Do I own the photos that I take?

[LawrenceChiu]

Do I own the photos that I take?
I was on a bowling team for a University and I took portrait shots and normal pictures for the team.
Things got complicated and we had a huge fight.
They also kept like $200 of my bowling equipments and I'm about to report it to the police.
Director of Sports is also now telling me to cough up the pictures that I took which belongs to school.
I'm like... no, we didn't sign any contract or anything plus I did it free of charge. I believe those photos are mine and you stole $200 of my bowling equipments.

Does the pictures belong to the school or mine? Camera and lens I took were all mine.
I don't have to give them the photos, right?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Sure, why not?

 

[Infidel]

Lawyer up.

 

[Ernicus]

I say yes. There are a few threads here I was reading about such things...you may want to search and read some of the advice given.

But common sense says, you took them, of your own free will and not by request and no contract...so they are yours. I'm sure had they not been dicks you would have probly given them to them..at this point..if I were you...I'd make them pay...dearly. lol

 

[cgipson1]

Depends on where you are.. since you didn't say! US is yes, unless there is a contract that says differently. Canada is no, I believe, if paid to do it. Unpaid, don't know! Elsewhere, I don't know! That is why contracts are a good idea, no matter where you are!

 

[TGordon]

I day yes to.that...

 

[Infidel]

I day yes to.that...

wtf?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I day yes to.that...

wtf?

It's a contraction of "I 'dare say'". Da'y.

 

[Infidel]

Oh. Thanks for the info (abbreviation for "information"). Sorry all about the snark.

 

[TGordon]

I meant say..lol

 

[tirediron]

Depends on where you are.. since you didn't say! US is yes, unless there is a contract that says differently. Canada is no, I believe, if paid to do it. Unpaid, don't know! Elsewhere, I don't know! That is why contracts are a good idea, no matter where you are!

If the OP is in Canada, then, based on the circumstances presented, he would own the photographs.

 

[calicozac]

Reporting the matter to the police may or may not help... You technically own the photos since you took them, unpaid, and with your own equipment. I expect that if they asked you to take the photos and you agreed to do it free of charge then they may belong to them (you provided a service though free of charge). They might be able to argue that you cant use those photos without their permission if the school or anyone else refuses permission to use their logo/uniform or whatever else made its way into the photo.

In any case you should probably just contact the police anyway about the theft(?) of your bowling gear.

This is all just my speculation.

 

[Forkie]

My feelings would be that if there was no contract, you took them with your own equipment and in your own time, they are yours.

 

[morganza]

Yes of course you do.

 

[WilliamDSLR]

First off, sorry to hear about your disagreement. I don't see why you would have to give them the photos you took, especially free of charge. My guess is, if they had paid you the money for the photos, that may be a different story. However, the fact remains it was free so I do not think you have to give them the photos.