Professional Photography Restrictions Guide

Even though I am a firm believer that the real value in photography is in the tangible form, when it comes to digital images there are a few important restrictions to note when it comes to the images that you receive. I get these questions asked all the time when my clients come to my Lincoln Park, NJ studio or when I visit them in their home. All my clients receive a high resolution digital image with every print, wall art or album they purchase, so I always make sure they understand the difference between receiving copyright or printing rights with their digital copies. Here is a a few concepts that often create a little bit on confusion when clients receive digital images.

1) Copyright. The digital images that your photographer provides you with have a copyright, which means the photographer has the option to use those photos to market their work and services anytime in the future. We are however also respectful of our clients so if there are any images that you would prefer to keep private, it’s best to let us know about it ahead of time so that we can honor your wishes. 

Raw Files: We aren’t able to provide you with the original files or raw images. All images given to the client have been cropped and have been edited. If you do require further touch ups we would need to provide you with a quote.  Reading a Raw file (unedited picture like it comes out of the camera) requires a special software and most people at home wouldn’t be able to open it. Another reason to not give Raw files is because the only purpose to receive these would be for editing and that is image altering which would result in copyright infliction.

 Image altering. While we appreciate your business and welcome the sharing of our photos on social media platforms, we ask that the images not be altered in any way as this is against our copyright policies.

 What constitutes image altering?

·        Adding filters or editing photos in Photoshop

·        Removing our logo or studio name

·        Color correcting or including transitions from color to black and white

·        Clipping people or objects out of the original shot

So why do we have this as a restriction? Our photos are a representation of our work so when a customer alters an image it directly impacts our name and brand in the industry. When we present you with final images, they have already been through our editing process and don’t require further alterations.  When images are altered, the results are not always reflective of our original work and can then be mistaken for ours. We greatly appreciate your loyalty and cooperation in this matter.

We are happy to give a quote if you want images to be edited in a specific way or if you want further alterations made. This take us to what you d receive with your print release once download your digital images.

Printing rights: Having  printing rights  means you have the  right  to  print  unlimited images for personal use at your lab of choice. Now, keep in mind that as photographer we can guarantee printing quality from our professional labs. We cannot do the same for consumer labs. Usually these labs have a very low quality printer and images might come out looking funny or with weird coloring.

If you would like a free consultation, just feel out my CONTACT form and I will be in touch very soon! I cannot wait to hear all about your vision for your next family session!