HELP ME!

[JimmyJaceyMom]

Okay so I took a pic of the sky the day my uncle died and I wanted to print it with a poem added to it to give to my aunt. Well, since I need it tomrrow I sent it in to Walgreen's along with a few other photos.
They called me about 1/2 an hour later and told me that they would not print them without a release from the photographer. Um... I am the photographer. Yet they say that I cant have them. I need to make a release with proof that I took the photos.
I said I have my memory card she sid that is not good that I should have a release in my office! I don't have an office! I'm glad she thinks they're that good but seriously come on! I went ahead and tole her my type of camera, ISO aperture, and shutter speed. SHe REFUSES To give me my photos!!!

What should a release have on it can I make my own????


UPDATE****************************

It really pi$$ed me off that she wouldn't give me those pics and so I went there and I asked her if they had been printed. She said yes and so I said"It's obvious no matter what I say you won't let me have them which is ridiculous but anyway I want you to shred them right here in front of me."
She agreed. When she was done she was like "Okay?"
I said "Yes wonderful. When will you manager be in next?"
she says "She's on vacation." {likely story}
I say "When will she be back?"
She says "Um, one or two weeks." {yeah... right! Do I have STUPID written on my forehead!?}
I say "Ok I'll call back in one or two weeks."
She gets huffy and says "Is there something I can help you with? I am the assisatant."
I say "You were extremely rude with me when I spoke with you on the phone."
She looks shocked and says "I simply told you I need a release form."
I say "And I am simply telling you that I didn't like the way you spoke to me."
She says nothing.
I say "Don't worry about it, if you've never been complainted about for rudeness by any other customers, I'm sure no one will get mad about this one incident."
Her face turns red. I explain that I have gotten my photos printed by snapfish and Walgreen's countless times and that I never will again and that Snapfish and Walgreen's will know it and why.

I'm having a bad week, not such a difficult person but I'm really pissed that I cant give my Aunt that picture tomorrow.

 

[Snyder]

Sorry Lol, Well just type out a release form and sign it yourself, or print it out yourself (Thats what I do) I had the same hassle so I said screw you guys and bought a $600 photo printer which I think is nicer than walmarts crap job they do printing.

 

[sabbath999]

At least she thinks your pictures are great!

 

[woodsac]

Copyright Release​

I, Kathi XXX, owner of XXX Photography, hereby grant the holder of this document unlimited print production of following image(s). Said image(s) can be identified as document “XXXX.jpg”. XXX Photography does not claim responsibility for any document names not listed above.

XXX Photography retains full copyright of said images. Holder of this document is not granted additional permissions beyond print, including alterations or resale.



Kathi XXX

XXX Photography

 

[Garbz]

My god I've never had this happen even when heading down to Streets Professionals to print a 3m wide poster.

Is it just me or is all of America against photography these days.

 

[crownlaurel]

We had our family pictures made by a company that just gives you the hi res jpegs. They printed on the cd label, "unlimited photo copyright reease agreement" and a paragraph stating that the holder of the cd was granted permission to use, print, and reprint the photos and that they waived all rights to inspect or approve versions of the photos used for any purposes. I uploaded them to a Sam's club photo lab and they didn't even question them (and they are obviously studio photos).

I have in the past had to fill our a "copyright" form they had at the lab that just states that I am the owner or I have permission of the owner to print. They didn't require legal-ese.

You could write "I, Name, as the originator and producer of all images on this disk, do hereby grant, Name, permission to use, print and reprint these photos."

 

[crownlaurel]

PS, I can see why they would think the photos were professional. You've got some very nice images on your flickr acct :hail: .

I hope you were able to get the walgreens thing cleared up.

 

[JimmyJaceyMom]

Sorry Lol, Well just type out a release form and sign it yourself, or print it out yourself (Thats what I do) I had the same hassle so I said screw you guys and bought a $600 photo printer which I think is nicer than walmarts crap job they do printing.

Yeah I was going to make one myself but I didn't know what it had to say in it. I tried to explain to her that I took the photos and that I don't have release forms so if I were to make my own in order to print any other pics there what would it need to say. She said I needed a letterhead, business card or something from the school I go to. Uh, I don't go to school. She would not listen to me!


sabbath999At least she thinks your pictures are great!

This is true - a good point. In fact at one point in the conversation I asked what factors does she use to determine proffesional from anything else. She says to me real snotty well you can tell the difference! I said , You know I am a little flattered that you think these are that good so I'm having mixed feelings about you right now.

woodsac

Copyright Release​

I, Kathi XXX, owner of XXX Photography, hereby grant the holder of this document unlimited print production of following image(s). Said image(s) can be identified as document “XXXX.jpg”. XXX Photography does not claim responsibility for any document names not listed above.

XXX Photography retains full copyright of said images. Holder of this document is not granted additional permissions beyond print, including alterations or resale.



Kathi XXX

XXX Photography


Thanks - I wasn't sure what it was supposed to say and honestly she was so stubborn I bet if I would have walked in there with a paper saying that she would have turned me away. SHe was a real brat! She jept saying I needed proof that I took the pics. But I asked if she wanted to see my memory card - not that it;s any of her business but at that point I just wanted her to stop accusing me of stealing photos!
I will make my own forms and use this format,

GarbzMy god I've never had this happen even when heading down to Streets Professionals to print a 3m wide poster.

Is it just me or is all of America against photography these days.Today 06:59 PM

I guess so! And the thing is that she was rotton with me before I could even explain that I took the photos. She was like 'You placed an order through the internet that I can't even sell to you unless you have a release."
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.... lol

 

[Johnboy2978]

I had the same issue at walmart a couple years ago. They just asked that I sign some form of theirs wherein I more or less swear on my life that the images I say I took were really took by me and not a scan of some pro. I have more or less quit using them altogether though b/c their quality is so random and their machines are broke more often than they are working now. Give Mpx a try. They are just a few pennies more than the local walmart/walgreens/cvs but the quality is so much more. You do have the additional $5 shipping fee and have to wait a few days though but it's well worth it.

 

[usayit]

This has happened to me before as well. I simply walked away and took my business elsewhere or printed them on my inkjet at home. BTW.. another thumbs up from me for MPIX.

Is it just me or is all of America against photography these days.

Unfortunately it goes further... America has become paranoid about many things.

 

[JimmyJaceyMom]

I had the same issue at walmart a couple years ago. They just asked that I sign some form of theirs wherein I more or less swear on my life that the images I say I took were really took by me and not a scan of some pro. I have more or less quit using them altogether though b/c their quality is so random and their machines are broke more often than they are working now. Give Mpx a try. They are just a few pennies more than the local walmart/walgreens/cvs but the quality is so much more. You do have the additional $5 shipping fee and have to wait a few days though but it's well worth it.

I isually get my prints form Shutterfly, they have aweseom deals and free stuff all the time, the shipping is fast and the quality is as good as I've gotten from anywhere before. This time I just needed the pics by tomorrow for the funeral so I had it sent to somewhere I could pick it up. I am upset that I won't have the pic to give to my aunt but I can always go visit her later and give it to her then. She'll be needing the company when this is all over. My uncle was only 53.

 

[JimmyJaceyMom]

This has happened to me before as well. I simply walked away and took my business elsewhere or printed them on my inkjet at home. BTW.. another thumbs up from me for MPIX.




Unfortunately it goes further... America has become paranoid about many things.

Oh good I think I will give mpix a try too.

 

[sabbath999]

Big fan of Mpix here. Big, big fan.

 

[hawee99]

yea I would just take the pics somwhere else. You have the memory card right? Just go to target, wolf, walmart etc. I didnt read this post if this was already suggested, but just print then somewhere else. that's insane, im sorry

 

[holga girl]

this is a sore subject for me... i will try to keep this brief. i work in a one hour photo lab. every day, at least twice a day, someone comes in and trys to get us to copy copy-written photographs.

when we attempt to explain to the customer the need for a copy-write release very few of them accept our explanation and go and get the needed release. i have had stuff thrown at me, been called all sorts of colorful words and had to stand and argue with customers for over twenty minutes as to why i need a release for their photos.

that being said, whenever we must call or confront a customer about copywrite releases, we are usually on the defensive before we even begin the conversation. so, i will apologize for the girl who waited on you... i know where she is coming from. for every one honest nice person who actually took the photographs there are 25 poo heads trying to get one over on you. unfortunatly, nice honest customers like you get us when we are tired of fighting it.

now, also keep in mind that if our store is audited by the TSM for pictures that appear copywritten, and we are unable to furnish a copywrite release to our TSM, and if we are the ones who took in or printed the order, we loose our jobs. period. it is THAT serious.

In addition to the threat of loosing our jobs, we can be held PERSONALLY LIABLE for any monetary damages the company may ensue as a result of a copywrite lawsuit. that means if you sue my company because we printed your pictures, my company can then sue me personally for the damages.

quite frankly that is not a risk i am willing to take. i am not going to spend my life in finacial ruin for someone's 4x6 photograph.

to the poster who said they had this issue and that they found another lab. in my honest opinion, that is a mistake. it takes balls to stand up to customers (some of who have threatened to follow me home) about copywrite. a store that respects my rights as a photographer is a store that i want to give business to.

i am sorry that that particular sales person did not treat you in the kindest way, but i assure you, it was your best interest she was looking out for. as photographers we should be grateful that someone making 7 bucks an hour is willing to be abused by the general public to protect our rights. i know i am.

simply type up a release in 'word', give the lab a blanket release on file, and then thank them for taking the time to care.

okay, i'm off my soap box now. sorry about the rant. i just spent another 12 hours being abused by customers.... only 3 more weeks until my new job!!!!

i can't wait!