post wedding copyright release (User 876 plaes halp!)

ellev

I was one of those brides who was sooo obsessed with getting the right photographer that I lost my head and ended up getting the wrong photographer. So wrong, in fact, that he was the worst part of the wedding. Among other things, he was incredibly arrogant, and awkward to be around. He also focused on the setting, which indeed was lovely (Sunset Ballroom, arguably our BEST vendor) instead of us, so we have some photos with great potential that desperately need to be retouched, cropped, etc.

On the other hand, my boudoir photog was killer and we would like to work with her to create the wedding album and fix the images (she says it looks like he barely did any editing at all), but she won't touch them without a copyright release.

Does anyone have any recommendations about how to ask the wedding photog for one? He doesn't know how I feel about the whole thing or him, I just never said anything (I haven't really been able to bring myself to look at the pics since the wedding). I'm desperate to have it, but I'm afraid that he's too arrogant to let us have one. Should I try telling him that we're having trouble obtaining prints (we have CDs of the images, so he has no problem with us printing them ourselves)? I'm just afraid we're going to get a usage license that will say we need his permission to retouch them.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

TLuvT

Why do you have to have a release if you are not posting them in a magazine or something like that?

My friend had a great book done and they included retouching, so you could say something like that to him. Send over the release form and just have him sign it.

Sorry to hear that you didn't have a good experience with your photographer.

kellybee83

Oh no!  I'm sorry that you weren't happy with your photographer.  Who did you end up going with?  I think I remember your some of your final candidates.  I would have thought as long as you have the cd, they are yours and someone else could edit them. 
Glad your venue was amazing!  I bet you looked stunning in that gorgeous dress so you (and your hubby) definitely should have been the focus of the photographer. 

ellev

Aw, thanks Kellybee! Speaking of stunning, look at you!! Wowza. Congratulations on your gorgeous day!!!

 I think the deal is my boudoir photographer is super by-the-book and her studio's license says that her clients may create albums, prints, etc, but that they still need her permission to retouch her images. Unless she either has the copyright release or a usage license that does NOT state something similar, she won't retouch the images. They really need help though, because the wedding photog barely did any editing. Someone else mentioned that sometimes photographers don't do the final editing until you order prints from them, but that seems really odd and lame.

GolfChick78

How does the copyright language in your agreement read?  Ours allows us a lot of lattitude; we can essentially do anything we want except sell them for cash.  Maybe you already have the necessary permission and she just needs to see the language?

Denise91980

I am sorry that this happened to you. My issue was my videographer and my wedding video is literally the worst video I have ever seen in my life (I wish I was exaggerating). I was honest and upfront with my videographer and he offered to re-edit, but the editing he did in the first place was so horrible, that I wouldn't want him touching it again. I would be upfront and honest with your photographer and let him know that you are not happy with the final product and ask him about the rights, as you want someone else to retouch them for you. I would honestly ask for some of the money back as well.

USER876

I have NEVER seen or heard of any professional giving away copyright other than a print release.  They may SELL it to you, but the price will be steep.  I wouldn't fool around with this, photographers take copyright infringement very seriously and it could end up very expensive for you.

I think your only option at this point is to work with your photographer.  It is unethical for a professional to modify another professionals property.  Is your photographer capable of doing the editing?  Are the images you have just "proofs?"  Does he supply retouching for any ordered prints or for your album?  I think you need to get answers to these questions on why the images are not retouched, and why they don't like the samples he showed you when you booked him (or do they????).  By the cropping comment, it sounds like he took a lot of environmental images, and not close up portraits.  This could be an issue, by the time you crop, you may not have enough pixels left for a decent size print.  Can you post a few so we can see what you are referring to?

LADY324

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_post-wedding-copyright-release-user-876-plaes-halp?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:ed61cfba-4dbd-4cea-bf65-a3f7486ad26dPost:ba0e41f1-18e6-4fad-8447-95e71a4ff554">Re: post wedding copyright release (User 876 plaes halp!)</a>:
[QUOTE]I am sorry that this happened to you. My issue was my videographer and my wedding video is literally the worst video I have ever seen in my life (I wish I was exaggerating). I was honest and upfront with my videographer and he offered to re-edit, but the editing he did in the first place was so horrible, that I wouldn't want him touching it again. I would be upfront and honest with your photographer and let him know that you are not happy with the final product and ask him about the rights, as you want someone else to retouch them for you. I would honestly ask for some of the money back as well.
Posted by Denise91980[/QUOTE]

I agree with Denise if they are that bad you should really speak to your photographer about it first.  You paid a lot of money for those pictures make sure you get what you were looking for.