The question then becomes, should these bloggers be paying the photographers royalties for the use of their photos, since they are technically profiting from them? After all, if they didn't have the inspiration boards, their blog would not have the traffic to sustain the ad revenue.
This question has come up in several of my Blogging Bootcamps as well as at The B-List Conference. While I personally don't know the answer, as an industry it is one of those questions that we need to think through critically and not shy away from just because it may be uncomfortable.
What are your thoughts? Vote below and share in the comments section.
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9 comments:
The photographers that I feature on my blog have been more than happy to provide their work in exchange for the credit and link to their site (so far...it's brand new). I always oblige a request to remove images from a photographer who does not wish to have them posted.
the next question, then, is should the bloggers pay royalties to the wedding planners who come up with the looks/themes that are pictured in the inspiration boards or real weddings featured.
Bloggers should always ask permission before using the the photographic compositions and then decide with the photographer how credit should be given (whether monetarily or free advertising).
As to the questions about giving wedding planner royalties for the idea etc., I don't think that question is related because the work of art in question is the not the design itself it's the photographyic composition. The question would then beg to say that the photographer would have to get release rights from the designer to even take pictures of it in the first place - which is not reasonable.
I have no problem as a photographer not being paid to license the images, BUT I notice *many* bloggers don't link at all to where the images came from or the photographer, and I've even had my watermark cut off of my images so that no one can find where they came from.
Most of my images are licensed under Creative Commons for use *with attribution* -- but the link attribution is the key to it all.
Hopefully we can start spreading the word to get people to link to their sources!
Interesting post. As photographers, we sometimes find that blogs don't credit us if they've used one of our photos. I don't expect payment, but think we should be sourced for the photos. If you take words without sourcing them it's plagarism....sort of feel like taking photos without sourcing them is similar. Maybe I"ll be attacked for that...just my thoughts.
Amy, you are exactly right! It's really not the photos that are so captivating...it's the ideas they are showing. So if a planner has to pay the photographer for capturing a photo at a wedding, then really the royalties should go to the bride who THOUGHT of the idea (that the photographer captured).
A little too much legal, mumbo jumbo for me. We do not do "inspiration boards" but our brides certainly look at magazines. Where would this end?
Weddings are a collaboration between bride and her professional team but the bride should have ownership/control of images since she inspired and paid everyone.
The current system would work if bloggers give credit.
Related: "Designers" should not charge for inspiration boards of work they did not create.
I think that if credit is given for the photographs that can exponentially build on a photographer's business. As an aspiring wedding photography, I hope against hope that event bloggers for my market and internationally will eventually feel my photographs warrant a feature on their boards. All I'll want is a little credit!
First, with the Web making it so easy to find information and post, I think it would be very tough to moderate everything that is posted. As a photographer, I am totally happy with a credit.
Saundra, I disagree with part of your comment. What is photographed does makes a huge difference in the photos, but also HOW it is photographed makes a difference. Maybe I am wrong, but I don't see a lot of muddy photographs in these boards. Usually it is the pop of color, depth of field, etc that is also pleasing to the eye.
Isha, I'll have to disagree with "but the bride should have ownership/control of images since she inspired and paid everyone." Yes, a bride does collaborate, but she isn't taking the pictures. Brides pay professionals for their experience (the team taking her vision and making it come alive). In the end, the copyright still belongs to the photographer.
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