Walmart refused to print... this happen to you?

Here's a story from the other side... Me and another photographer were shooting lobby shots in the lobby of a theater where our daughters were performing for a ballet company. We had a photo area set up with one of the dancers and people could get their pictures taken with the dancer. We print on site with a portable 4x6 printer and sell the prints right there. One night we get this phone call while we are shooting in the lobby (cell phone) from Wal-Mart and they tell us someone is in their store trying to scan and get prints made from this image and they say they have permission from us to do so. Of course we tell them absolutely not and the scan/print was not allowed to be made... and to make matters worse we were doing this shoot to raise money for the ballet studio to help kids get into ballet. Some people are just so cheap!

WalMart only knew who to call because we were putting stickers on the backs of the prints with our studio name, phone number, and address on it.

My friend is a manager at the local Ritz Camera store. No accusation + 40% off prints = happy me.

One tip... If you have something that's obviously professional
looking (for me it would be photoshopped sports posters) I usually
speak to them before hand, show them my card and explain that
the images are my own... has never been a problem.

Perhaps it is just me, but since I learned to print and get everything the way I want, I could not fathom taking digital negatives to Walmart for printing; only cardboard cameras shooting film. Just not worth the prints not coming out the way I want.

Pat

MaxxuM wrote in post #3704707
..., one of my local Walmarts photo centers actually refused to print my photos until I came back to talk to them when they were supposed to be due. ....

chris_m_atl wrote in post #3704817
At least they were doing their job. As annoying as it is, though!...

I agree 100% Wal-Mart is trying its best to no fight copyright infringement and though it’s a pain, there is no other way. I had pretty much the same experience as you but with sports photos. Seems that the basketball shots while sitting under the basket just looked to good and they assumed that it had to be copies. I commend Wal-Mart on their policy.

Again .... it's all about the nasty attitude - NOT the copyright protection.
(this post was not said with nasty attitude )

I don't mind them asking for proof of ownership, they should be doing that. What pisses me off is, I have spoken to the manager, signed a copyright form stating all the images I submit are mine and she files it away in a cabinet. Everything goes fine, get my prints. The next time I use them I upload for in store pick up. It says I can pick them up at 4:00, I show up and they say we cant print pro images. I say, did you look at the name on the account, yes it says Adrian BlahBlahBlah. I then say if you would open that file drawer all my info is in there and these should have been printed and ready for me at 4:00. Why bother talking to the manager, filling out the paperwork if the jackasses aren't even going to look at it, they just push your order aside and wait for you to show up and give you crap.

I have had trouble too. I have a neighbor that has an airplane & will help me do my aerial shots. Walmart looks at me like a liar if I print something off for myself. I get either the "big shot teenager" who thinks they're "all that" or the "crabby old Grandma" that thinks she knows everything. I definetly know how you all feel. Luckily they let me sign a release & I happened to have my checkbook with that had my business on it...good thing I grabbed it that day!

I've stopped going anywhere but my local mom-and-pop place for this very reason. When they question copyright, they do so knowledgably and respectfully. Because I've dealt with them for years, they've even gotten me out of a bind a few times (such as when I accidentally shredded a bunch of documents that included my wedding photographer contract--luckily they remembered that they already had it on file).

I stopped going to Wal-mart awhile ago as they have problems printing some my work as they deemed it "too sexy" and their view of "too sexy" varies from person to person. When I have to print localy I use my local HEB as they have all new equipment and I have been very happy with both quality and turn around time. Before I went to them for the first time I simply dropped off a copy of my copyright agreement. I am on a first name basis with the staff and never have any problems.

Amen to walmart for trying to stop people "stealing/copying" our work.
But all in all for real proofs, I would not use a Walmart they have NO color knowledge and absolutely no consistancy...so set up an account with an online lab if you do not have a local mom & pop that really know how to make a good print.
Just for fun try printing the same print at all the "cheap stores'" then go to a real lab.. the difference is night & day.

My wife likes to take the pics on disc to wally world because they are right across the street. They denied my photos siad copyright this and that. So I had to drive over with id and the camera which had the pics on the card still prove they were mine. Nothing but a hassle.