Photographer Release Form?

Sugargirl1019 · April 2014

I am having pictures taken at a separate venue from my wedding for my bridals in a couple weeks. This venue is very.. hoity toity and requires a lot of things, but it is beautiful and I really want pictures there. That being said.. They want my photographer to sign a "photographer release form".

This requires him to give the venue a CD of all edited images taken on the property for their marketing use.

My photographer is unhappy with this, and does not think it is right that they use his images without compensation. After a few conversations, he has said that he will give the top 30 images only but with his watermark logo on it. But won't tell the venue that he's not giving them ALL of them.

I have no problem with him doing that haha.. But, what are your thoughts about this photographers release? Using his photos and making him sign this form without compensation in order for me to have my session there? What about his "skirting the line" comeback to be okay with doing this?

misshart00 · April 2014

I would be ticked if I was the photographer. As a graphic designer, people think they can just use my work with no compensation, etc since it's "just digital."

I think your photographer providing a few photos with a watermark is a huge compromise.

HisGirlFriday13 · April 2014

I think the venue will have a hard time proving that the top 30 images aren't all of the edited images, and if the release doesn't say anything about not having a watermark or logo on it, then that's on the venue for not reading their contract carefully enough.

FWIW, I think your photographer is being very generous giving them any of the photos, and for working with them at all. I don't care how beautiful a venue is, I wouldn't be comfortable asking my vendors to essentially give away their work for free for someone else's marketing benefit. That's theft, in my book.

Sugargirl1019 · April 2014

My photographer is being great working with these crazy stipulations - we just discussed the watermark and he said it doesn't say anything about having one, so "better to ask forgiveness than permission"

haha

Jen4948 · April 2014

HisGirlFriday13 said:

I think the venue will have a hard time proving that the top 30 images aren't all of the edited images, and if the release doesn't say anything about not having a watermark or logo on it, then that's on the venue for not reading their contract carefully enough.

FWIW, I think your photographer is being very generous giving them any of the photos, and for working with them at all. I don't care how beautiful a venue is, I wouldn't be comfortable asking my vendors to essentially give away their work for free for someone else's marketing benefit. That's theft, in my book.

I agree with this. The venue has no business demanding free photos from your photographer at all, so they should take what he gives them and like it.

theartistformerlyknownas · April 2014

I can see both sides of it. For all the argument of the venue using the photographer for free photos, at the same time you/the photographer are using the venue for a free session. The photos are essentially their payment for use of their space, which costs money to maintain and advertise. I imagine most people simply say "no thanks then" and find a new venue. There are some locations like that near me where EVERYBODY used to go to get their family pictures taken until finally the place just banned photography. Maybe people would have preferred to pay a session fee or offer photos for a trade, but they weren't given that choice. That's life though.

I would find a new venue.

Note: if you are paying them some sort of rental fee for your session, then it's total bullshit. I'd still find a new venue.

daria24 · April 2014

I can't believe your photographer is willing to give them ANY images. That is one bullshit policy. At the very least I would add into the release that he/she has to be credited for the images used.

Sugargirl1019 · April 2014

I am paying a fee for the use of the venue, @lolo883. Yea it sucks.

@daria24 it does thankfully say credit will be given for the photos when needed. But my photographer wants to keep their watermark logo on the picture (not sure if the venue will be happy with that).

countrygirl061513 · April 2014

I would go somewhere else. That's just a bullshit policy especially since you are paying them.

theartistformerlyknownas · April 2014

Sugargirl1019 said:
I am paying a fee for the use of the venue, @lolo883. Yea it sucks.

@daria24 it does thankfully say credit will be given for the photos when needed. But my photographer wants to keep their watermark logo on the picture (not sure if the venue will be happy with that).

Then I'd politely ask them to blow me.

hyechica81 · April 2014

i would say screw this venue i am paying you money and you want my photos no way

emmyg65 · April 2014

Yep, I'd go somewhere else. I don't want to support bullshit policies like that.

misshart00 · April 2014

I agree with PP. Go elsewhere.

sarawifenow · May 2014

The only photo I would be giving this venue would be the one of my backside. PPs hit the nail on the head. Go somewhere else.

photokitty · May 2014

I would not be strong armed into giving a venue my work for free. Can you imagine if arenas tried to get photo journalists to give them copies of all the images they shot for free.

Virtually all photo release forms do not allow the B&G to use the images for profit or sell them. The photog typically retains all advertising rights. I also would not sign a contract were to photog could use the images to advertise anything outside of the photog/ their business itself.

I can't believe any photog would even consider this. Let alone brides...I don't want to be plastered on the side of a bus advertising some venue.

ashleyep · May 2014

This is ridicuous. The venue can have a cd of watermarked proofs. If they want to use one of his images for marketing, they can buy the rights to it from him.

Sugargirl1019 · May 2014

photokitty said:
I can't believe any photog would even consider this. Let alone brides...I don't want to be plastered on the side of a bus advertising some venue.

Eek! The form does clearly state promotion of their venue on their website and Facebook. Luckily I don't live in an area where public transportation buses are common, but I seriously doubt that would ever happen.

kitty8403 · May 2014

This is complete crap. They are trying to use you and your photographer to get free advertising without compensating him for his work. Would you want to spend hours shooting and editing for free so another business could make money off you? That's what they are attempting to bully him into doing.

It'd be one thing if they charged a simple rental fee for all bookings, or offered a trade deal in exchange for the use of their venue. But full rights AND free editing for the entire shoot? Oh, hell no.

Their demands are insane. Book a different venue--and tell them why they've lost your business.

kitty8403 · May 2014

Also, of course you "have no problem with him
doing that"! You're not the one who will lose serious money over days' worth of work!
This is your photographer's livelihood. It is not OK to treat him that way, or to let a third-party vendor treat him that way.

ETA: This is a line in the sand moment. If I were your photographer, and you were siding with the venue this way and trying to force me to give away my work to a third party for free, I would drop you as a client.

photokitty · May 2014

kitty8403 said:

Also, of course you "have no problem with him doing that"! You're not the one who will lose serious money over days' worth of work! This is your photographer's livelihood. It is not OK to treat him that way, or to let a third-party vendor treat him that way. ETA: This is a line in the sand moment. If I were your photographer, and you were siding with the venue this way and trying to force me to give away my work to a third party for free, I would drop you as a client.

I agree, I would expect photogs in your area to start putting and exclusion for this venue in their contracts...at least any of the good photogs.

Just bc you don't have buses or public transit doesn't mean you won't end up on a ad somewhere what you aren't happy about...billboard, magazine, etc...

Reminds me of the couple who saw their photo run on TV during a divorce segment...they weren't divorced or getting divorced...

natswild · May 2014

This is a major red flag that the venue is trying to pull. If they want rights to his photos, then they need to pay him. I agree with PPs that you should run, not walk from this venue. What they are doing is extremely shady, and I would consider it borderline illegal. Good luck!

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