Copyright... Yup, I went there!

So, I have been thinking about writing a blog about Copyright and what it means for me as an artist.

I never know how to start this. I guess I would like my clients and potential clients to have an understanding WHY photographers want to keep copyright of their images. Photographers aren't trying to be difficult, we are actually just protecting our work. Photographers have worked really hard to get where they are.

It wasn't that long ago that photographers worked solely in film. Their negatives were the back bone to their business. Whoever held those negatives, held control and copyright of those images. Most professional photographers will shoot in RAW and then convert them later in post production. To me, these RAW files are my negatives. I don't discard any of them. Even the ones that are blurry or of the ground. I have slight hoarder tendencies and get attached to things so I guess I am always thinking 'I could use these later for an art project'. Nearly 20 years later and I still haven't done that art project...

The reason why photographers want to keep copyright of their 'negatives' is so that you are forced to come back to the photographer to reprint. At the end of the day, it is our lively hood. You can either pay huge amounts to get copyright of the images OR you can pay smaller amounts to get reprint permission.

Another reason is that it is our intellectual property. You are the model and the person that has commissioned my super skills and I am the talent (lol)

Here are some snippets from the law:

Photographs are automatically protected by copyright when the photos are taken. There is no need to register copyright or go through any process for your work to be protected by copyright. In New Zealand, photos are protected as “artistic works” under the Copyright Act 1994. For further information, see our information sheet Visual artists & copyright. Commissioned material − If another person has commissioned and pays or agrees to pay you to take a photograph, that person is the first owner of copyright unless there is agreement to the contrary.

Now, I feel I fit somewhere in the middle. When it comes to my family photography, I keep copyright. They are my images BUT I give you permission to use them how and when you like (providing it's not for another photographer to advertise / another business) and I get to use them for marketing purposes. Over the years I have learned contracts are my best friend. I understand that some parents do not want their children blasted all over the internet and I 100% respect that. We will have an agreement of what your limits are, just like I have my limits too!

As owners of the copyrighted material, we also have a moral right, especially in family photography.

I hope that helps make copyright a bit more understandable!

What are your thoughts on copyright??