Are your clients allowed to print your photos?

[DGMPhotography]

I've heard mixed views.

Some reserve printing rights, and others allow the client to self-print as long as it's not for profit.

What do you think?

 

[sscarmack]

I sell them print rights so I don't have to do it. Win win in my book.

 

[table1349]

That depends, are you providing prints or images? With prints the usual answer is no. With digital images the usual answer is yes. The photographer usually provides a print release something like.

Official Photography Release
For Company Name
www.your-website.com

​

I, __Photographer Name_____, copyright holder of all ______Company Name______ photography, hereby grant permission for ___________________ to make prints or enlargements of any of my photography for personal use from their own CD/DVD.

Posting pictures online is allowed, but must include the company name and link to www.your-website.com____.

It is recommended that you get your enlargements printed through ____Company Name____ for highest quality. Remember to crop the pictures to the specified size before printing through any other printer.

All pictures remain the property of ____Company Name____ for use of advertising and other purposes.

Sincerely,



Photographer Name

Owner, Company Name

Your-e-mail@company.com

Phone​

 

[Scoody]

I sell them print rights so I don't have to do it. Win win in my book.

Basically what I do. I sell a couple of poster sized and 8x10 prints for the entrance as part of my wedding and quinceanera packages. Also sell them collages with vinettes or graphics added as prints. The rest I give them on a watermarked CD with no printing rights or I give them a non-watermarked CD with printing rights at a premium along with the watermarked CD. The reason I give them the watermarked CD is so the can post or share from it. I make it clear that any photos posted anywhere have to have a watermark They ARE going to post photos on social media or send them to friends so my name might as well be on it.

 

[DGMPhotography]

Hmm... some interesting takes here.

What I've done so far is:

If it's a TF shoot, the model ONLY gets the watermarked images in an online zip file and is allowed to use the photos for non-commercial use (including printing), and may not edit the image in any way.

If it's a paid shoot, they get the un-watermarked images and watermarked "web optimized" images in an online zip file, and are free to use either version for non-commercial use (including printing). I even allow them to edit the images if they want, since they paid for them (resizing for posters, ads, etc). They just can't profit off of them. In my mind, they paid for it, so I don't care what they do with the images after that, aside from selling them.

And what I have written down, but haven't actually sold yet, is printing/commercial rights where I license the images to the client and they can use them however they wish, even for profit.

Recently I had a client ask me to purchase a print, and I'm happy to sell her one, but in my mind I'm just wondering what's stopping her from going to CVS and printing it herself, since typically I've allowed that. No client's ever asked to purchase a print of a photo I've already given them, digitally. The only time I've charged for prints in the past is when someone wants a print of one of MY photos, that wasn't for them (e.g. landscapes, etc). So I'm doing this print for her, but I'm finding it hard justifying it to myself charging her $50+ since she could literally print one 8x10 herself for $3 at CVS.

So I'm wondering if it's normal to not allow people to print your photos, even if they paid for them, because if so, I might start including that in my contract, so I can have more revenue stream. Although technically if they have the digital file, they could print it anyway.

 

[KmH]

If I remember correctly, you hope to do photography for a living?

If so, have you ever figured out how much regular revenue you need to have coming in to pay yourself a living wage? Say $40,000 a year now and in the near future, and $100,000 a year in say 20 years.

Basic math shows that you need to do some 400-500 shoots per year with an average sale of about $500 per shoot.

Print Release - Use License
All images © 2015 {name or studio here}, All Rights Reserved. This Use License shall be governed by the laws of the State of _________.

I, [name or studio here], as copyright owner of these images, grant a lifetime, personal, non-commercial use license to ____________________and their immediate family to print or have printed (no larger than (whatever size, if any)) reproductions of these images for display in their home and workplace only.

Online Use
{name or studio here} has provided web sized and watermarked images for exclusive use on social networking web sites that are not owned by ____________________ and their immediate family. No other online use is granted. Removal of the watermark from these web sized images, or any other violation of any of the other terms, will constitute a breach of this entire Print Release – Use License, rendering it null and void in its entirety.

Copyright Information
Please remember that because these images are protected by Federal Copyright laws they may not be altered, copied, transmitted or used in any way not stipulated above without prior written consent of the copyright owner, {name or studio here}.
These images may not be entered in any photography or other competition or contest without the expressed written consent of [name or studio here]. Commercial use of the images is prohibited.
No waiver by either party of any of the terms or conditions of this license shall be deemed or construed to be a waiver of such term or condition for the future, or of any subsequent breach thereof. Waivers are only applicable when they are written. There will be no verbal waivers to this agreement.

The Photographer hereby warrants that he (or she) is the sole creator of these images and owns all rights granted by law.

[Name or studio here]
Address:
City, State:
Phone:
Email:
Authorized Signature:

 

[smoke665]

but in my mind I'm just wondering what's stopping her from going to CVS and printing it herself

Recently at two different big box stores, that offered prints, and over heard the clerk arguing with customers. In both cases they refused to give the prints to the customer because they were watermarked, and the customers didn't have a release/authorization. Not sure if this is a recent crackdown or they always have respected copyrights, and I just hadn't been in a position to hear the refusal.

 

[Vtec44]

My clients can print the photos for personal use, and I include a personal print release specifically for that. I charge them enough up front that I don't rarely do IPS, unless it's large prints or albums.

 

[DGMPhotography]

My clients can print the photos for personal use, and I include a personal print release specifically for that. I charge them enough up front that I don't rarely do IPS, unless it's large prints or albums.

That sounds like something up my alley. But what if they want to order prints from you anyway?

 

[Vtec44]

That sounds like something up my alley. But what if they want to order prints from you anyway?

I do include a few small sample 5x7 prints for the clients and do offer them if requested. But, the mark up is high because it has to worth my time. The difference is big though because my color profile matches my print lab really well.

 

[KmH]

but in my mind I'm just wondering what's stopping her from going to CVS and printing it herself

Recently at two different big box stores, that offered prints, and over heard the clerk arguing with customers. In both cases they refused to give the prints to the customer because they were watermarked, and the customers didn't have a release/authorization. Not sure if this is a recent crackdown or they always have respected copyrights, and I just hadn't been in a position to hear the refusal.

Most print labs are quite sensitive to copyright and often withhold prints without watermarks simply because the images look as though they were made by a professional photographer and are not snapshots the person having the prints made.