Permission to Copying my own photography?

Shirlsworld7 wrote in post #11508358
Oh I'm not complaining about them being watchful and protecting photographers. I am more or less just asking what or how I need to make up a letterhead which is what I was told I needed... Has anyone else had to write one up and if so what should it say?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=c​opyright+release+form

tcusta00 wrote in post #11508411
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=c​opyright+release+form

I LOVE those.

Never, ever had that problem here. Leave the disk/pen in to be printed, get a receipt for it. Return later with the receipt, get prints. Simple.

What good is a release if anybody can sign for it and there's no follow up? This is ONLY to cover THEIR ass not ours.

Beau1k wrote in post #11508727
What good is a release if anybody can sign for it and there's no follow up? This is ONLY to cover THEIR ass not ours.

While technically true, look at the bigger picture. The copyright law is meant to protect us. The store is required to follow that law. Therefore, logically, the store is doing this to protect us. Yeah, I guess they have a selfish underlying motive of protecting themselves by following the law.

Yeah, everyone wants to peg Walmart as the big bad corporate citizen that doesn't care about the people it serves, but when it comes to things like this they just can't win. :shrug:

Beau1k wrote in post #11508727
What good is a release if anybody can sign for it and there's no follow up? This is ONLY to cover THEIR ass not ours.

Of course it is, there is no way anyone can insure 100% that a photo is theirs. But it is a good minimally invasive step and stops many who just don't know better. The thief who really wants your pic is going to get them and there is no way you can stop them.

Hot Cocoa wrote in post #11508231
yeah, that is just annoying. I would find something to sue for. I hate it when people do that kind of stuff.

How stupid. The policy exists to protect professional photographers and other artists from unauthorized individuals from copying professional pictures or artwork. It exist partially in response to years of the unauthorized copying of prints and loss of income to photographers and other artists and lawsuits. Its a very simple step to write a letter for your self, family, or client to give them authorization to print the pictures. Be honored that the store considered it likely that these images were made by a professional.

Just a random question, when you send in your images do the people printing see the exif data? I know I've never had this problem but mine and my wifes names are embedded in the artist/copyright fields of my exif data, so either they are seeing that and it covers the bases or my photos just really suck.

Damn!!! My photos must really suck because I ocassionally print 4" x 6" proofs at the Walmart SuperCenter about a mile from my house and they've never asked me for a release form. In fact, at that Walmart there is no interaction with any employees until you pay for the prints. They have the new HP "Print in Minutes" kiosks; you just plug in your CF card or thumb drive, specify the prints you want made and any other options, then pick up the prints right at the printer 5 minutes later. With this system no one sees my photos and no store employees has ever asked me to see them.

Shirlsworld7 wrote in post #11508358
Oh I'm not complaining about them being watchful and protecting photographers. I am more or less just asking what or how I need to make up a letterhead which is what I was told I needed... Has anyone else had to write one up and if so what should it say?

The issue is you're allowing *Costco* (or whomever) to copy/print your photos, not that you're allowing *you* to print them. It's a form for their files in case a photographer takes action later. So basically it needs to say "I am the photographer of the photos on the attached CD, and allow Costco to make prints of them for any customer". I've sent in these before with just such a note, and it's worked fine.

Dave

Hot Cocoa wrote in post #11508231
yeah, that is just annoying. I would find something to sue for. I hate it when people do that kind of stuff.

Wow, just...wow.

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All these places should have releases and agreements that the photos you're printing is your property and not that of another photographer. Problem is so many people would not read the terms and just hit "accept" or sign something without understanding it. A few of these crappy one hour stores have been sued already because of actual infringement. There's a few places who are lucky I didn't sue when they let people who stole my work and went and made copies using web images that weren't good enough to make prints in the first place as well as scanned prints that got out there with copyright notices on the back, clerk still did it for them, helped them do it, etc.

I did some 8x10's through one of these places in a pinch, though almost always use much better and pro lab, and they just handed them over no questions asked, no release, nothing. I was pissed they didn't question it, so in the cases when they do I'd be happy!! I'd be thanking them for protecting hard working photographers rights, then hand over a business card showing it's my job and they are my images.

The idea of having to sign a form is fine but the training of the staff in these places needs to go up a few notches. I know I expect too much from minimum wage workers but I can dream.
I needed an 8x10 ASAP and the closest place with a decent machine is a Walgreen's store. Clerk was reading something written on the envelope as she retrieved my print. Pulls picture from envelope, holds it up in the air in front of other customers, and loudly says words along the lines of this looks too good, you must have downloaded this from the web, are you a professional, etc, all in a pretty accusatory tone. Long story short this went on through 2 employees and a manager who wouldn't even come out of the back office to speak to me directly. The whole performance takes place in front of other customers and in tones I didn't care for. End result? Signed a form after 10 minutes of arguing with them and will never deal with them again.
The correct approach? Hand me the form straight away, explain the policy, compliment me on the photograph - especially since I can prove it is my work - which they never asked me to do.

PixelMagic wrote in post #11509485
Damn!!! My photos must really suck because I ocassionally print 4" x 6" proofs at the Walmart SuperCenter about a mile from my house and they've never asked me for a release form. In fact, at that Walmart there is no interaction with any employees until you pay for the prints. They have the new HP "Print in Minutes" kiosks; you just plug in your CF card or thumb drive, specify the prints you want made and any other options, then pick up the prints right at the printer 5 minutes later. With this system no one sees my photos and no store employees has ever asked me to see them.

Yeah I had the same thing. Go to the kiosk, SD card, pick prints, and pick up later (happened to be the next day, because I went there late) But they see some pictures as they are printed and when they are packaging them. Might have also been because they were all "good" pictures. None were of people or events really, just all nature type pictures.
And with those scanner kiosk type things, they are SUPPOSED to check images. I did see someone try printing a copy of a federal document (birth/death certificate, ect.) and the photo center had to shred it.

On the other hand. I was not really mad, but they should make you sign stuff before you go ahead to print. Not after you have printed and they have looked at them, and you SEE them in front of you, instead of making this process 35 mins long after they are ready to be picked up. BUT they did say I had nice pictures

Target did this to me once too, he kind of made it sound like I shouldn't use their lab since my photos would be considered professional.

I don't print anything at Target unless I don't have time to go to Costco, their lab is crap and 2 different locations as the same black marks on my photos. Costco is cheaper, much higher quality, faster, has a better online interface and prints more sizes.

I have used the same pro lab for the last 15 years. They guarantee colour matching for reprints for several years they will telephone me if there are any issues or they are unsure of anything during the processing. They adopted to digital really well and quickly I just FTP my files into them. If there are ever any issues (and this has happened only a few times) they will reprint for free.

It is marginally more expensive than volume labs in supermarkets but well worth it and possibly cheaper in the long run given their hassle free service and non drain on my time.

Oh and they never question my authorship of the work