Copyright and Wedding Photographs
Copyright and Wedding Photographs - I am often asked questions like" Can I make a copy of the DVD when I buy the images from you" or "Can I make copies of your images for myself" etc so it seemed like a good time to do a quick little Q & A about copyright and how it applies not just to my photography but to all photographers.
Misconceptions about Copyright and Wedding Photographs
I’ll run through a few common misconceptions, and if you have any specific questions not answered here, please just call, text or drop me an email and I’d be glad to talk with you about it.
Q: “If I hire you to take my picture, do I own the copyright?”
A: As the photographer, I am the owner of the copyright for all of the images I produce. I have the right to reproduce and sell the images to my clients.
Q: “What is copyright infringement?”
A: Copyright infringement is when a person copies, downloads, distributes or publicly displays the work of a photographer without written permission from the photographer. In other words, it is illegal for you to copy, scan, screencapture or otherwise reproduce my work without specific granted permission from me. If a client purchases a digital file from me, I will grant them a specific license to reproduce that image for personal use. Copying or scanning a photographic print or screencapturing an image from my blog is NEVER okay. In fact, it is ILLEGAL. Remember if you want an image for Facebook then just ask - I will give you it (with a copyright logo on). I would prefer this than you copying / scanning an image!!
Q: “If I buy an 8×10, can’t I take it to Boots and have prints made for my family?”
A: In a single word "No". This would be illegal. If you would like to distribute copies of your photo to family or friends, you must either purchase individual photographic prints for them from me, or purchase the digital file in order to reproduce them yourself. My digital files are not expensive to purchase individually. I keep the prices low so that you don't have to break the law!!
Q: “What about FaceBook? Can I share my images with my friends?”
A: Again, if you have purchased the digital file, you receive permission allowing you to share your images digitally, or in print, with your friends and family. This permission card will give you the right to share your image on FaceBook, MySpace, etc. One exception to this is for images I (Andrew Miller) place on FaceBook. If I have placed an image of you on the Andrew Miller Photography FaceBook page, you MAY tag yourself and or use that image for your profile picture, so long as you are not copying or downloading that image to your computer. By tagging yourself, you are only linking to my image, not reproducing it.
Hopefully this Q & A answered some of your questions regarding copyright. (reproduced with some slight changes.)
Credits for this Copyright and Wedding Photographs Article
This article was originally published by Brook Rieman under her section on Understanding Copyright.
Brook strives to create unique and compelling images which capture the true essence of her subjects. She accomplishes this through photographic skill, artful use of available, natural light, and beautiful locations.
Brook Rieman lives in Spencer, Indiana with her husband, young daughter, 2 cats, 2 dogs and 4 chickens. When she is not shooting, Brook enjoys hiking, camping, cooking and knitting.
These are a series of slides from my Facebook for Business workshop that go into a little more depth on using photographs commercially.
0 Comments