Wouldn't you be a bit irritated?

[Metalstrm]

Hey all... I'll try not to sound pretentious here, especially since I really have no experience in model shooting at all except this one time. Anyway, I recently went for a modelshoot organized by a local flickr group, and we were about 35 photographers and 3 female models and 1 male model. This was an event which we paid 5 euros to attend. Everyone in the group uploaded his photographs and edits, and I did the same. I only liked the photographs of two of the girls so I only put those up.

Anyway, apparently one of the models liked my photograph of her and put it up as her profile picture on facebook. Without asking of course. At least it included my signature at the bottom. Now, the other girl has done the same, taking one of my pictures but this time cropping out half of it and removing my signature. I don't know how to feel, whether I should be flattered or irritated.

Technically speaking, I am the owner of the photographs, right? Would you do anything?

[JeffreyG]

Was there no agreement in place between the models and the photographers before the event? Were the models paid, or did they do this in a quid pro quo for portfolio pictures?

[LBaldwin]

Ask her out to dinner!! Then dump her when the check comes!! Just kidding>>>

Ask her to sign a release (should have done that to start with) and make sure that she understands that the rights to usage belong to you. And that she cannot use them without a release from you. In other words this was a TFCD situation both of you gain something. You got a model and she has a few shots.

[Metalstrm]

Honestly, I don't know of any agreement between any of the models, admins, or photographers. They weren't paid as far as I know. I think they did it for portfolio pictures. In fact that is why we paid the money, to print some of the better pictures with the collected amount. No releases were signed.

[Palladium]

Well you just learned a valuable lesson - put you logo / copyright in big & bold across the middle of your images. don't loose sleep over it now, more on and you'll know better for the future.

[griptape]

When you shoot "TFCD" (time for CD), you're basically shooting "time for CD and copyright release". But you can use those images in your portfolio, they can use the images in theirs, and no one is out any money. If you feel that you ARE out money, then you need to charge models to book you to shoot them, and then usage rights go from there.

[Metalstrm]

Ok thanks for the info, had little idea how these things go. No I'm not expecting any money. All I was expecting is that the second model at least leave the signature, if not credit me directly.

[Calicajun]

I have set up model shoots like the one you were at before and in order to get models there for free something has to be given back in return. Usually each model is promised at least two photos from each photographers at the shoot. This has never been a problem in the past because the photographers at these type of model shoots are not pro's, pro's don't come to this type of shoot. These model shoots are consider to be more of a fun class than a means to make money. Though if one of your pictures get use by a model, well then maybe some of her/his friends that model may want to hire you for their pictures and get you started as a pro photographer.

[jra]

Whenever shooting someone for TFCD/P, make sure that you have a signed agreement that lays out exactly what each party is receiving. In that agreement, you can give the model permission to use the photos for personal use only and prohibit any type of editing of the finished images (ie...no cropping). Also, you need to get a model release or you will be unable to use the photos in a commercial sense (you can't use them on your web site to promote your services).

[Ook]

At the very least, you could ask the person to put your name in the photo caption, so the information is there if people click on the picture to view it larger.

[Tommy]

It's Facebook.... it's free advertising... just kindly ask the model to keep your signature at the bottom of the photo so everyone knows who took it. ;)

[Metalstrm]

I think I'll just put a small comment on the bottom thanking her for using my photograph (haha!), so that anyone who sees it knows it's mine.

[Ook]

I think I'll just put a small comment on the bottom thanking her for using my photograph (haha!), so that anyone who sees it knows it's mine.

Clever :)

[Tommy]

I think I'll just put a small comment on the bottom thanking her for using my photograph (haha!), so that anyone who sees it knows it's mine.

That works too... ;)

[yogestee]

What's probably happened was the organisers of the shoot used wanna be models and promised them usage in lieu of payment, which is ethically wrong..

With any image the photographer owns atleast 1/2 the copyright,,the artistic copyright irrespective of the photographer being employed by a publication etc.. Any usage outside of the publication or the image being sold or given to another publication the photographer must be notified and some arrangement met.. Re-editing of images is ethically wrong if not illegal..This is how things work in Australia..

Let me ask you a few questions..

How did the models get access to your images?
Were you notified your (and the other photographers) images maybe used by other parties?
Did you sign any release?

[stathunter]

What's probably happened was the organisers of the shoot used wanna be models and promised them usage in lieu of payment, which is ethically wrong..

With any image the photographer owns atleast 1/2 the copyright,,the artistic copyright irrespective of the photographer being employed by a publication etc.. Any usage outside of the publication or the image being sold or given to another publication the photographer must be notified and some arrangement met.. Re-editing of images is ethically wrong if not illegal..This is how things work in Australia..

Let me ask you a few questions..

How did the models get access to your images?
Were you notified your (and the other photographers) images maybe used by other parties?
Did you sign any release?


Good question. You probably posted your images on Flickr ------ which is wide open for people to "borrow" photos. I am not a flickr fan because of this-- if you do not want people taking your photos you should probably not post them on free hosting places like flickr.

[yogestee]

Good question. You probably posted your images on Flickr ------ which is wide open for people to "borrow" photos. I am not a flickr fan because of this-- if you do not want people taking your photos you should probably not post them on free hosting places like flickr.

I use Pbase.. But images can be taken from there also..

[mikekelley]

images can and will be taken from anywhere.

[Tommy]

images can and will be taken from anywhere.

Yep...

If you don't want your images taken, don't ever put them on the net. ;)

[Ook]

Yep...

If you don't want your images taken, don't ever put them on the net. ;)

If you don't want your images taken, don't take them! :p

[cdifoto]

Better yet...take them and post them but make sure they suck ass.

[droberts]

I wouldn't make a big deal of the models using your shots of them. I would ask the one who cropped your sig out to replace it with a copy that has your sig. Offer to do it for her. Just make sure your sig isn't overbearing. This could be good plubicity for you.

[CAL Imagery]

Make friends with ginormous watermarks.

[Metalstrm]

Hehe, thanks for the suggestions. I didn't sign any release, nor did I know beforehand that my images would simply be used like that. Yes, I posted them on Flickr, and the models simply copied the jpegs. One of them did a very bad job out of it as well, cause she copied the compressed version and it looks like crap, besides it being cropped. Ah well, I think for now I'll settle for just writing "Thanks for using my photograph as your profile picture" below the image on her facebook until and if I get more serious about this whole thing.

Over here in Malta, we have a tendency to not give a damn about copyrights and such things, and if I mention it to anyone they'll probably just laugh at me, so I don't feel like taking it too seriously (I already got a comment on the lines of "You are quite protective aren't you?").

Btw, the girls weren't professional models as far as I know. I think they only did it on a part time basis. And yes they were offered prints instead of payment.

[Tee Why]

First of all, nice images on your gallery.

It looks like an informal time for prints/images trade session. Unfortunately, it seems that terms weren't stated explicitly at the beginning which seems to have led to this confusion.

Models probably expected the right to use the images for their portfolio for their time and non payment, which I think is fair.

I guess you can take it as a compliment that they liked your work and go on if this is your hobby and you are doing this for fun.

If you are interested in getting photo credit or what not in the future, I guess making sure you get the terms in writing/contract before hand will prevent such mis-communications in the future.