How do model releases work?

[Aylwin]

Can someone please explain this to me? When are they needed? Always? When I take photos of people I don't know, do I need to approach them afterwards and ask them to sign a piece of paper?

[stefG5]

i sold some photo's to a stock agency and they said that for every face and company logo in a picture, they want a model release

this is because if for example an ad agency buys one of my photo's, and this then goes on to feature in something commercial (magazine, postcard, etc.) the model could sue and say money is being made off her face ...

they didnt even want foto's with a vietnamese kid's face without the model release ...

but im not sure how this works in practise. could also be useful if someone could post a model release template contract?

to answer your question: use model releases for every face if you plan to make money off your photo's AND if you want to be 100% correct and covered for legal action

[Aylwin]

What if I don't intend to make any money? I'm just an amateur and not even a very good one. It'll be a looooong time before I make any money from this hobby... if at all.

The reason I ask this is because I've seen it mentioned many times on the Share and Critique forums. People say, "Nice photo. Did the model sign a release form?" Or someone will have a photo of a truck passing by, for example, with the face of the driver blurred because obviously the photographer couldn't get a release form signed.

I understand the need when business is involved. I'd expect that. But I mean if we're just sharing photos, is a release form really necessary?

[Steveo31]

What if I don't intend to make any money? I'm just an amateur and not even a very good one. It'll be a looooong time before I make any money from this hobby... if at all.

The reason I ask this is because I've seen it mentioned many times on the Share and Critique forums. People say, "Nice photo. Did the model sign a release form?" Or someone will have a photo of a truck passing by, for example, with the face of the driver blurred because obviously the photographer couldn't get a release form signed.

I understand the need when business is involved. I'd expect that. But I mean if we're just sharing photos, is a release form really necessary?
Na... release forms are more legal- oriented.

[Persian-Rice]

Everytihng I do for the next couple years is more portfolio based. Just incase, I have created a over sized business card, that acts like a business card on one side. On the other side, I have a small release form. This is just incase I take a really worthwhile shot and think that I should have a release incase.

I have only come across this once, and my CF card ended up becoming corrupt and I lost the image before I even got home...........

I dont see any reason for you not to carry some around when you do any kind of street photography. You dont have to use them unless you feel neccesary.