So...they want to buy the photos too.

[Elizabeth Schott]

My last two clients have both asked me if they could purchase copies of the reference photos too.

The one has three pictures of kids. The second is of some dogs and she would like to purchase all of the different ones I presented which would be 4.

I have retouched these in photoshop and will print them out as 5 x7's.

What do you charge? I have no idea what to tell them.

Thanks.

[Marvin Mattelson]

I would never sell a photo I used for reference. I want my paintings to stand on their own. My clients appreciate this and seem fine with my explanation. I change many things in the course of doing a painting. In addition I don't want a phone call in six months requesting an alteration to the portrait because Cousin Edna questioned the length of the nose.

[Elizabeth Schott]

Smart Marvin, I never thought about these things. What about out takes is that an option people can consider? Sorry, I am in a bind over this now, live and learn.

Thanks

[Leslie Ficcaglia]

Beth, I agree with Marvin. I make it clear that the reference photo(s) aren't up for grabs. I also don't release any of the other photos because I want to make it clear that I am not a photographer but a painter, and my camera skills are only a tool for my art work. That said, if I am doing a portrait for a friend rather than a stranger I will sometimes give them copies of the photos I've taken as a courtesy, but they don't make any other use of them. Once, very early on, a friend/client wanted to have one of the photos to use for her Christmas cards. Because it took me by surprise I allowed it despite feeling considerable resentment about it, but I don't think I'd let myself be trapped that way again.

I used to make two copies of the photos so that if the client changed his or her mind about the expression and so forth right after we made those choices they could tell me about it. However, that doesn't seem to happen, and so to avoid those issues about use of photos for some other purpose I normally make just one copy now.

Don't forget that places like Sears and Olan Mills charge a fortune for their photos and people shouldn't expect freebies - or even cheapies - as a byproduct of a portrait process.

[Linda Brandon]

Originally Posted by Marvin Mattelson

In addition I don't want a phone call in six months requesting an alteration to the portrait because Cousin Edna questioned the length of the nose.

The phantom Cousin Edna has tanked more of my brilliant ideas than I care to count. Boy, do I hate her. Usually she is described as "the artistic" Cousin Edna. I think she is just one of those people who, if they had the time to paint, would certainly paint better than I can. One of the benefits of getting to be an older and crankier artist is that I let her push me around less than I used to.

[Tom Edgerton]

Amen to everything said here. I vote NO...

This is a perfect example of one of the things in portrait painting that inevitably turns around and bites you, and that you live to regret.

[Michele Rushworth]

Same here, for all the reasons stated above. Nothing good can come of selling or giving the client the reference photos.