Few things are out there that can upset a photographer more than
to see their picture in a magazine... with somebody else's name
underneath! Yet, it was done not once, but twice in this year's issue
of Tall Pines Spectator Guide. Two of the ZAP OmniMedia photos
were placed there, crediting the competitor on the picture, instead
of the photographer.
This probably results from plain misunderstanding of the copyright
concept, and that's why this post goes out to the competitors
and anyone who has or going to purchase our photos.
(We will approach the organizers of the race separately regarding
this issue, so if somebody relevant is reading this please drop us a
line at info@zapomnimedia.com)
So, what I wanted to state here, is that photographers sell usage
rights, not copyrights. You cannot buy a copyright for twenty-five
dollars.
This means that when you purchase ZAP OmniMedia n-Megapixels
digital image we grant you very wide-ranging usage rights, which are
already quite extensive when compared to our industry standards.
You receive the rights to
* print unlimited number of prints in any size that you desire
* use the photo or part of it for any promotional team materials,
which are distributed directly by the team
* place this image on your team's website for indefinite period
of time
* provide the image to rally organizers for placement in a their
rally's informational material
However, the copyrights still belong to ZAP OmniMedia, and the
usage rights cannot be transferred to anyone for any gain. For
example, you can send a copy of the image to all your friends
and relatives for their enjoyment and pride. But on the other hand,
if a national news media approaches you for a request for photos
to an article about rally then they have to negotiate the usage right
with the holder of the copyright. If a sponsor of your team
decides to use our photo to promote their product then they would
also have to contact us directly.
It has always been a standard to name the copyright holder (and
if possible the photographer) in a credit line if it is given with a photo.
Thus it was distressing to see other name in a credit line where
photo was taken by ZAP OmniMedia photographers.
Our business is conducted in a rather informal way, and we don't
usually bug people with lengthy license agreements or model/property
releases and what not. However, some basic respect to the author of
the photograph in form of a photo credit is always appropriate, even
if you don't have to (or think that you don't have to) do it.
Thanks
Zeev
http://www.zapomnimedia.com
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