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June 11, 2008
The Right Way to Travel, Weekly Photo Tip
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CAN YOU SPOT THE PHOTO THAT NEEDS A MODEL RELEASE?
By Shelly Perry in Portland, OR.

Have you been paying attention to the weekly photo tips?  Let's find out with the following pop quiz... 

Which of these three photos from this month's Photo Challenge needs a model release?

The answer: None of them.  Not if you're going to use them in an article or as fine art.

Remember -- the determining factor in whether or not you need a model release is less about whether or not the person is distinguishable in the photo and more about what you plan to do with the photo after you take it.

Stock photos need a model release.

Magazine and fine art shots don't.

Actually, it's a little bit more complicated than that -- just because you're using photos of a person in your article doesn't mean you're free to say whatever you want about them.  You can't, for instance, write an article about local bars, imply the whole town is a drinking mess, and then include pictures of people stumbling around looking drunk.  Just like you can't sell a fine art piece of someone sleeping on a bench and caption it "The town drunk."

We've written about all this before. 

Here (model releases in editorial vs. stock).

And here (selling people photos without a release).

But today's lesson is simply: Shoot first, ask questions later.

Don't abandon a photo opportunity just because you can't get a model release.  Get the shot and figure out what you can do with it later.

We'll be talking about taking photos for editorial use - photos that you can sell with your travel articles - at AWAI's upcoming Ultimate Travel Writer's Workshop in San Francisco.

I'll be there to answer any questions you have about photography during the breaks and/or over cocktails.  There's a cocktail party pretty much every night at this event -- so plenty of time to catch me for a chat.

Sign up now and save!  Click here.

[ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Shelly Perry from Portland, Oregon, specializes in people photography, what she calls documentary or lifestyle portraits. She is known especially for her imaging of children. Shelly's concern for people is reflected both in her sense of purpose and the images she produces.  Her images have been seen all over the globe on music CD covers, books, magazines, catalogues, web sites, ad campaigns and even on TV. Her work has also appeared in several local exhibits and gallery shows.]


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