Photographer's Copyright

In this digital age it is easy to forget that copyright is always attached to a photographer's or artist's work. A customer commissioning a photographer to create wedding or portrait photographs is paying for the time taken to create the images and process them afterwards. Unless you pay for the printing rights, you also have to pay for the images, whether they be hard copies or digital files.

With my website and social media sites, it's easy for me to show my work to prospective customers. That's great because that's partly what I'm selling and it's the first draw to get people interested. The images are deliberately low quality to prevent people from downloading them and printing them. They also look awful and it's much better to get them printed properly.

Stop and think before you save the images or print them without is illegal to do this and it is so much easier now for photographers and artists to take people to court who illegally use and print their photographs. Also think before you use a photo that you haven't paid for as a profile picture on facebook.

Unfortunately, it is part of our world that we do copy things without permission - music, films, images on websites. You may think "everyone else is doing it, the photographers are charging enough anyway, they're doing fine." But you don't know that. As a small business in a flooded market, it's sometimes hard to be seen by customers, so every sale counts.

I love taking photographs and creating memories for people to treasure but it is my living as well. So please respect my rights and think before you print or use an image on social media. Of course, if you've paid for the digital files then you have a licence to print them and you're welcome to share them. A little mention for your photographer is always welcome too.

Thank you, Gillian. 

If you'd like further information about the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act of 1988 please click HERE.

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