[thelist] Client asked for original files.....

Vic Wooten vicwooten at eaglewebservices.com
Thu Feb 21 18:17:48 CST 2002


Huummmm....

----- Original Message -----
From: "cdj" <chris at fuzzylizard.com>
To: <thelist at lists.evolt.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 8:53 AM
Subject: RE: [thelist] Client asked for original files.....


> -----Original Message-----
> For what it's worth (and this is contrary to all the suggestions made so
> far!), professional photographers "never" release their negatives to
> their clients.
>
> On the other hand, commercial photographers regularly release the
> original transparencies to the client, they just shoot extras so that
> they can keep a copy. By the way, what country do you live in? In
> Canada, unless it is explicitly stated in the contract, any work that is
> commissioned is the sole property of the company doing the
> commissioning. Therefore, the client owns the work unless the contract
> says differently.

Quite right. I should've qualified my statement as...professional "Studio"
photographers...as in family portraits, weddings, etc. Of course commercial
photographers works belong to the client who commissioned the photographer.

I live in the US, and I believe it's the same here. Portrait photographers
here (I believe!) have a clause in their contracts stating that the studio
owns the original transparancies/negatives. These guys don't make their
money with the sitting fee. They make it selling prints ya know.

Vic

> /chris




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