my photographer put a huge watermark on all of my paid photos?

Question

my fiance and i hired a photographer for some maternity photos. when looking at her portfolio they each had a small watermark on the bottom left corner. in her contract it says "all photo's are property of photographer, please do not edit or skew in any way". after paying 175 for about a 30 minute photo shoot we discussed options. she said she would put them on a flash drive so that we could print the ones we want. well i figured if WE paid for her services that the photo's would be at least print-able. when we received the flash drive and looked at the pictures we were pisssssed. every photo had a huge watermark across the dead center of the photos. how are we supposed to use these photo's and why do photographers think the client doesnt have a right to the picture once the services are purchased?

Answer 1

You have received proofs.

You the photographer what ones you want and either they will issue "proper" files or do the prints depending on what is agreed.

Answer 2

Photographers Watermark

Answer 3

"why do photographers think the client doesn't have a right to the picture once the services are purchased?"





Well perhaps that is because it is the law in most countries. In the U.S. the client never has any rights to the photos except for the rights granted in the contract.





Personally, when a client pays for the full res image, they get one without a watermark on it. Watermarking or stamping was more common in the 90's, and nearly every photographer did it. These days it is less common so when a photographer does it, some clients are surprised by it.







I would look back at your contract to see exactly what you paid for. It sounds like all you received is the digital proofs, and it make be a crime for you to print them.

Answer 4

Read the copyright law. Photographers own the copyrights to their photos, regardless of how much you paid, unless your contract specifies that you've bought the reproduction (printing) rights. Web use is a separate right. Depending on what you signed, she may even be able to sell these photos for ads. What she has given you is customary to this business. You paid for the shoot, the service itself, you have not paid for the prints. This is where photographers actually make their money. The price of the shoot covers (?) costs - cameras aren't cheap you know. Nor are flashes, backdrops, and the rest of it. $175 is not much for a photoshoot. Really.



I personally include a limited number of prints in the package, as that is what people think they bought but my contracts specify no copying, no scanning and NO FACEBOOK (and I don't give digital anything.) I charge a lot more than $175.



Now, if she said she'd allow you to print some, she wants you to pick them from the proofs she sent you. The watermark and low resolution is prevent people from stealing the work. Whatever deal she made with you is not yet executed. Choose the photos and talk to her.

Answer 5

First, I suggest you clear up what the photos on the flash drive were for -- I doubt they were for you to make final prints from.



Second, when a photographer takes a photograph, the photographer owns the copyright to that photograph. The client does not own any copyright to the photograph, unless they have negotiated with the photographer to purchase that right beforehand and paid for it.



It's the person who creates a copyrightable "work" that owns the copyright -- that's the photographer. The 175 you paid wasn't for the rights to the photos, it was payment for the photographer's skill and time making the photos. But the photographer owns them.



If you want digital images that you can make final, non-watermarked prints from, you can usually buy such images from the photographer. Or you can purchase prints from the photographer. Go talk to your photographer and see what the deal is -- or read the contract/invoice you got from the photographer when you did the original shoot. My contracts and invoices *always* clearly specify that I own the copyright and what the prices are if the client wants to purchase fully printable images (and not proofs).

Answer 6

It's up to the photographer. Make sure you find out in advance before paying a photographer to do any work for you. A respectable photographer will not put watermarks on photos he has been paid to produce, but many will still put their names and logos and a copyright notice on the photos, which may or may not be acceptable to you.

Answer 7

It is common practice to pay a 'sitting fee' for the time/equipment & skills of the photographer to capture the images. Proofs are then sent out - which are usually low res images and/or watermarked to prevent illegal copying.



Customers then order full sized, non-watermarked images from the proofs, selecting the particular images they liked (some, all or none at all). There is usually a separate charge for these prints!!



Some photographers may charge a sitting fee + a small number (one or two) of small sized prints.



But - to reiterate what others have said, when you pay for a photographers services, you are NOT paying for the rights to the images.



What the photographer is required to give you will be specified in the contract you signed...wait, you DID sign a contract didn't you? Or was this some Facebook 'wannabee' Photography 'Business'?

Answer 8

It appears as if you have a misunderstanding in regard to what the photographer is providing. Before you get your knickers in a knot, give her a call and ask her to explain just what you have paid for and what you have received.

Answer 9

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