I was looking to use a model on a recent cover for a book I wrote, but although the model was willing, he was unable to get me photos with clear copyright. As a result, I ended up working with a female freelance model who was willing to do a couple of shoots for a small amount of money and the opportunity to get her face out there. Because she didn't have an agent, she and her photographer were able to give me full copyright to use her image on the cover of the book and for all advertising pertaining to the book. Naturally, I left all other non-book copyrights in their hands, so they can use all the photos from the shoots in portfolios or for any other purposes they wish...

Since I'm working on writing another novel, I thought I'd start earlier to see if we have any marketing experts who might have suggestions on how to approach talent agencies or freelance models to try to get a blonde female model with brown eyes and an athletic build to pose for the next book cover. Obviously, trying to find out what they charge for a single photo isn't the way to go about it, as I still don't have a clue as to what the average agent charges for use of a photo of a model they represent. They basically just told me that the photos my model wanted to allow me to use were not his property and refused to talk money needed to reshoot with me being able to get a copyright...

Links to information are always welcome. For those who want to know, I happen to live in the great state of Maine (in the United States - NOT part of Canada as some in Florida thought when I was living there), but am willing to work with a model from any other part of the world as long as we can get clear copyright privileges to be able to use [their] photo for the cover and all advertising for the book. As with the model I used for my last book, I just want permission for a single photograph to use for the cover and advertising, which [the model] would still have all rights to use for other jobs or in a portfolio as [they] see fit...

Thank you, as always, for any and all comments.