Wilson Phalarope (? about Museum use)

Utah Museum of Natural History contacted me today wanting to use a photo I have of a Wilson's Phalarope in an exhibit on Utah state birds. Told them no problem and am just waiting for them to give specifics on use so I can size it properly for them. Call me an idiot but I did not even consider asking them for a usage fee. In my eyes I'm glad when my images can be used in an environent to educate. But, I'm curious how others would have handled this. I have no issues with asking any publishing agency for an usage fee but usual donate an image or two freely to an educational organization. This is also what I do with our local naure center. The hold a fund raising auction once a year and I always donate a couple 11x14 images to them. To me it just seems like a worth while cause. Anyway, I' guess I'm just curious how others have handled such a situation. Lord knows I could use the money from more phot sales, LOL!!
Oh yeah, here's the image. Nothing special but it is the best one of have of these shy little birds.

"Call me an idiot but I did not even consider asking them for a usage fee. In my eyes I'm glad when my images can be used in an environent to educate."

Hey Jim,

Congratulations! It really depends. Speaking for myself, while I would love to have the usage fee, I would rather have the exposure.

James

Check out this calculator:

http://photographersindex.com/stockprice.htm

Very interesting little calculator. I'm going to run some of my scenarios through it and see what happens. Still didn't see a "museum" category. I'm with James on this one. The exposure is probably worth it.

Geo

Well, time will tell if my decision pays off or not. In furthur conversation it appears the museum is building a whole new section and will be looking for a lot of images for it. The lady I gave the picture to is going to pass on my contact info to the director as a source when they start building the new exhibits. The Phalarope picture is going to be printed at 4" x 5" and put in a temporary display with a stuffed Phalarope to show folks what the live bird really looks like.

Hey Durwood,

Thank you very much for the calculator. That is pretty great. I wonder how current they keep the numbers.

Anyway, Jim, there is no reason why not to talk about compensation when they appear to be looking seriously at your image for their new wing. However, I think it would be nice to say in my website, 'James work has been published in a variety of places including having one of his pieces featured in...'

James

sale only to a museum like that. It's not as though your or the bird is extinct. . .

It's an excellent photograph of a really stunning bird.

Thanks Mike,

This was one of two times I've been able to get close to some of them. The other time I had one that let me work close eneough to be using my 100mm for full frame. But I was shooting my Konica/Minolta 7D DSLR and my Metz flash was not working well on this body. The bird was in deep shadows and I need the flash to illuminate and slow it's motions. When I got back though I had overexposed and blown out the whites on it's body. Really frustrating as I had laid on my belly in the mud for about 20 minutes while the bird just pranced around in front of me.