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Hey Friend!
Today’s mistake is a BIG one, and very few people think to ask about this.
In my last post, we talked about how hiring a traditional photographer for personal brand photography was a mistake because most traditional photographers do not understand how to translate a brand into images and it won’t actually help you grow your business and connect with your audience.
Today’s mistake is related.
Mistake #2: Not asking if a commercial use license is included.
Most traditional photographers do NOT allow you to use the images they take commercially.
This means you can’t use them to grow your business in any way.
If you want to use these in your business, you MUST have a commercial use license, and you should expect to pay more for this than you would for photos sessions that you do just for personal use since you’ll be using them to grow your business and make more money.
Traditionally, commercial use licenses varied in price based on distribution numbers, the location where the photos are used, how many copies will be distributed, what channels will be used to distribute them, how long you’ll be allowed to use them, and more.
Quite frankly, it’s a complicated mess that’s a pain to track and deal with.
This is why working with a modern Personal Brand Photographer is absolutely ideal. Personal Brand Photography is a relatively new niche in the photography industry that gives you the commercial use licenses you need, but at one easy price.
No confusing tracking.
No complicated pricing.
One price. Almost unlimited commercial usage.
Because if you have a post go viral, the last thing you want is to get a huge licensing bill from your photographer, or worse, have to pull it down because you didn’t have a commercial use license in the first place.
Pro Tip #2: Ask for details about their usage license and contract before making a decision.
Many photographers treat their business like a hobby and not an actual business. If they don’t have a contract or usage license, or things get a bit awkward when you ask about it, they likely won’t understand your mindset as an entrepreneur.
If they don’t take their own business seriously, how can you expect them to understand YOUR needs as an entrepreneur?
Have more questions about how you can use the Personal Brand Photos I create for you? Contact me and ask, and I’d be happy to share more.
P.S. It’s not just commercial usage you have to worry about. In my next post I’ll share another limitation that you’ll have if you work with a traditional photographer instead of a Personal Brand Photographer. See you there!
If you'd rather watch a video on this subject check out my YouTube video below: