Copyright Issue - How do I approach this?

[NateS]

I never understood why you pay a photographer, and then they own the rights to the photos so that they can charge you again (for pictures or the rights.) I was recently married and that is how it was with our photographer (in addition to other complaints) however I do know it's common. But on the other hand it does look like someone has cracked the case.

Because you are paying the photographer for a service, not a product. The service is their abilities to photograph you (which is what determines how good the product you may buy will be). Once you've paid for the service, you are then presented with a product that you might want to buy....those are the prints.

Look at it this way...:

Your transmission goes out in your car (assume it's a chevy) so you go to your local Chevy dealer and have them replace the tranny. When you get the bill YOU WERE CHARGED TWICE. The bill says Labor = $400 and Parts = $900. That's because you paid for both a service (the labor), and the product (the transmission).

Same basic principle applies to the photography business.

That's a great way of putting it.. I'll have to keep that in mind.. though I'd love to know where you live that has a chevy dealer that'd only charge $400 labor for a transmission

Well....let's say it's a Chevy Aveo. Their tranny's are probably just held on by zip ties...lol. (I kid....actually own two GM products).