Jean Marie wrote:
>I've recently had head shots done, I'm really pleased with them. Do most >people buy the copyright to their photos? I went to get some copies of >mine, because ordering them from the photographer would be too expensive, >and they said they couldn't copy them without notice that I had copyrights. >Yet I thought most people just sent their photo to some place in Florida, or >wherever and get a hundred photos for seventy dollars. Or something like >that. What to do?
Some photographers retain the rights when they do your headshot so that they can be the middle-person in the photoduplication phase. The first time I had headshots done, I wanted to send them to ABC for the cheap reprints, but my photographer wouldn't release the copyright. Instead I had to order the reprints from him. He ordered them from ABC, did a major markup, and kept the profit. Mine were still relatively cheap, and it was a beautiful shot which I used for several years. However, when I went to that photographer to update my headshot, I negotiated a different deal with him before we went into the studio.
Call the photographer who did your shoot and ask him or her what the fee is for purchasing the rights to duplicate the photo. If s/he won't release the rights, you'll have to order your duplicates from him/her at whatever rate is quoted.
If the shot is really good and gets you work, it will eventually pay for itself. And of course you know for next time to ask about copyright before you hire a photographer. They are artists, like we are, and they want to be fairly compensated for their work. And a good headshot is really worth a lot!
Best of luck, Naomi Gurt Lind
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