Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site sdcrdcf.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!sdcrdcf!brad
From: brad@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Brad Spear)
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: Re: Photo Consent Form Request
Message-ID: <963@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 3-Apr-84 15:30:30 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.963
Posted: Tue Apr  3 15:30:30 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 5-Apr-84 02:09:34 EST
References: <765@eosp1.UUCP>
Reply-To: brad@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Brad Spear)
Organization: System Development Corporation, Santa Monica
Lines: 33

In a recent article, Tony Scafidi asked about Photo Consent Forms.

There is really no "standard" form.  Basically, for any photograph that you
wish to make public (contest, sale, etc.), you need the written signature of
every recognizable person in that photograph, indicating that they will allow
their likeness to be made public. Without that written consent, they can sue
you for invasion of privacy.  Any other information on the form is meant to
identify you and the particular photograph.  Note, if more than one photograph
is to be made public, the consent form must cover all of them, or you must
have individual forms for each.  There is no blanket protection if, say, you
get Joe Blow's consent for photo A, but you publish photo B.  In that case,
Joe could take you to court.

Note that only recognizable people need to sign, so if you have a picture of
someone's back, you probably don't need their signature (unless it is
immediately recognizable, say Frankenstein, with the bolts).

If you want a real form, look in the back of a photographic handbook.  I know
for a fact (I have them), that "The Photographer's Handbook" and "The Manual
of [Indoor/Outdoor] Photography" have examples of forms in them.  There may
be several tomes with those names, but they probably have forms too.

There are quite a few laws surrounding what photographers can and can't do,
and they changed recently (1980?) to be somewhat better for the photographer.
I have a book describing the new laws, but I don't have it with me now.  If
you want the publisher, send me mail.

As an aside, I think consent forms can also specify how a photo may be made
public, for example, it may be entered in a contest, but not sold. However,
I'm not sure on this last point.

Brad Spear
sdcrdcf!brad