Confused by copyright? Wondering how copyright applies to you as a bride? Some photographers wonder too...

Believe it or not when a photographer takes a photo of a person not only does the photographer have specific ownership rights known as the copyright but so does the subject of the photo. The Right of Publicity describes the subject’s right to control how an image can be publicly displayed or most importantly commercially used...When you ask to use a photograph, the photographer is granting you a usage license. As with anything else, that license can be very strict or liberal. It can be for a single use, many copies, a limited amount of time, in perpetuity, a specific purpose or general use. A typical usage license will normally spell out the details of what the photographer will allow and disallow. If you decide to take your image files to a local store (i.e. Wal-Mart), they may ask to see the usage license before you are allowed to make a copy. Unless you are a celebrity, there is little reason for you to purchase the copyright. A usage license specifying what you want to do is usually sufficient and less costly.

You can read more about wedding photographers and copyright right here on WedFog.

Labels: copyright, reproduction rights, wedding photorapher, wedding photos