hm... social networks

[rexbobcat]

Sounds like somebody needs a beatdown.

In all seriousness, I'd probably begin putting stipulations on what the client can and can't do with the photos. "Feel free to share on social media but don't add your undoubtedly awful edits." Maybe word it a bit differently but that sort of thing lol.

 

[mmaria]

The only suggestion that I can make is to stop making your work available to people who will do that.

How could I know who will do that?
I'm taking her for example, she signed the release and I explained her everything I could think of about the photographs, and she still doesn't get it and she altered the pictures. If she did that, what can I expect from other people?

Try some "standard" advertising. Get your business cards printed. Offer a small discount for referrals who purchase. Offer a small discount to repeat customers. Use the social media to get your name out, but without a sample photograph. Make your on-line portfolio password protected. Get your best photos printed and offer to show them to prospective clients.

Photography here is so cheap that every discount is ridiculous... and this is not my job. I would have a different approach maybe if this was my job.

Anyway, in this area and this situation, it's very difficult to achieve anything with the approach like that

 

[mmaria]

I can't speak for portrait type work, as it's not my style at all (landscapes and wildlife for me), but social media is an integral part of my business. Granted, the business model that works for my style is mostly around print sales,licensing, and working with companies, but relying on word of mouth and handing out business cards does almost nothing for me- which I understand isn't what might work for you. Love it or hate it though, I think social media is a pretty damn important thing to focus on for every photographer these days

yeah.. I think the same. It's very important these days, that's why I decided to go for it

 

[mmaria]

READ THE TERMS! lol Seriously, even if they are ridiculously long and complicated (which I assume is so no one will want to read them) - at least look at them. I don't have to read all of it before I find something unacceptable most of the time.

Take your photos off until you do (or at least don't put any more on there!). You see already what happens - and fast! At least that's my suggestion, delete them and figure out what to post before you put anything else on there.

And it's publicly viewable depending on how you have your page set; even if you don't have it set public with all the sharing that happens you're sending your photos 'out there' and have no idea who may share them or who might see them or where they may end up. I personally would not post any boudoir on there. Better I think to post select photos only on there and a link to your own website.

For clients you can provide copies for social media use that are an appropriate size. Usually photographers (here anyway) provide client photos without a watermark but that's the problem with providing large digital files instead of prints and images for social media use - if you're giving them large digital files they can edit easily I suppose they will. Make it easy for them to use the copy that's for social media use so they'll be more likely to use it.

This is why I don't do people... lol I don't know if any info. from American Society of Media Photographers or maybe PPA would be relevant for you but might be worth a look. ASMP did a webinar on social media, they're free, don't have to be a member, just sign up (don't know if they'll do any more on that topic).

I rarely post a photo on FB (and I only have about 20 friends and 20 acquaintances and they're all people I know!) and if I do it's a downsized crappy copy of an old picture that was just for fun, that has a watermark and something about unauthorized use etc. Then after a day or two (or a few) I delete them.

The thing is...

I live in a messed up country where copyrights and art aren't that big of a deal, meaning that the country has so many other issues/problems that art issues simply doesn't get that much attention.
Unfortunately.
So, the first photo I uploaded, on the official site of my organization was copied very quickly...

I'm aware what can happen with my photos, but I simply don't want them to be stored in my drawer or in my computer. I want to share them.

I do really appreciate every like or critique I get on web... and web is the only place I talk about photography.

 

[mmaria]

I actually provide a number of "squares" specifically for Instagram.If you want your photos to look their absolute best on Instagram, then make some images that DO look good at the 1:1 aspect ratio, and talk to your clients about that. But yeah...most people who "edit" good images will not do them justice to the extent that a photographer would. And if there's one thing to keep in mind, it is that many,many people cannot tell excellent work from good work, or good work from average work, or average work from poor work...so I do not think the "hit" to one's reputation/ability level is anywhere near as great as you might imagine it to be. Anyway, you've highlighted a number of the issues surrounding social networks. And if you want to really set you mind at ease, you need to re-frame your attitude toward what social network involves: it is not a professional network, so professional courtesies are not exchanged, and it is a network, so the images are part of the networked world, the actual people involved...this is not a static, user-controlled thing, like printing a photo from a negative that was stored in a safe or vault--this is the way images are moved, stored, re-purposed, in a network that has a social function, not a professional or business function.

you're right

In the year, 2015, you can NOT really ever maintain total control over images that you upload to social networks, or that others upload to social networks: the images WILL BE stored, WILL be screen-captured, WILL be edited/altered/re-purposed, and so on. Again, not to sound like a lecture, but many people seem to act as if it is still 1980, and that we can maintain an image in a strictly limited form, with ourselves holding a negative or transparency, and each and EVERY,single publication or printing or re-printing involving "us", the image creator. That model is dead,dead,dead. it's no longer worth the mental energy to fuss over a dead, outdated, historical model that actually went out the window back when color laser printers hit the market, then scanners, then the internet, and then in the early 2000's, digital cameras, and then in the 2007-2015 era, the rise of the smart phone and social media.

completely agree

 

[mmaria]

I found one of my images being used as a CD cover. It was blown up from a 640*480 web image. Certainly not something I wanted people to see as a sample of my work.

I've had good luck with cease and desist letters.

I think that's my biggest issue

 

[mmaria]

LOL @ Maria............... you would be surprised at how much we "rednecks" are digitized in today's world. Hell, we have smart phones, digital cameras, social accounts on FB, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Flickr, SmugMug, YouTube, Vimeo and countless other online sites. Addressing your concerns, however, I watched an interview with Gene Simmons (KISS fame) about how there will never really be another group or individual that makes it big, because society now feels "entitled" to everything on the web. For free. It's out there, so it must be for my use. It's a pretty messed up situation what with artist's copyrights and fair use and ownership and just everything related to trying to use the Internet to further your profession or area of endeavor. I'm so glad I don't do this professionally. I just share my stuff with my family. You know, captive audience and all.

hey I would never call you a redneck

Really, he's someone who's not IT knowlegable and as I said, I didn't know he had a smartphone let alone that he knows about apps.

and I said I decided to be on social networks, I knew what might happen, but it happened too quickly

 

[Jasii]

I went looking for those 'boudoir shots' and ended up liking your FB page.

Jasii

 

[mmaria]

While it's true that we can't strictly "control" everything that happens with our images once they're out there for people to see (which, after all, IS the point of making them), it's no reason for us to throw up our hands and feel helpless, nor to withhold our photos so that they can't be seen by anyone else. There ARE other ways to deal with it.

For me, what works well is to be sure to:

1. Make sure that my written and signed agreement with every client is legally ironclad and very clear in what I allow and what I do not allow to be done with my images. I offer my photos to clients a la carte, and one of the items they can choose to purchase along with prints is a digital image suitable for them to post online.

2. In a friendly but factual way, I explain the legalities of copyrights to them, and I make it 100% clear that purchasing a license to an image for online posting is the only way I will allow them to do so, and that I DO pursue legal remedies that involve monetary compensation well beyond my a la carte prices for violations of my copyrighted work, which gives them a good reason to do the right thing.

3. I register my copyright for every photo I shoot that doesn't get deleted.

4. I pursue monetary compensation using attorneys whenever I find one of my images being used without my permission, which is often enough that I'm on track to net another $10k-15k this year.

I don't get mad. I don't send "cease and desist" letters. And I don't take it lying down.

I get money. It's very calming.

But that's just me.

I do understand what you're doing and I wish I could do that

 

[mmaria]

Sounds like somebody needs a beatdown.

View attachment 104296

In all seriousness, I'd probably begin putting stipulations on what the client can and can't do with the photos. "Feel free to share on social media but don't add your undoubtedly awful edits." Maybe word it a bit differently but that sort of thing lol.

I explained really nicely to her what she can and can't do.

... and I think I'll use your exact words. I really like how they sound..

 

[mmaria]

I went looking for those 'boudoir shots' and ended up liking your FB page.

Jasii

are you sure you hit the like button? I didn't get the notification..

in other words, go hit the like button! and thank you, I'm glad you like it... you like it, right?

 

[Jasii]

I went looking for those 'boudoir shots' and ended up liking your FB page.

Jasii

are you sure you hit the like button? I didn't get the notification..

in other words, go hit the like button! and thank you, I'm glad you like it... you like it, right?

Done! Am I entitled for a reward?

 

[mmaria]

I went looking for those 'boudoir shots' and ended up liking your FB page.

Jasii

are you sure you hit the like button? I didn't get the notification..

in other words, go hit the like button! and thank you, I'm glad you like it... you like it, right?

Done! Am I entitled for a reward?

you'll get a

thank you!