If I take digital photos for a client and then SELL the original digital files to them, do I still have the copyright on those photos?
2007-04-04 09:38:36 · 4 answers · asked by lilmikeeboy 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Photography
Ahh, the age old question.
Every answer on here can be considered correct. It all depends on what sort of deal you worked with the person who bought them. Because, yes, when you sell these files, you "sell" the rights to them as well..but are they one time use, or full rights.
The best thing to do I have found, after taking my lumps, is to get a contract written up and NEVER EVER EVER EVER sell your images without knowing 100% why they want them, where they will use them, how long they want them, etc. Never sign over images to anyone unless you are completely clear on their intentions.
The best example of this sort of thing -- the Nike Logo, designed by a student a while back, Phil Knight liked it, student sold it for some RIDICULOUS low one time amount..now..the Nike brand is known globally and the student who designed it gets the warm fuzzy feeling whenever he/she sees it..but no further money. So it's always so so so important to know what a person wants when they purchase your images or rights to use them.
2007-04-05 06:51:27 · answer #1 · answered by Allen M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you do still own the copyright, unless you sell that, too. Wedding photographers do this all the time. Usually you sell rights to use the image and retain the copyright., specify how the buyer may use the images in the contract. If not selling the cr, then the client gets jpegs and you keep the raw files.
You could benefit from attorney advice in this situation.
2007-04-04 15:17:09 · answer #2 · answered by Ara57 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not once you sold them. The copyright office cannot protect your work once you sold it. If you had registered them with the Copyright Office, you would hold the CO. You may sell the rights along with the photo's. If you say take a few photo's, sell them w/o CO. first, you lose your rights so if you do not care then sell them. I myself would want them protected and have you concidered owning the rights and selling prints? If your work is GREAT, please concider that ;-)
This is the way it was a few years ago, please check for any changes.
2007-04-04 09:55:00 · answer #3 · answered by yoyo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You sell them, you sell any rights to them, otherwise you need to license the pictures to them (like software).
2007-04-04 09:46:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋