Can I use this in my portfolio? (legal question)

B Rock

Went to a concert last night and shot a pretty well known Country star. I didn't have any kind of press pass or anything and was just a person in the crowd. (Although they let me go right to the front of the stage past the barricade and shoot! I love having a "expensive" looking camera haha.) Anyways I was wondering if I can use the photos I shot for my portfolio even though I don't have any sort of model release. I'm assuming this falls under the whole public figure thing that keeps paparazzi out of trouble. But I would like a good answer before I go posting it.

Angelo

generally speaking, yes, you are free to display the image but any conditional terms set forth by the venue in which you shot the photos may apply. if there were none, posted, printed on your ticket or their website,et al, then you're pretty much in the clear. you'd even be able to sell individual prints. just steer clear of selling, offering, providing or in any way allowing the image to be used by a third party for commercial use.

there's a sticky thread at the top of the MYOB forum titled "Photog's Resources" that contains all sorts of good information for you to study.

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pmbpro

Angelo wrote: »

generally speaking, yes, you are free to display the image but any conditional terms set forth by the venue in which you shot the photos may apply. if there were none, posted, printed on your ticket or their website,et al, then you're pretty much in the clear. you'd even be able to sell individual prints. just steer clear of selling, offering, providing or in any way allowing the image to be used by a third party for commercial use.

there's a sticky thread at the top of the MYOB forum titled "Photog's Resources" that contains all sorts of good information for you to study.

.

Agreed, Angelo! Those great resources were where I got my information when I first started out.

B Rock: I like your site. Nice and clean. :-)
That's great that you were able to get shots! The fact that they'd (I'm assuming you mean the venue staff) let you go to the front and shoot unhindered is actually a great thing! If anything, you may get known/recognized at future concerts at that venue, and that's great too. You can build a nice concert portfolio if you're ever interested in doing that.

I have many concert photos on my site, of famous (and some not-so-famous) performers. Some of the concerts were free, some weren't, but there were no conditions or rules posted at those events/venues or on promo pieces/websites about people taking the photos, or posting them. I never obtained a press pass. I was always in the audience too, like you were. :-)

Some of the promoters -- and some performers themselves -- knew I was going to post them (I met some at the shows, to network with them), and I told them that no commercial use was intended. When they saw my camera, some even asked me when they'd be posted! They eventually saw the photos online. No problems.