Another unexpected email

Arley House, Cheshire, originally uploaded by Haris Abdul Rahman.

It looks like Lady Luck is upon me lately when it comes to my photos. I received an email - a flickrmail rather - from an editor just now enquiring about this particular photo. She is from Schmap Guide, an online city guide. They are drawing out their next edition in the next few weeks and have shortlisted my photo above to be included. Although there will be no monetary payment involved, they have made it clear that I will be credited with the image and there will be a link to my page in flickr, which can only be good. The guide itself is free. In fact you can have a look at the previous editions on http://www.schmap.com.

Since my photos were published in the Malay Mail, a few of my friends from KLickr - KL flickr group - warned me to make sure that I was not taken advantage of. Apparently in Malaysia, it is standard practice for the newspaper to request to use photos, did so, with no acknowledgment of the source. Should you insist on credit - we are not talking about money here, just credit - they will say thank you very much and go for another photo. Since I don't earn my living from photography, I don't really mind my photo being used, but the professionals do. I can clearly see their point of view, and I respect that. That is not saying if in the future should somebody politely ask me to use my photo, I will refuse. Far from it. What I am saying is, it would be much better if credit is given to the photographer rather than not.

As for me, I have literally thousands of photos I took during my UK days, but since most of them were rather in negatives or slides, it is rather tedious for me to share them online.

Comments

[kudo]

hey, I got a request for one of my flickr shots of Sheffield last summer! but I think I missed the boat cos I sat on my ass too long to do anything about it :(