What do you mean I can't make copies of my wedding photos?
What is a copyright or What do you mean I can't make copies of my wedding photos?
Writers, Movie Producers, Musicians, Photographers and anybody else who creates something is entitled to ownership rights over their creation. For an invention or a hard product, these rights are called a patent and for ideas, it is called a copyright. The founding fathers of the United States granted these rights to inventors and authors to foster the creative process.
When you hire a wedding photographer, you are hiring them to create photographs which allow you to remember your special day. You may also purchase a wedding album or other photos from your wedding day to show your friends and family. Just like you can play a CD or DVD for your friends and family but not make copies, the same goes for photographs. The confusion lies because, this is MY wedding. Unfortunately, the law does not discriminate. The photographer owns the image copyright from the moment they press the button on the camera. It does not matter if they are an amateur or professional photographer.
In today's digital age, you may purchase or be given a set of digital files or digital negatives. Believe it or not, this still does not give you the right to make copies. If you were to take that disc to any photo store for printing, they would rightfully ask you for the copyright release or usage license. This is the piece of paper the photographer gives you which tells everybody else, you have the photographer's permission to make your own copies. So if you obtain a set of your digital images, make sure you also obtain from your photographer a letter or form, permitting you to use the digital negatives to make your own copies.
Writers, Movie Producers, Musicians, Photographers and anybody else who creates something is entitled to ownership rights over their creation. For an invention or a hard product, these rights are called a patent and for ideas, it is called a copyright. The founding fathers of the United States granted these rights to inventors and authors to foster the creative process.
When you hire a wedding photographer, you are hiring them to create photographs which allow you to remember your special day. You may also purchase a wedding album or other photos from your wedding day to show your friends and family. Just like you can play a CD or DVD for your friends and family but not make copies, the same goes for photographs. The confusion lies because, this is MY wedding. Unfortunately, the law does not discriminate. The photographer owns the image copyright from the moment they press the button on the camera. It does not matter if they are an amateur or professional photographer.
In today's digital age, you may purchase or be given a set of digital files or digital negatives. Believe it or not, this still does not give you the right to make copies. If you were to take that disc to any photo store for printing, they would rightfully ask you for the copyright release or usage license. This is the piece of paper the photographer gives you which tells everybody else, you have the photographer's permission to make your own copies. So if you obtain a set of your digital images, make sure you also obtain from your photographer a letter or form, permitting you to use the digital negatives to make your own copies.
posted by Howard at 1:20 AM
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