Give Up Copyright?

I took some pics recently at a bike race and was chatting with the "official" photographer - he was a nice guy, too.

Anyway, he suggested that I could sell some of my pics through his website - great idea! BUT, he wants copyright of the images (I will still be able to use them for my own promotions, etc).

My dilemma is this - it's unlikely that I'll sell any through my own website, but I don't want to give up copyright!

Also, Ironman Wales is happening in my neck of the woods in September and endurapix.com have also said something similar (via LinkedIn).

I don't know what deal I'll get for giving up copyright, but it needs to be a good one!

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Generally, not a good idea to give up your copyright. There are many fairer ways to reward the owner of a site for sales made through it (a percentage of revenue e.g.). The request for (c) seems disproportionate. I'd be wary.

Yep, I'll be wary, a reasonable percentage and that's all

Oso

Photographers asking you to give up copyright in order to sell your work clearly do t understand copyright and licensing. On that basis alone how do you know they will correctly sell your work or even licence it correctly
???

I understand the concern about giving up copyright but if you are not going to to be doing anything with the copyright (either selling them now or in the future) maybe a sale now would be better.

I have been carrying out some work for an event photographer as a second camera - I get paid for my time and not for the images that sell. I'm more than happy that he's got the copyright as I get paid regardless of what he can sell.

Depending how 'official' he is (i.e. what distribution channels are available to him), your images maybe worth a lot to him. I'd be very wary about giving it up (circumstances differ though), especially if it is related to future sales (assuming there will be some and you trust him?).

Personally I'd only sell copyright outright, and then only if there was a big upfront lump sum involved. Even if I can't do anything with the copyright I don't want to line someone else's pocket.

I take Mark's point, if the pay is good enough and guaranteed, it's a different arrangement.

In fairness, that is normal practice and is the same in many industries. When I write code and I'm working for a client the copyright belongs to them. When I write code and sell a supported application to a client the copyright belongs to me.

Salaried press photographers' copyright belongs to whoever pays them, freelancers generally keep the copyright for themselves.

Personally I would not give up copyright. If this guy wants your images that much, he should be willing to negotiate.

this is very easy just give him your photos on loan and pay him a percentage of what he sells for you on his website like commission, there is no need to give anyone your copy right and if he really wants your photos then his photos are clearly not as good as yours, and he needs yours to promote his website or his photography???
Or you know what tell him to invest in a Pentax

What Cabstar says above!!!

There's no need to give the copyright of your photos away to someone else in order for them to take a percentage for selling them on their retail outlet.

Don't give up your copyright, as if you do you will lose control of your pics. Chap is either naive about copyright and licensing as Cabstar says or disingenuous

Tell the guy your not willing to give up the copyright but you would be willing to offer him a licence to market and use the images in ways that would be of mutual benefit, if he's no happy with that then walk away.