Printing Releases

[MBuzzy]

We just ran into a new problem, curious if anyone has heard of this. It is actually a GOOD THING in general....

We sold a CD of some photos to someone, with full rights to them. When they took the photos to a Lab to be printed (just a walmart/CVS kind of place), they refused to print the photos without a signed release from the photographer. Of course we gave her one....but has anyone heard of this?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Any reputable lab will refuse to print pro-looking work without a release. I got the most grief at Walmart. Walgreens never even asked when I was there, but others have had issues. When I give photos on CD or email printables, I include a release form with specific rights and contact information. I've never had a problem with those. I also embed my contact information in the images so if the lab looks, it's obvious who's shots they are.

 

[tellner]

MBuzzy, I'd go back to that lab, walk in and demand to see the manager...

And shake his or her hand with sincere thanks for protecting your creative rights so carefully.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

MBuzzy, I'd go back to that lab, walk in and demand to see the manager...

And shake his or her hand with sincere thanks for protecting your creative rights so carefully.

I agree. I'm glad some care enough to check.

 

[jks9199]

Any reputable lab will refuse to print pro-looking work without a release. I got the most grief at Walmart. Walgreens never even asked when I was there, but others have had issues. When I give photos on CD or email printables, I include a release form with specific rights and contact information. I've never had a problem with those. I also embed my contact information in the images so if the lab looks, it's obvious who's shots they are.

We got something like that with our wedding "album" which was all-digital.

 

[MBuzzy]

All electronic stuff or paper versions?

When you embed in the image, do you mean in the code or as a watermark kind of info? I never even thought about trying to get our OWN pictures printed - we use mainly online photo labs. We've had some stuff stolen, so it kind of makes me feel better that they do this...

 

[MBuzzy]

I'm certainly grateful that they do...although people will find a way to steal them if they want them. We actually had some people take screen shots of their gallery and crop them to post on Facebook. Luckily Facebook was very good about removing them....but now we spent hours checking the FB pages of 14 year old girls making sure that they didn't steal anything.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

All electronic stuff or paper versions?

When you embed in the image, do you mean in the code or as a watermark kind of info? I never even thought about trying to get our OWN pictures printed - we use mainly online photo labs. We've had some stuff stolen, so it kind of makes me feel better that they do this...

Prints we will sometimes put a small discrete watermark on the image. I also print on textured luster paper which causes resulting scans to be, crappy.

Digital files I embed in the EXIF data.
(Photoshop : File - File Info.)

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Prints we will sometimes put a small discrete watermark on the image. I also print on textured luster paper which causes resulting scans to be, crappy.

Digital files I embed in the EXIF data.
(Photoshop : File - File Info.)

Alot of my martial arts shots end up in folks facebook galleries, and on some websites. I tend to ignore some of it, if they were clients. Non clients usually get DMCA takedown notices sent out to their hosts. If they ask, I'm usually ok with it, within reason.

 

[MBuzzy]

yeah, we usually will provide complimentary low res pictures to clients for the images that they buy - for the sole purpose of putting on facebook - gets our name out and keeps them from stealing. If they have never nor ever intend to buy anything, we typically don't give them the digitials, but after every show put up about 5-10 images on facebook, watermarked and low res....but that's just luck of the draw if they are in it or not.

 

[Carol]

I also ran in to this at FedEx Office Kinkos...whatever they are called now. The one near me will do larger size prints mounted on foamcore, the fellow that I talked to gave me some paperwork, included in the paperwork is a release form.