Most of my portrait clients purchase a disc of at least a few of the images from their sessions, and my wedding packages all include a disc of high resolution, edited images. Unless the client chooses not to, I always blog highlights from sessions where the client is going to be receiving images on disc, and allow these clients to use their “sneak peek” images on Facebook, with watermark intact, since they have purchased the full-resolution images that will be coming later on disc. I actually enjoy the excitement that comes with sharing around their preview images. The operative word here is “purchased” – the clients in this case have paid for images on disc already.

These clients receive a print release with their discs. This is NOT a copyright release and this is a term I hear bantered around by clients (and usually prospective clients when inquiring if they get a “copyright release” with their discs) incorrectly. What is the difference? A print release specifically states, in my case, that the client may print the images, design an album with their images, and share them online with friends or on personal websites. The images are NOT for commercial use. A simple way of thinking of it may be as a “shared copyright” of sorts. Why not a copyright release?

A copyright release turns over ALL rights to the images to the client. This means I no longer own any stake in the images that I took, and I have no permission to use them on my website, on prints or in albums in studio. Obviously, as photographers we gain new business by showing….our work! If we turned over copyright to our clients, we would no longer have work to show because we would not own any of our work. Purchasing full copyright to images is MUCH different than purchasing print rights to images, and would come with a pretty hefty price tag. (Think of purchasing the copyright to a song vs. rights to play it!) I hear a lot of fairly new photographers throwing around the term ‘copyright release’ as well, and I hope this post educates at least a couple of them a bit as it can put you in a pickle if you don’t watch your legalese!

Why does this matter to me, the photographer, you ask? I mean, most of my clients get the image on disc, with printing rights, so what is my concern? I have two. The first is usage of web-resolution images for printing. I realize clients get SUPER excited about getting prints on hand from their wedding or portrait session. However, the images posted to my blog are NOT optimized for printing (and are watermarked). The image quality of the final product will be subpar, and of course being an angst-ridden artist (ha!) I want my work displayed at its best. And the images of YOU displayed at their best! If you just can’t wait to get your hands on one of the images, and you’ve purchased a disc from me, just send me an email and I’d be happy to send that particular image along for your use, in full resolution with the proper print release.

The second and biggest thing that affects us as photographers concerns stealing of unpurchased images, and this is where I’m going to spend most of my time here today. As a former event (horse show) photographer, this is a huge issue and has become so widespread that many photographers have had to seek income elsewhere (such as weddings) or have closed shop altogether. Event photographers are hardly ever paid by the event to be present. When I shot shows, I had to front my gas, meals, and hotel in hopes that a lot of exhibitors would buy prints or files from me. How disheartening to spend this money, then go home and see that some of these exhibitors had either a) taken an iPhone image of the proofing screen at my ordering station at the show and posted it, or b) had done a screen capture of the image on my online proofing site. If you have not purchased an image from your photographer, and you do this, you are stealing. There’s no kinder way to put it – it’s stealing and it’s also copyright infringement. Yes, the photo is of you, or your daughter, or other family member – but the photographer was contracted to cover the event by event management, or in the case of a portrait session, hired by you to shoot – and retains copyright to the images created. We all work hard to pay our bills, right? Well, photographers choose photography as a way to earn a living, and our livelihoods depend on being compensated fairly for our work. Our long hard hours on our feet, time away from our families, and expense incurred photographing the client. Whether you were an exhibitor at a horse show, a parent at a softball game that had a photographer present, or a portrait client who had a session done but has not purchased prints or files, you MUST have purchased the image to use it online.

an example of an unpurchased proof (from my horse show days) – NOT cool to steal and share on Facebook!

another example with a different watermark. If the image is watermarked, ask before using. If you’ve purchased a digital file or print from the photographer, they can tell you where you can and cannot use the image (and may supply you with a low-resolution copy for Facebook use, or give you the option to purchase one at a nominal fee!).

Hopefully this helped clients understand the differences between print and copyright releases, and when it is and is not legal to print an image or share an image online. The bottom line is – if you have a question about whether you can or cannot do something with a professionally-shot image, ask. And if you’ve not purchased an image (or disc of images) but wish to share it online, most photographers will sell a web-resolution image for  a small fee for you to use on Facebook or your personal website.

With SDP’s next wedding scheduled for December 10th, you can look for next week’s Wedding Wednesday article to be the first in a winter series featuring other fantastic local wedding vendors! Stay tuned!

-Sarah

I’ll be sending an email to all clients later this week with the same information. The best part of this sale? Even at sales’ end, Christmas delivery is guaranteed with the Priority Mail shipment option!

Which brings me to the point of my blog post today. As the studio has grown in popularity, I’ve found myself getting stretched quite thin. See, SDP is a one-woman shop. I’m it. You’re looking at it. I’m the bookkeeper, the consult-conductor, the shooter, the email-returner, the editor, the shipper and order fulfiller. I’ve reached a point where I cannot possibly handle more work than I am getting.

At this pivotal point in the growth of my business, I can thank my super, incredible, understanding husband for his support and his patience. See, I have a secret to divulge to my clients. I have not had a single day off since July. Not one. I have worked seven days a week, usually from sun-up to bedtime, relentlessly to deliver weddings, shoot, edit, and stay up on email. My website has gone un-updated. My album samples for 2010 have gone un-ordered. Business is GOOD and that is GREAT – but it’s time to reclaim some of my life back and give time to the things that have gone ignored during this incredible growth period (seriously guys, I can’t make my husband take care of house chores permanently).

I posted earlier about my new hours. I am sticking to my guns on this one – during wedding season, from April 1 through November 30 – I am no longer conducting consults nor doing portrait session work on weekends. As I am primarily a wedding shooter, there are very few weekends during this time period that I am not covering a wedding. This time needs to be devoted FULLY to the bride and groom I am working for that weekend, which includes the day after. Reorganizing my gear. Backing up files, culling images and preparing them to hit the blog so the newlyweds can have a sneak peek until I edit the entire wedding. And most importantly, r&r for myself. Weddings are unforgivingly exhausting work, as much as I love them. My second shooter and I worked a sixteen hour day last Saturday. This is on our feet, oftentimes schlepping heavy gear and lights around. Believe me, you do NOT want me shooting your portrait session the day after that. Or even meeting with me to discuss your wedding – I’m doing good to properly form words. I’ve reached the point where I’ve realized that while building the business has been successful, I have to think about myself, my health and my longevity in this field and I can’t go that hard and turn and work the next day. It just does not work long term.

Again, as said during my previous blog post, I am available on weekends by appointment from December 1 through March 30 for meetings and portrait sessions, except those times when I’ve got a rare winter wedding booked.

I am, during “busy season” always available on weekdays and of course weekday evenings to shoot portrait sessions and meet at the studio.

If you’ve read this whole post, thanks for sticking with me! My body, mind, wedding clients and even my husband thank you for understanding this policy. I sometimes wonder if it’s even worth mentioning on a blog post – but I get SO many requests for weekend shoots, I felt it best to explain myself here and that during the height of wedding season, it is just not possible. And to potential wedding clients, you will thank me when your wedding rolls around and I have devoted my entire weekend to serving YOU as best as possible – not trying to cram in other shoots and meetings with clients.

Sarah

ps, since no blog post is good without a photo, here’s an unbelievably adorable and funny candid from Katie and Jeremy’s wedding, to hit the blog in the next 24 hours!

We also took a handful of shots with my sister Stacey and her retired show mare, BA Foxfire+++// (for non-horse people, the “+s” and “/s” denote the amount of wins over her show career – basically, a boatload. A BIG boatload)

I hardly ever, if at all, shoot horse shows anymore – but I LOVE doing equine portrait sessions and farm shoots. So….if you want shots like these of your favorite equine family member, give me a call or email before coats start thickening up and growing for winter! (believe me, we are just a few WEEKS away from that….)

I am looking forward to doing some more farm work and equine portraiture yet this year. In fact, I’ll be headed to St. Louis in a couple of weeks to again shoot the American Hanoverian Society inspections at the St. Louis Equestrian Center.

In the mean time, here are some gorgeous arabian horses in training with the talented young trainer (I’m aging myself….) Alan Clanton.

As of now, I am scheduling about 3 weeks out on portrait sessions. My June schedule is completely full now – with one exception which I’ll explain shortly. I’m now already scheduling sessions in mid-July. So, if you are interested in booking an engagement session, a senior shoot, or a family session, it might be a good idea to go ahead and get on my schedule. I anticipate as we head towards late summer that scheduling will get even tougher – as senior shoots will start picking up at that time.

A “policy” change on scheduling, effective immediately – I am available for portrait session shooting Monday through Friday during wedding season (April through November), and seven days a week during off-season (provided I don’t have a rare winter wedding scheduled on a particular Saturday). I have quite a few Sunday weddings coming up on my schedule, as well as Saturday weddings that involve overnight travel. Sunday portrait sessions are going to be too difficult to schedule in until the season slows down.

And with the above comes a tip for those of you who REALLY want to get scheduled in – it goes without saying that evening shoots go first. I shoot nearly every evening right now. If you need an evening session, that is where the delay in scheduling is going to exist. If you want to get in QUICKLY, psssst, got a secret for you. Morning light is JUST as gorgeous as evening light and my mornings are largely free. I do realize with work schedules, it can be difficult to schedule at this time, but arranging for it can pay off big time as often I can get clients in nearly immediately if they are willing to schedule outside of an evening shoot.

So….to sum up – scheduling is running about 3 weeks (sometimes 4) for evening shoots, but if you can swing a morning shoot, you will find yourself on my schedule MUCH sooner! And note the availability for portrait sessions during wedding season in Monday-Friday (Fridays except where Friday weddings are scheduled).

I appreciate everyone’s patience! I promise you the wait to get your session is worth it. Of course, no blog post is complete without a photo, so here’s a quick preview of Stephanie and Cole’s engagement session that I did last night in Hays, KS (yes, I got home after midnight, but I LOVED shooting out there!)

Thanks to EVERYONE for your business. – Sarah

Erin Ackley and An Honest Request

Melissa Allen and Wies V/D Klumpert

Nicole Bellah and Waldor

Mari Jebens and Winter

Aless Hall and Unze Funds

Brenda Zeitler and Wramielle

Amy Stuhr and Dabadu Blue

Anna Eklund and Rapture R

Kathy Yamaguchi and Simply the Best

Meghan French and Foregone Conclusion

Erin Rhoades and Hemmingway

Melissa Allen and Cachet