Selling photos inserted on mock magazine covers

[FotoFreak007]

What is the name of your state? Texas

I am starting a small photography business focusing on taking action photos of kids playing sports. One product I would like to offer the parents is a picture of their child on the cover of Sports Illustrated or any other popular magazine. I would also like to advertise this service online.

Is permission from the magazine necessary? What is the likelihood that the magazines will give me permission to use a mock of their cover?

What if I change a letter in the title (ex. Sport Illustrated)?

Thank you for your help.

 

[Veronica01]

You need the permission from the magazine.

 

[FotoFreak007]

Thanks Veronica, I figured that would most likely be the answer.

I wonder if anyone here knows the level of difficulty (or impossibility) of getting permission. Or what constitutes a high enough level of similarity to get noticed. I've heard the suggestion..."It's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission".

 

[Veronica01]

You will be gambling. Not a good idea at all.

Call the marketing department of the magazine and explain to them what you are doing. Negotiate with them the terms of the royalty. Try to pitch your work as a commercial for the magazine, see if it flies.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

The magazine companies, like Time Magazine, do this all the time. Your idea is not unique - - far from it.

Licensing is done all the time, and the companies are paid from a "pool" - - because there's no way to tell if you used Sports Illustrated 24 times this month, versus Golf Digest 85 times. So, it's all pooled together and you pay an agent who, in turn, divvies up the money equally to the various magazine companies.

Good luck.

IAAL

 

[FotoFreak007]

Thank you very much IAAL! That's the kind of concrete information I was hoping to get.

I thought it was a frequently used idea, but when I did numerous google searches I didn't come up with anyone advertising "realistic" covers or any information on the subject.

Do you know if there is a central agency which handles this pool or who I can contact to learn what I need to do?

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Thank you very much IAAL! That's the kind of concrete information I was hoping to get.

I thought it was a frequently used idea, but when I did numerous google searches I didn't come up with anyone advertising "realistic" covers or any information on the subject.

Do you know if there is a central agency which handles this pool or who I can contact to learn what I need to do?

My response:

As just one example of who's doing this type of photography, some of the major hotels in Las Vegas have kiosks set up and run by kids in their late teens and early twenties taking these photos. It appears to be all computerized.

Anyway, contact any of the magazine companies, and they'll give you the contact information of the agencies that take care of this type of matter.

Good luck to you.

IAAL