From: "Digital Image Studio" > On 13/07/07, John Sessoms <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Unless I have the copyright holders expressed permission; a written >> release; under the DMCA, I must not allow copyrighted material to be >> reproduced on my equipment. > > That's all fair enough given the laws however how do you determine > what images the customer owns copyright to? Obviously only images > produced when the particular individual pushed the shutter are their > copyright anything else plainly is not, even if it's contained on the > same roll of film/memory card. How far are you supposed to follow the > law on the gov'ts behalf?
As far as common sense tells me I have to go to keep myself out of trouble. It's not that hard to recognize professional work. Especially if it's stamped with copyright notices on the back. And doubly especially if it's a regular customer who brings in under-exposed disposable cameras every week or prints out a hundred or more low resolution, high compression jpeg images from the camera card, every one of them with true spawn-of-satan red-eye, despite my having showed her again and again how to use the automatic red-eye reduction feature in the kiosk, after showing her how to turn on the red-eye reduction mode in her digital camera ... and now she's back with a professionally printed CD bearing a local studio's label or trying to copy gorgeous, beautifully lit 5x7s ... I've even had customers trying to copy images that had "proof - do not copy" overprinted on the front. All I need is reasonable proof the copyright holder gives permission for it to be printed. A signed release on the studio letterhead saying something like "I'm the photographer whose copyright notice appears on these images, and I give the bride and groom permission to reproduce these photos for their own personal use." ... signed "Joe Blow" for "Joe Blow Photography" I'm protected and the customer is happy. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
