My photo used by BBC!

[Matty777]

A shot I took a year ago has appeared as an insert for a top news story here in South East England, on the BBC website!.

It's nothing artistic or outstanding, but just happened to be where they found a body in the river yesterday. The Police have sealed the area, so it's probably the only pic the BBC will get for a while.

Shame I won't get a fee for it, oh well at least it's something published ! :)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6289095.stm

[Woolburr]

I'll bite...how is it that they are using your photo without giving you credit or compensation? It's nice to be published...but not so nice to get stiffed in the deal.

[::Lisa::]

Woo! Great they used your photo, but pity under the circumstances (body found).

I'm with Dan too. How did they use and not put "photo courtesy of <you>" ?

[thomascanty]

I'd be sending them a bill...

[Mint_Sauce]

Me too! You'll probably find that when they do this hardly anyone actually reconises their own pics and then goes on to demand the rightful fee so it works out well for them. Remember, they make money from doing this - why should they make money from your time/skills for free??

I'm sure if you billed them, they'd pay up with no fuss.

[Matty777]

I sent them an email about the news story and sent the photo. I stated it was my copyright. To be honest I didn't even say they had permission to use them or that any fee may be involved. But I suppose if you send them, that's permission enough.

I didn't really want a fee, just good to see them use my photo.

However what was galling was the non credit and NOT EVEN A THANK YOU EMAIL! (considering they are one of the biggest TV/Radio companies in the world it's a bit rude Tbh)

[slicendice]

How did they get their hands on the pic in the first place? Had you emailed it to them previously? If so, then the BBC usually has a lot of small print whenever you submit a pic to them, which basically gives them the right to use the pic(s) howsoever they choose.

[thomascanty]

Oh. You sent it to them? I guess that could make things a bit different. Too bad about the lack of credit, though. That was pretty rude of them.

[steved110]

The BBC does NOT pay members of the public for using their photographs. It is clear in their terms and conditions. Copyright remains with the photographer, but if you submit to the BBC you will NOT get paid. If you aren't happy with that, you don'#t have to submit. You should get a credit, however!

It should be noted that the BBC is NON-COMMERCIAL organisation, a bit like PBS would be in the US if it had any money. It is compulsory to buy a TV license in the Uk, and this is what funds the BBC. that in itself is controversial, but I for one am happy to be able to have programs and films that are not constantly interuppted with mindless advertisements exorting me to sue people or borrow more money. A la Sky One etc!

[Box Brownie]

Hi

Always nice to see an image used! If you hover the mouse over the image you get the credit line. Frankly that is bad practice, the creditline should be in print below the image.

In the UK and I am sure elsewhere there is widespread abuse of such freely offered images - "they" actively invite images and camera phone videos to be sent in for active news stories. This has put a lot of noses out of joint in the Pro and Semi-pro marketplace because no payment is ever offered or I surmise made for the images. As remarked in some of the other fora hereabouts there are a lot of wannabees willing to work hard for peanuts and thus depressing the "value" of all images in the market.

I comment as one who has never had images published but is still looking at & for ways to make my (serious) hobby pay something towards future gear purchases.

:)

[thomascanty]

"they" actively invite images and camera phone videos to be sent in for active news stories.

There's a local channel here that constantly advertises something like (going from memory here): "If you see news happen and capture it with your camera or cell phone, send it to..."

That little blurb pisses me off every time I hear it! I'd be sending a note to that email address asking "How bad do you want it?"

[cdifoto]

Hi

Always nice to see an image used! If you hover the mouse over the image you get the credit line.


Mouseover didn't work here on Firefox. If they're going to do it that way it needs to be functional on all browsers.


Having said that, I don't voluntarily submit my photos to these publications. Even non-profit organizations have money. The CEOs/Staff, etc don't work for free so why should the photographers?

[Box Brownie]

Mouseover didn't work here on Firefox. If they're going to do it that way it needs to be functional on all browsers.


Having said that, I don't voluntarily submit my photos to these publications. Even non-profit organizations have money. The CEOs/Staff, etc don't work for free so why should the photographers?

Ref: the mouseover - somewhere there are directives about making sites accessible to all users including the visually impaired so mouseover is the worst form of adding any crediting reference. Let alone because of different browsers.

[michaelgreen78]

I have previously sent images of newsworthy items to newspapers etc. However, I have my name written large across the image and restrict the image's size so that it couldn't be used in print. In the email ask whether they would like the photograph. If they contact you back, then you can start to talk money!

[Matty777]

Ah-ha!

Thats why I never saw anything. My default browser is F.Fox.

Anyway, at least they mentioned me :). I never wanted or expected a payment, but you can be sure that if I got an "exclusive" one of the big dailies would pay and not get a freebie. But thats not going to happen, so I'm happy with a snap I took several months ago, being used for a Local News story :)