Copyright question...

[SpiltPickle]

Here's a confusing one.

If someone takes a picture of a product like an automobile or airplane, do they need to get permission from the owner / producer of that product to resell the photo?

More specifically, say an employee of Cessna has taken a picture of a newly produced Citation jet while it sets on the ramp of the company's production facility.

Most companies have something you sign that says anything you make / create while working for them becomes property of the company, but does that effect photots like that?

Thanks

-Dave

[Mcary]

Dave,

Talk to a lawyer, lots of possible legal issues with proprietary information and Trade Marks

Let say following your example a new Citation Jet is just at the beginning of production and it has a new tail design that Cessna feel will give them an advantage over the competition. The photo if released in the public domain or sold to a competitor could cause Cessna great financial harm.

Which they could use for the basis of crimanal procedures againt both the photographer who took the picture and the person(s) it was sold to.

Mike

[Wilt]

You own the image, period. But your ability to USE the image for commercial purposes and make money from it is subject to you having a property release (similar to model release). Image is yours and can be provided to illustrate some news worthy event without release. But if you sell publications rights for using the illustration of a jet airplane in a book, you could be subject to needing a property release to do so.

[SpiltPickle]

Thanks for the input.

Reason I'm asking is that I just found out one of our employees has taken several pictures of our airplane and is selling them at an online site.

I'll have to let our corporate consel know now and see what she says.

[mij]

Most places of employment have rules in place prohibiting photography on site. I would certainly be surprised if it did not form part of the site access rules of any manufacturing and R&D sites.

Also as the pictures will have been taken on private property I would the onus would be on the photographer to gain permission rather than the company to expressly prohibit them anyway, though I do not know how the law stands so this is purely my own opinion.

Michael.