p.1 #1 · Just starting out: questions about rights to photos
Photography has been a hobby of mine for awhile, but now I am just starting to take the leap into maybe doing it semi-professionaly. I travel a lot, go on a lot of hikes, and other things and am so used to giving my friends all my photos at the end for their enjoyment. So now they feel as if they are just entitled to them, and immediately put them on facebook. Should I be screening now images I may want to try to sell, or use in a magazine, and only give my friends the others? And if they have some on facebook should I be asking them to take the images down? I've researched facebook rights and it seems as if facebook owns the rights to the photos once they are on there. Not sure really what rules I should be following, because I love sharing photos. Any advice?
p.1 #3 · Just starting out: questions about rights to photos
Facebook doesn't have rights to works posted there except as needed to do what Facebook does. They share and they (IIRC) advertise. They require posters to have the right to post the images posted and they have procedures for addressing infringing posts.
As a copyright owner, you have the right to control copying, publication, etc. So assuming you want to thrash it out with your friends, you could require the images to be taken down. Keep in mind that most people not actively or seriously involved in creative arts, aren't familiar with copyright laws and if they've become accustomed to getting images with no restrictions, they may not understand your change of position in asking them not to post your images.
It would seem to make sense that if you want to treat certain images as business assets, allowing casual sharing on social networks may not be the best way to get the images in front of potential buyers. That's not to say professional photographers don't have presences on Facebook, but it's not a typical sales route for individual images nor would I think it's a typical source for buyers.
p.1 #4 · Just starting out: questions about rights to photos
If you are going to stop giving away your pictures, and / or want to control what others do with them, you need to understand copyright and licensing.
The best place I've found to start is with the ASMP book "Business Practices for Professional Photography" and John Harrington's book "Professional Business Practices for Photographers"
Both might be in your local library.
As Craig says, if you are going to treat your photos as business assets, posting them on Facebook might not be the best way to keep control of those assets.
p.1 #5 · Just starting out: questions about rights to photos
Ok perfect thanks to both of you for the helpful advice and materials. I'm only 19 and really, really just starting out, no where near pro, so I have a looot to learn. I appreciate people who are more experienced willing to give advice, so thanks.
