My recent series of articles, Successful Stock Strategies, motivated quite a few Stockphotographer.info readers to email me with a variety of questions. A few asked me to write an article about how I go about selling my rights-protected stock images. This article begins an explanation of how I do that.

Copyright © Richard Weisgrau

The photograph in this article was taken at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, about an hour drive from London, England. What makes the photograph stand out in my eyes is the lighting and dessign. I had the good fortune to be in the right place as the late afternoon sun lit up the arches of a passageway that runs the length of one wing of the Palace. Luckily, I had the right equipment to allow me to capture the image with the great depth of field that was required to make it look sharp from end to end.

When I look at the photograph I see a passageway with a lighted exit at the end. The arches along the passageway also spill light into the path. I try to develop a concept around any image that has potential as a rights-protected image. In this one I see a lighted door at the end of a tunnel, but the many archways that border the passage are also lighted. For me the image is symbolic of the path to success. One might say: “Success comes from reaching the light at the end of a passage and by not being distracted by the lights along the way.” Now I know that the foregoing is a mouthful, but a concept has to start somewhere, and now you know where mine starts for this image. As I continue to look at the image I feel it expresses hope, tranquility, and maybe even power.

However, before I try to market the image for a conceptual application like an inspirational poster I will take much simpler path first. When I ask myself who might use a photograph of an architectural feature of Blenheim Palace I come up with an obvious answer - Blenheim Palace. Next step is to visit the Palace’s website: http://www.blenheimpalace.com. A quick survey of the site including its photo gallery yields no image like mine. The question is whether the Palace will be interested in my photograph. Next step is to send an email to the Palace. The Website contact page provides a general delivery address for the palace. I’ll try that one (the path of least resistance) with the hope that the recipient will forward the image to a person who ought to see it or will send me that person’s email. Here’s a copy of the email I will send.

Dear Sir or Madam:

Your help will be most appreciated. I seek to show the attached photograph to a person responsible for the Palace’s Website and/or other palace communications. You will recognize the photograph as a passageway in one of the Palace’s wings. I think the exceptional lighting and composition gives it an icon like quality that draws the eye into it. I think the image evokes a feeling of hope, tranquility, and even power.

As a professional photographer, I would be interested in licensing the use of the photograph to the Palace, if it has an interest in using it. Would you be kind enough to forward the photograph to any persons best suited to review it, or would you reply to me with the email address of such persons so I can send the photographs directly to them.

Your help is the only way I can make such a connection. I do appreciate any effort you might make. My contact information follows.

(email signature and contact data inserted here)

And so off goes the email along with a copy of the photograph attached. The next step is to wait for an answer. While waiting, I will give some thought to how this photograph might end up on a poster. I’ll write more about that in my next article along with any news from Blenheim Palace.

(c) 2006 Richard Weisgrau [contact] [bio]

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