A Guest or just an chance to take credit?

Khristen

Recently my niece got married. I was the second photog there b/c I was asked to do make up, hair etc for the wedding party. The original photog was a member of my sister's church. A few days ago I was looking at some of my friends pictures that she posted on her <<Myspace>> page that she has for her business. She is showcasing pictures that were taken at the wedding as if she was the original photographer and using these to lure in new customers. Keep in mind she is a "part-time" photog. She has no business license, it's an ametuer under the table kind of business.

Maybe it's just me but I found this incredibly rude. IDK how to approach the situation. My niece has had a hard time getting her pictures from the main photog and our friend showcasing her pictures she took as a guest kind of rubbed her the wrong way, as well as myself. Our friend has not even offered the images to us or given us a heads up that she will be using the pics as a business scheme!

I know copyright isn't ours..... I've read through other threads here, but I was hoping to get feed back on how to approach the situation. Should we mention it to her? Let it go and roll with it? :dunno

Pupator

The story is very confusing and I don't quite follow. I can't figure out the relationship between the players in this story.

1) Niece - got married
2) You - 2nd photo at the wedding
3) Wedding Photographer (1st) - member of your sister's church
4) Friend who is posting pictures on MySpace page (who is she?)

Best I can tell the "friend" was a guest at the wedding who took her own pictures and posted them on her website as an advertisement for her services. If that's right - I don't understand what your beef is. Unless she wrote somewhere that she was the hired photog for that event it seems to me that all she's doing is giving an example of her work - showing her ability. If she's the one who took those pictures then there's nothing dishonest about that.

Maybe I'm missing something?

dogwood

Pupator wrote:

The story is very confusing and I don't quite follow. I can't figure out the relationship between the players in this story.

I agree. And I'll add that at least in my state (Oregon) you're not required to get a business license as long as you operate your business under your own name. Probably the same deal where you are so don't fret too much about that aspect.

Nikolai

If I'm reading this correctly (took me 3 or 4 times though:-), the OP describes the situation when a guest-friend took some pictures during the wedding and then showcased them on her myspace page in a very timely manner, while the "official" photographer apparently takes time to deliver the results.

If this is the case, I, just like Paul and Pete, don't see any issues here.

This picture-taking friend was not obligated to provide her pictures to the B&G as she wasn't paid, contracted or even asked to do that. If she can process and upload fast - more power to her, it means her process is more agile (although it is possible that her pictures are not as good as the official photog - but we have no way to know unless we can see both).

Just my 0.0000002

Art Scott

Khristen wrote:

Recently my niece got married. I was the second photog there b/c I was asked to do make up, hair etc for the wedding party. The original photog was a member of my sister's church. A few days ago I was looking at some of my friends pictures that she posted on her <<Myspace>> page that she has for her business. She is showcasing pictures that were taken at the wedding as if she was the original photographer and using these to lure in new customers. Keep in mind she is a "part-time" photog. She has no business license, it's an ametuer under the table kind of business.

Maybe it's just me but I found this incredibly rude. IDK how to approach the situation. My niece has had a hard time getting her pictures from the main photog and our friend showcasing her pictures she took as a guest kind of rubbed her the wrong way, as well as myself. Our friend has not even offered the images to us or given us a heads up that she will be using the pics as a business scheme!

I know copyright isn't ours..... I've read through other threads here, but I was hoping to get feed back on how to approach the situation. Should we mention it to her? Let it go and roll with it? <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/ne_nau.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >

I like Pete and the others agree......She was there and shot some pics and posted on her myspace to recruit business.....All is Good, nothing to get out of joint about.......Now if the MySpace page states she is the Primary photog then I might want that reworded or pass the page link to the actual Hired #1 photog........

The thing is a lot of beginnner photogs need wedding pics, so they show up properly dressed and sit silently near the center aisle and shoot the Processional and recessional and then some of the formals until someone realizes there is a foreignor in their midsts and start questioning this lurker.......usually the main #1 photog will aske the intruder to leave or to at least not present the B/G with any copies unless they Come thur the main #1 photog to show the work..........

Actually this is common practice......I have stumbled upon commericail shoots going one ahd stopped and snapped a few from different angles and then quietly walked away.....same with outdoor models shoots......I can't do that now as everyone in town seems to know who I am:D but it helped get a portfolio built.......

Blaker

Khristen wrote:

Maybe it's just me but I found this incredibly rude. IDK how to approach the situation. My niece has had a hard time getting her pictures from the main photog and our friend showcasing her pictures she took as a guest kind of rubbed her the wrong way, as well as myself. Our friend has not even offered the images to us or given us a heads up that she will be using the pics as a business scheme!

I agree with all the pp's.
Also, just because a guest takes photos at a wedding, it doesn't mean she has any obligation to give those photos to the bride.
However, if the bride wants those photos, why don't you contact the person who took them and offer to buy some copies for the bride?

Khristen

Sorry for the confusion. Yes the person that posted the pics was a guest. She did advertise that she was the main photog. I actually did what was mentioned earlier and just passed the info on to the main photographer.

Thanks all for the .02

Nikolai

Khristen wrote:

Sorry for the confusion. Yes the person that posted the pics was a guest. She did advertise that she was the main photog. I actually did what was mentioned earlier and just passed the info on to the main photographer.

Thanks all for the .02

That's not good... :-( What's her myspace account (if you don't mind my asking)?

ian408

It was a confusing read for sure. But I think I get that your friend was there as a guest and using the photos to portray skills as the principal photographer at your nieces wedding?

Not cool. I think I'd be inclined to ask your friend about it in a way that's, hopefully, enlightening and gets the point across that it's not OK to make that portrayal. I think it's important to "ask" rather than "tell" as it becomes a learning experience and (hopefully) does not leave you enemies.

God luck.

JackieHollow

I'm fairly new to this site, but lurk here a ton. I'm wondering why no one has mentioned model release. Wouldn't the guest have to have a model release to legally post those pictures on the internet??

Nikolai

JackieHollow wrote:

I'm fairly new to this site, but lurk here a ton. I'm wondering why no one has mentioned model release. Wouldn't the guest have to have a model release to legally post those pictures on the internet??

Public event, no sales... Falls under "fair use"...

ian408

Nikolai wrote:

Public event, no sales... Falls under "fair use"...

Actually, a wedding would not be a public event. You are invited to it which makes it a private event. The non-commercial use should be OK though.

Angelo

JackieHollow wrote:

I'm fairly new to this site, but lurk here a ton. I'm wondering why no one has mentioned model release. Wouldn't the guest have to have a model release to legally post those pictures on the internet??

no

Nikolai

ian408 wrote:

Actually, a wedding would not be a public event. You are invited to it which makes it a private event. The non-commercial use should be OK though.

OK, I stand corrected. And it could have even be "no pictures" clause on the invitation:-)

JackieHollow

Thanks everyone.

Khristen

Nikolai wrote:

That's not good... :-( What's her myspace account (if you don't mind my asking)?

Sorry Nik, I've been away for a few days. I don't know her URL off hand. Of course my Employer blocked Myspace etc (thank goodness I still have dgrin and SM!) I might be able to sneak that to ya sometime from home. The issue with her taking credit for the photo op was "fixed". However, they're still posted. My main issue with the girl is that she has posted pictures that were MINE before and taken credit that she had actually been there. Which might not have hit so hard had they not been MY photos of my husband and son. So, I guess you could say I might have a biased opinion towards her "business standards".
After several discussions.... it is what it is.

But.... I really appreciate everyone's .02! I've really begun to rely on you all for tips, advice and lessons learned! Thanks!

Nikolai

Khristen wrote:

Sorry Nik, I've been away for a few days. I don't know her URL off hand. Of course my Employer blocked Myspace etc (thank goodness I still have dgrin and SM!) I might be able to sneak that to ya sometime from home. The issue with her taking credit for the photo op was "fixed". However, they're still posted. My main issue with the girl is that she has posted pictures that were MINE before and taken credit that she had actually been there. Which might not have hit so hard had they not been MY photos of my husband and son. So, I guess you could say I might have a biased opinion towards her "business standards".
After several discussions.... it is what it is.

But.... I really appreciate everyone's .02! I've really begun to rely on you all for tips, advice and lessons learned! Thanks!

Oh... she posted pictures taken by *you*? That's bad... I'd be mad...Like *really* mad...

Tim Kamppinen

So, you apparently sent her photos that you took, as in "Here's some shots of our family" and she posted them on her site and took credit? Wow, what a great friend! You really should take action over this. If not legal action, then shout it from the rooftops that this woman is fraudulently representing herself and that she cannot be trusted... make sure she never gets a customer.

Pupator

These are two different situations that are now being confused.

1) She was at the wedding, took her own pictures at the wedding, posted those pictures on her site in a manner that suggested she was the primary photog (she was not). That's shady, but there's nothing you can/should do about it - especially since you weren't the primary photog either.

2) IN THE PAST she took some of the OPs pictures and claimed them as her own. I'd have sued her pants off.

Art Scott

Pupator wrote:

These are two different situations that are now being confused.
2) IN THE PAST she took some of the OPs pictures and claimed them as her own. I'd have sued her pants off.

Especially since the pix were of the OP's
Hubby and son!!!!