IP Tech Knowledgy

Understand who owns the copyright when hiring a photographer to take pictures at an event. Unless there is an agreement to the contrary, the photographer, not the person or company that hires the photographer, owns the copyright in the images. If you are hosting a wedding or other event, you likely have an implied license to make copies of the images for your own personal or internal corporate purposes. If you want comfort that you have free reign to use, post, distribute and make copies of images in any way you want, be sure you have a written license from the photographer that allows all of this, or have a written assignment granting all rights in the images.

As the photographer, consider what rights you want to give the customer, and what reprint rights you may want to charge extra for, or how you may want to control the use of your images. If you retain the right to use the images for your portfolio, or even broader use, ensure you have permission from the subjects to use their likeness in any promotional materials, so as not to infringe on their right of publicity.

While an event photographer might only have to resort to suing a customer once in a blue moon, a bride might get giddy and use the photos beyond what was reasonably expected.

Ned T. Himmelrich
410-576-4171 • nhimmelrich@gfrlaw.com