photo copyright

[greeneyegirl]

I belong to an online fan club for a certain american popstar.

Recently his PA put a post on the forum asking for some fans with good concert pics to please send them to her as they needed some for the forthcoming uk tour programme.

she said people would be contacted for the higher resolution pics if needed and we would get a photo credit, so as i wasnt credited thought nothing of it...till this weekend when i open the tour programme and 3ofmy pics are centre spread with no name credit.

It was important to me as I want to make a living out of photography i am self taught and want to go to college and uni and get some qualifications but for that i need proof and evidence for my portfolio, this I have explained to the PA on her forum but she just blamed the uk production company.

what are my rights in this matter? I have all proof of submission plus proof the pictures are mine etc should I make a request for payment now, have they broken a contract in any way by not doing the promised name credit etc, i am worried they could now continue to use my image for other things as they are good high quality pictures.

I am now a published photgraphy but have no proof :o(

really not sure what my rights are but the excitement of having these published was outweighed by not even seeing my name on them.

bear in mind these brochures will be selling 1000's all over the country and no doubt the remains will be sold on the website all over the world, for �10 a go, am I wrong to ask for a nominal payment in such circumstances?

many thanks

[VillageVicar]

Interestingly, I have had this happen on numerous occasions, particularly with international magazines. You have every right to send a bill to the producer's of the magazine. AND you have the right to charge them a full price, rather than your 'typical' discounted price.

I've also had similar things happen with newspapers. In those instances, it's important to balance what relationship you may need with that paper in the future, as whilst they may eventually cough up payment, you'd be hard pressed to ever get them to write a nice article about you.

I wish you every success

Fr Bill

[Ethel]

I assume there was some sort of form you had to complete when you submitted the photos.

If so, is there any mention of your rights? If you agreed on the form that the company could use your photos in any way they choose without credit then you do not have a leg to stand on.

[greeneyegirl]

nope no form we were told we would be contacted for the high resolution versions of the pictures....that didnt happen.

I submitted my pictures just to be looked at I thought at that time as it clearly says we will contact you for the high res pics...it then goes onto say you will get a photo credit....so thatis 2 things they have gone against what they first said when they invited submissions.

[Twenty20]

As Ethel says, it does depend on any 'small print' when you submitted them. If it was definitely said that you would get a credit then, ideally, you should have. From what you say there was no offer of money if the pictures were published? I would guess, in that case, only an apology would be forthcoming as you were not expecting payment anyway. It may have been a simple oversight in not giving you a credit. Perhaps if pushed they might give you free tickets to a concert or something similar by way of apology.