About
Copyright and Model Releases
By U.S. Law, a
photographer who takes a picture automatically owns the copyright. If
anyone else wants to copy the picture, they must obtain the
photographer's permission. However, if the picture is of a person (or
in some cases a building) the photographer might not be allowed to sell
or otherwise make commercial use of the image without that person's (or
building owner's) permission.
Copyright
When I take a
picture of you, I hope
to sell you copies of the prints. Revenue from prints compensates me for the relatively
low price of the session fee, and the fact that I'll have spent many
hours preparing the pictures for you before you see the proofs.
Therefore, it really isn't fair if you take my pictures and copy them
at a local drug store or similar. Therefore, I ask you not to copy my
pictures, and you will
have signed an agreement that you won't do so when you make your
booking.
If you want to own the
copyright, either exclusively or not, we can discuss it. Don't expect
me to sell you copyrights
for less than the price I'd ask for several 10"x8" prints though, as
that's what I was hoping to sell to you in the first place.
Model Release
In
addition, when I take a picture of you, I will normally
have you sign a "model release." A model release is an
agreement that permits me to make "commercial use" of your image. Often
I will show my favorite shots of past clients to potential new clients.
I do that on
this website, and I do it when I meet face to face with people.
In
it's standard form, a
model
release allows me to use your picture for advertising, and also to sell
the picture to a magazine or other
publisher too. I perceive value in the model release, mainly because it
is critical to me as I build my portfolio. If you wish to withold the
model release, or
limit its scope, please say so prior
to confirming your booking and we can discuss
what works for you. However, please understand that my normal session
fees are based on a normal model release, and those fees will increase if I lose that value.
My standard model
release is here,
I invite you to examine it, and ask me if anything is unclear, or if
you wish to have me work for you on special terms. Both the
copyright and model release issues I've outlined are typical for most
photographers, although some just have you "sign some papers" without
explaining their contents too clearly. I prefer to be clear in advance
so you can make an informed decision on what works for you, and we can
proceed from there.