Print Release and Copyrights - The Difference

Every time a client ask for raw images/ copyrights, my mind goes crazy…

Let me explain. There are a variety of ways you can own photographs, buy licenses and work with photography business. It’s all up to what you want to do with the images.

When client’s say “I want all rights” what they mean is only print (rights) release. Print release extends a license to the client, to print for personal use while preserving the intellectual property ownership rights of the Photographer. In other words; what the client really want is to display images on social media and/or print for personal use.

This is the way I work my sessions; I send a contract that includes; Price, model release and copyrights ownership. As owner of a work exclusive rights I am able to; display the work publicly, distribute copies of the work by sales, lease, or transfer ownership, reproduce the work, and make other works based on the original one.

However, if a client request a copyright release for privacy reasons, bustiness use (commercial) or simply to have rights management too, I will explain and discuss additional charges. Having images to use on your own business for commercial purposes, infinite times does have a different pricing.

If the client wants Full copyrights of the images I took, then I will create a document to transfers the copyrights to the client. At the moment of transfer, the copyright no longer belongs to the me (Photographer) and I will cease all use of that photograph, including marketing uses. With copyright transferred to client, the photographer would need a license from client back to photographer for use of the photographs in photographer’s marketing.

If you want more detailed info , check this;

https://bllush.com/the-cost-of-commercial-image-licences-average-getty-prices/