There are 101 things to think about when choosing which vendors to book for your wedding, all with enough options to boggle the mind! The last thing you need is to get even more befuddled when faced with signing a contract loaded with jargon you don’t quite understand. Copyright and who owns what is one of the biggest concerns I hear crop up again and again when it comes to Ireland wedding photography, so please allow me to help steer you through the topic in a way that’s clear and easy to understand.
Under the Copyright and Regulations Act 2000, the photographer legally retains all rights to the photographs they take.
What does this mean for you, the Client?
When you hire an Ireland wedding photographer to photograph your wedding day, they retain all intellectual ownership of the finished product. But don’t panic, this isn’t as final as it sounds! This is no different than an author retaining ownership of their book or a musician retaining ownership of their music.
You, the Client, can use these photos for personal or private use in any way you’d like. This includes printing photos or albums, sharing them with friends via social media, and so on.
The only thing you cannot do is use these photos for commercial purpose or alter the images using editing tools.
What does this mean for me, your Ireland Wedding Photographer?
Can I use your photos any way I want? Technically I can (due to the copyright act mentioned above), but I never would. I value each of my clients tremendously and completely respect their privacy. In my contract, you’ll find a model release that is included when you sign the contract. If for any reason you are not comfortable with me sharing the photos, let me know and we can amend the contract accordingly.
I love to share my work and show off all of my lovely clients on my webste and social media platforms, usually culminating in a little blog post that celebrates their big day. All of my clients love this and have said that it’s a great way for them to share the photos with their friends and family. However, if this is something you aren’t comfortable with – no problem. Just let me know and we’ll work something out.
This is a very condensed and simplified version of how the copyright law applies to your wedding photographs. If you have any questions, please do not hestiate to shoot me a question via email at info@silkephotography.ie or within the comments below.
If you’re looking for an Ireland wedding photographer, I’d love to chat about what you have planned for your special day! Email me at info@silkephotography.ie and I’ll be in touch soon. I can’t wait to hear from you!
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