Copyright laws and ownership

[Unda Covalava]

This story here prompted me to ask you people in the pro forum:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1004&message=13732325

I know many of you are pros or at least have professional setups with lighting. Have you had the problem above? How would you then prove that you took the photo? Ofcourse, this doesn't apply to the ones that do their own printing.

 

[Dave Angel]

There's no way to prove to such a clerk that I took a particuilar photo. And my pictures have been refused in at least five cases. In each case, I have shown that I am a pro (business cards, membership in PPA, ...), and in only one case did I also have to sign a specific waiver.

Usually, when dealing with a new lab, I start by telling them I'm a pro, asking for the sales-tax exemption form, and set up an account. Once I'm going in with a business name, I've never been questioned.

This story here prompted me to ask you people in the pro forum:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1004&message=13732325

I know many of you are pros or at least have professional setups
with lighting. Have you had the problem above? How would you then
prove that you took the photo? Ofcourse, this doesn't apply to the
ones that do their own printing.

--
DaveA

 

[luxmosaic]

This story here prompted me to ask you people in the pro forum:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1004&message=13732325

I know many of you are pros or at least have professional setups
with lighting. Have you had the problem above? How would you then
prove that you took the photo? Ofcourse, this doesn't apply to the
ones that do their own printing.

Business card, negatives or full res JPEG, TIFF or RAW files. Sign a waiver (in case you go to Walmart or one of the others that requires this for quick prints), get to know the people, have them have your info on file, and be all set from then on.

 

[Unda Covalava]

There are easy workarounds if you took the picture.

 

[jimcreative]

If you took the picture then all you need to do is put your copyright notice on it and then have some form of identification. If the guy give you grief then spaek to the store manager.

As for the guy with the picture of his grandpa and grandma, Walmart is only trying to protect THEMSELVES, not the photographer. If the photographer was to find out that Walmart made a copy of a copyrighted piece then they are looking down the barrel of a lawsuit that would pay a minimum of 1500.00 per violation (my guesstimate).

I have clients that take my images all over the place to have copies made (they pay for this right) and I get calls all the time from the labs/copy centers requesting my written permission to protect THEM, not me.