Photo copyright issues

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Bonnie Van De Hey (b.vandehey@yahoo.com)
Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:35:54 -0500



From: "Bonnie Van De Hey" <b.vandehey@yahoo.com>
Subject: Photo copyright issues
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:35:54 -0500
Message-ID: <001201c8e38d$55f6a320$6401a8c0@DELL101803>

Carol,

I agree.

 

Don, while I thank you for your helpful response, I think your disdainful assessment of all employees of quick copy stores is unfair. We scan and restore our photos in-house. All I need are copies made from our digital files for temporary exhibits. The do-it-yourself booths at these stores are MUCH less expensive than from a photo studio. I think your letter idea will work nicely.

   

Again, thank your for your suggestions.

 

Bonnie

Wrightstown Historical Society

 

 

  _____

From: localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu
[mailto:localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu] On Behalf Of vcmuseum Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 12:12 PM To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu Subject: RE: Photo copyright issues

 

Don,

I am not a real big fan of Walmart but I know of good photo lab technicians there. Suggesting everyone is a flunkie is very unfair.

Carol

 

  _____

From: localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu
[mailto:localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu] On Behalf Of Don Jensen Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 4:08 PM To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu Subject: Re: Photo copyright issues

 

As a professional writer, I am a strong supporter of protection of individual, intellectual property rights and copyright protection. But places like Walgreens and Wal-mart go totally overboard with their restrictions. Professional photographers deserve the protection the copyright laws and court decisions give them. But any fool, which includes photo "technicians" at places like Walgreens and Wal-Mart, ought to be able to distinguish between a studio print that someone is trying to copy on the cheap AND your museum's "Brownie" snapshot from 1932, or, for that matter, a 19th Century studio print long since in the public domain.

 

First, I think most museums should prefer to deal with a real photographer than with some 17-year-old kid running an automatic machine at Wal-Mart. First, you will get better prints and, second, if you bring all your work to a photographer, he gets to know you and you get to know him. A special rate may be negotiated.

 

But if you have to deal with a Wal-Mart, I would suggest creating and printing copies of a

letter, on museum letterhead, if possible and signed by your president or archivist (with their title noted below the signature). It could say something like: "I hereby certify that the photographic image to be copied is the legally obtained property of the XXXX Historical Museum. I further certify that the original image is either in the public domain or that this institution owns the copyright and/or possesses the legal authority to have this image reproduced photographically or digitally scanned."

 

It doesn't really mean anything, but it is impressive and if you give a duly signed copy to a Wal-Mart photo flunkie I pretty much guarantee they will copy your photo without a hassle.

 

--Don Jensen

Member, BoD, Kenosha History Center

----- Original Message -----

From: Bonnie Van De <mailto:b.vandehey@yahoo.com> Hey

To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu

Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 3:03 PM

Subject: Photo copyright issues

 

How does your society handle copyright issues with your photo collection? Each time we try to have copies of photos from our collection made for exhibits we have problems with the photo places (such as Walgreens and Wal-Mart) wanting to have a copyright release from the original photographer who, of course, no longer exists.

 

Bonnie Van De Hey

Wrightstown Historical Society

 



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