Any conversation about how to distribute images to "clients" must actually begin with a consideration of the things one must do before even distributing the images - long before. First, it's absolutely necessary to protect one's right to license the usage of ones intellectual property. This begins when one makes contact with or is contacted by a prospective "client". A paper trail begins with the first contact and professional paperwork for these transactions can be found for editorial use at http://www.editorialphoto.com After establishing a clear understanding with the prospective client about what is needed, and determining whether the photographer is the correct provider, then it's necessary to determine what the cost to the photographer is of doing the business. Editorial photographers also has calculators for this process. After that stage it's always smart to determine what the possible client should be able to afford - since clients have a cute habit of claiming to be low budget or non-profit while paying their executives 6 figure salaries and charging their advertisers 6 and 7 figure fees for full page ads. Again Editorial Photographers has tables of data about many editorial products out there to determine just where the prospective client sits in relation to money. Finally, if all the paperwork is in order, all the prices agreed upon, a contract signed and the job shot, before transmitting or submitting the results, the actual shoot needs to be registered with the Copyright Office. The process is simple, the rewards, if the client goes bad or careless or irresponsible, can be rather large. Undervaluing ones work has many sad repercussions - the saddest of which is the devaluation of photography for all other possible vendors. But the actual "money left on the table" by those who undervalue their own work can also be rather amazing. If you're in business as a photographer, it's best to know how to be businesslike in all your dealings.
