photo release form

Associate
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I recently attended a group physio/ rehabilitation session (to do with a chronic knee condition) This is at a private physio company at the cost of my employer.

This time, I noticed a photographer was taking close-up pictures of the session. Being a shy type of individual I would have preferred not to have my photo taken but the physios asked if we minded and at the time I said along with other members of the group that it was ok.

I noticed as the session went along that I appeared to be the photogs main subject along with the female physio I was working with. When I questioned at the end of the session I was advised that the photo's are for a "company brochure".

Have now received a photo release form from the company which states

I grant ******** the right to take photograps of me, and to copyright, use and publish the same in print and/ or electronically.

I agree that ********* may use such photographs of me with or without my name and for any lawful purpose, including for example such purposes as publicity, illustration, advertising and website content.


To sign or not to sign...that is the question?
 
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Caporegime
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Either way it's technically not remotely legal. The photographer can do whatever the hell he likes with the image under UK law... ;)

It's essentially him being courteous, or him not understanding the law properly...
 
Associate
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I'd rather know what the photos were being used for, especially if I wasn't being paid for their use.

Part of me says whats the harm.......

However the images are for commercial use and if I sign release I have no personal control over where they will end up......especially if they end up on the companies web site which I would imagine is quite likely.
 
Soldato
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I had to sign a few of those before and after jaw surgery with the NHS.

Different wording though, was more of a release for possible educational/reference publishing. Didn't mind, the pictures were close ups of my mouth.


Oh hang on, yours had nothing to do with the treatment. Um... up to you?
 
Caporegime
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Part of me says whats the harm.......

However the images are for commercial use and if I sign release I have no personal control over where they will end up......especially if they end up on the companies web site which I would imagine is quite likely.

As I said before, even if you don't sign there is no law stopping him just sticking it up on a stock library if he wanted to. You have no control over it in British Law.

If the photo is used in an inapropriate way (say it was an advertisement for aids) then you could probably get a lot of recompence from the advertising company that used it.
 
Soldato
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Either way it's technically not remotely legal. The photographer can do whatever the hell he likes with the image under UK law... ;)

It's essentially him being courteous, or him not understanding the law properly...
I thought it was only if you were photographed in a public place that there were no issues. If your in a private physio session and choose to say no hmm.

:confused:
 
Soldato
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As I said before, even if you don't sign there is no law stopping him just sticking it up on a stock library if he wanted to. You have no control over it in British Law.

If the photo is used in an inapropriate way (say it was an advertisement for aids) then you could probably get a lot of recompence from the advertising company that used it.

I can't say it's definitely law but it's generally considered that if a person is shown to be doing something in a photograph that promotes a product or service then the company wanting to use the picture will require a model release from those in the photo.

That dodges the bullet of any potential lawsuits down the line where someone can say they have been misrepresented.
 
Soldato
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Either way it's technically not remotely legal. The photographer can do whatever the hell he likes with the image under UK law... ;)

It's essentially him being courteous, or him not understanding the law properly...

Not quite true. Photographer can't necessarily use photos of people for commercial purposes without their permission. Just because you own the copyright of an image doesn't give you a carte blanch to publish it for any purpose.
 
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