafted soon and dig out all my old business management books! :eek:

[Warbler]

A cautionary note. Get everything in writing. Large government departments have high turnover of staff and responsibilities. When the person you've dealt with has moved along, the next person will treat your images as though they own them, and you may find them turning up all over the place.

[outstar79]

Thanks for the info guys, the DEC has agreed to $350 per image, per sign they will use from my selected portfolio of the National Parks they were after. May be the foot in the door I need. My wife always said I could get more camera gear if my art could pay for it! :D

[mongo]

tax stuff aside, this is great news Adam. It is always pleasing when someone says they like your images enough to want to buy them. congrats.

PS you should take Warbler's advice.

[Warbler]

PS you should take Warbler's advice.

Warbler should have taken his own advice about 7 years ago when he gave a disc of photos to someone who worked in a Commonwealth Government Department to use with their community services activities. Little did he know that instead of just using them for the purpose he anticipated, they got passed around to a number of departments. How do I know? I turned up to shoot a quick job for another photographer who took the booking, but was otherwise engaged. What do I see on the projector screen, but my own images being used in a slide show. That was two days ago. The people using the images had no idea whose images they were. I certainly did though. No word of a lie, and a huge co-incidence that I got asked to cover for a friend.

Do what I didn't and make sure the terms of use go into the agreement.

[fess67]

congrats. How did they find your work? It always interests me when members say 'people want to buy....' - - how the 'people' stumbled across your shots.

[outstar79]

tax stuff aside, this is great news Adam. It is always pleasing when someone says they like your images enough to want to buy them. congrats.

PS you should take Warbler's advice.

Thank you Mongo, it's a bit of a buzz and almost surreal - will post the images of the signs once they've been made!

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congrats. How did they find your work? It always interests me when members say 'people want to buy....' - - how the 'people' stumbled across your shots.

Apparently she was looking for new images for their national park upgrade going on - in particular the Yalorup National Park and she came across my images in a google search which led her to my Flickr site. I received an email from her soon after (which I initially thought was spam) but the email checked out as legit so I emailed her back saying "of course you can buy some of my images!" and it went from there.

Completely out of the blue and unexpected - but perhaps this will get me off my ass and do something more with my photography :D

[WhoDo]

Completely out of the blue and unexpected - but perhaps this will get me off my ass and do something more with my photography :D
Great news, Adam! I can see more trips with your son to fill in the gaps for areas they're interested in as well. Once you get know for this stuff, and listed on the APL (Approved Providers List), you might find more opportunities coming your way! Congrats, mate. :cool:

[outstar79]

Great news, Adam! I can see more trips with your son to fill in the gaps for areas they're interested in as well. Once you get know for this stuff, and listed on the APL (Approved Providers List), you might find more opportunities coming your way! Congrats, mate. :cool:
Cheers Waz, yep plenty more trips with ma boy! He loves getting out there as much as I do!

[Lance B]

Well done on the sales, Adam! :th3:

[Roosta]

Sensational news mate, well deserved.
Now the birding and UWA lenses will be arriving soon I guess.

[Analog6]

Congratulations! As Mongo said, always a buss that someone wants to buy, and when it is for big $$ and wide usage, well, the thrill is commensurately bigger. Hope you have a long and fruitful relationship with them.

[harper]

great news adam :th3:

with the images they chose. did you ever think that they would have been sale/print worthy?

[Rattus79]

So, now you've sold your images, you think you deserve that Advanced status? :D

Seriously though, Congrats mate. You deserve it.

[outstar79]

Well done on the sales, Adam! :th3:

Thank you very much Lance!

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Sensational news mate, well deserved.
Now the birding and UWA lenses will be arriving soon I guess.

Cheers mate, yeah the wife will only let me buy photographic gear with what ever I make with photography - she may be eating her words now! :D

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Congratulations! As Mongo said, always a buss that someone wants to buy, and when it is for big $$ and wide usage, well, the thrill is commensurately bigger. Hope you have a long and fruitful relationship with them.

A long and fruitful relationship with the DEC would be nice, thanks Odille! :th3:

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great news adam :th3:

with the images they chose. did you ever think that they would have been sale/print worthy?

Not in the least Matt, in fact when you indicated which ones they wanted, I was like "OMG, you want those ones?!" :D

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So, now you've sold your images, you think you deserve that Advanced status? :D

Seriously though, Congrats mate. You deserve it.

Haha, cheers Greg! :th3: