Copyright Info

[manyak77]

I took wedding portraits for a couple and I gave them the cd of photos so that they can print out photos at anytime. Now I see that they have posted in on their facebook page and the photos are altered and they look horrible.

I do a lot of wedding photography for my church community and I am worried that this will reflect on my work. I don't want others to think that I take photos that look like what they have done to them.

They payed for my services but not the cd. Is there copyright infringement here? Any thoughts on this? I am not sure how to handle this properly.

I would love to have some feedback!

Thank you in advance!

[i speak in math]

What did the contract say?

[m.c.adams]

I think when you gave them a cd with the images on it, you pretty gave them the green light to do whatever the chose with said images.

[Ania Photo]

Once you have given them a CD you give them the right to make prints and edit the photographs how they wish. If you gave them the CD unedited then they took the "artist right" to edit it how they saw fit. Legally they have the right. This is unfortunately a learning lesson.

I have dealt with this in my career and hope you don't mind me giving you my advice. If you are going to give someone a CD, charge for it. You are undercutting yourself and working for nothing. Also, understand that whatever is the quality of your work when you hand it over, that is what the public will see. I never hand out an image unless it looks like I want it to look. You are only as good as your best image and the photographs that others see.

I hope this helped, if you have any questions feel free to let me know.

[essexUK]

I think giving them the cd was a big mistake. Huge! However, to save your reputation maybe you could compromise with them. How have they altered them? I know it will be more work but for example if they have cropped them (badly), maybe you could spin them a line about infringing copyright but offer to crop them in a more professional manner. This goes for anything they may have done in a negative way.

Failing that. Learn from it. Don't give away digital copies without direct instruction. Good luck. Besides, I don't think many people trawl face book expecting to see professional photos so I doubt you have much to worry about.