Dear Mr. Stock Smarty Pants: I have read several of your responses to readers questions. They are both illuminating and informative. Tried searching a number of keywords on your site “musician”, “rock and roll”, “concert” etc.. Could not find any reference to those topics.  I have a couple of quick questions. My company has acquired hundreds if not thousands of very good photos of bands and rock stars performing live. These photos were taken over several years. The photographer has since died. Both he and his wife were killed in a car accident in which their two children survived. We are trying to find a way to monetize the collection by selling copies or approaching an agency so proceeds can go to the kids who are living with family members.

Continue reading "Mr. Stock Smarty Pants answers questions about copyright and publicity rights" »

Posted by Paul Henning at March 27, 2008 | Comments (0)

Dear Mr. Stock Smarty Pants: I have been reading your columns in About The Image and think they’re great.  I’m a photography student who is hoping to graduate soon and get into the stock photo business.  My problem is this: I have never signed a contract with a stock agency and I don’t know what sort of arrangement would be fair regarding royalties on sales of my pictures.  Is this something that varies a lot? Do I have to be careful? Can you brake down what sorts of splits are typical in the business today?

Sincerely yours,
Christopher in Atlanta

Continue reading "Mr. Stock Smarty Pants answers questions about fair royalties" »

Posted by Paul Henning at February 21, 2008 | Comments (0)

Dear Mr. Stock Smarty Pants:

Hey, I was watching the NFL playoff games and started wondering what the market is like for pictures from professional sporting events.  I sometimes take my camera along to Dodger games and get some pretty good shots with my telephoto lenses.  Think I could sell some of them? Also, what do photographers do to stay warm in places like New England and Green Bay? It looks awful.

Sincerely yours,
Al in Los Angeles

Continue reading "Mr. Stock Smarty Pants tackles pro-sports photography" »

Posted by Paul Henning at January 25, 2008 | Comments (1)

Dear Mr. Stock Smarty Pants:

It being the New Year and all, I was wondering if there are any resolutions that you think a stock photographer should make.  Also, it would be helpful if you have any hints on how to stick to those resolutions, because I’m really not very good at that (last year I resolved to lose 30 pounds but only managed to get rid of five, and that was for just two weeks).

Sincerely,

Rick
Buffalo NY

Continue reading "Mr. Stock Smarty Pants offers new year’s resolutions for stock photographers" »

Posted by Paul Henning at January 10, 2008 | Comments (0)

Mr. Stock Smarty Pants normally reserves this time of year exclusively for lounging in the hot tub and consuming fine brandy by the snifter while awaiting his next excursion out onto the slopes here at St. Moritz.  However, I was caught in an unguarded moment (not to mention a compromising position) several months ago by the editors of About the Image, and thus I’m obligated to answer one of the many annoying pleas for enlightenment they have forwarded to me.  So, let us consider this tale of ignorance from a chap named Ron who resides somewhere in the bleakness of Oklahoma:

Continue reading "Mr. Stock Smarty Pants sends a pre-holiday missive" »

Posted by Paul Henning at December 24, 2007 | Comments (0)

First of all, Mr. Stock Smarty Pants (or, as I’m sometime known, MSSP) wants to acknowledge the editors and management of About The Image (ATI) for their obvious brilliance and eminent good taste in bringing me on board.  It’s not as if I need a job, but I thought this might be good for a few laughs and the boys who run ATI seem pretty desperate for some high-quality content.  And to you, the readers of About The Image, I just want to say that the vast treasure trove of opinions and information about the stock industry which resides in my brain is now at your disposal, or at least until such time as ATI bounces one of their checks to me.  Send me your questions…and don’t worry, NO question is too difficult for me to answer.

Continue reading "Mr. Stock Smarty Pants speaks about Google Images" »

Posted by Paul Henning at November 12, 2007 | Comments (0)

Send us your questions - You know abouttheimage as a classy, above-the-board, shining example of contemporary journalism.  All that is about to change. Commencing next week, and at no small expense, abouttheimage will feature a bi-weekly question-and answer column featuring the wit, wisdom and occasional political diatribes of that international man of mystery from the stock picture industry, Mr. Stock Smarty Pants.  Some of you may have already heard of this shadowy figure…others not.

Continue reading "Mr. Stock Smarty Pants offering free advice for stock photographers" »

Posted by Paul Henning at October 24, 2007 | Comments (1)