Selling Aerial Photos - Any possible legal issues?

damoth

Hi guys,

I'm in the process of setting up a website for the town where i am from and am considering hiring a helicopter and getting some aerial photos taken of the town itself and also tourist attractions in the area.

I'm also considering then selling framed copies of these to local businessses as part of a promotional launch for the site and am wondering has anyone here done anything like this. I presume selling general photos of the town will be fine but what about if i take photos of an (Office Public Works) historical attraction in the area or ones with businesses in them?

Any advice would be great.

Thanks,

damoth

Paulw

AFAIK you should be perfectly fine.

Just make sure you don't get photos of people in the privacy of their home, garden, office, etc, where someone is identifiable but yet in a place where they have an expectation of privacy.

Of course, if you're high enough, everyone should be tiny and non-identifiable.

Best of luck.

Victor

I don't think there is a problem, you are selling a photos of the Rock of Cashel, not the Rock of Cashel itself, two completely different things. If the picture is taken from a public place, there generally isn't a problem.

Some individual objects may have some copyright and related issues, e.g. Dublin City Council have certain right on the Spire - you can take you own pictures of it and take and sell pictures of it in the streetscape, but you can't sell "The Official Spire of Dublin Brochure" without permission.

You obviously have to obey air navigation rules in taking the photos.

stcstc

you will have to be a little carefull

i know for example the OPW dont like you taking stuff at newgrange as they want to control the images that are sold of it


but because you in the air it may be a little different


if your unsure why not just ask the OPW

better safe than sorry when its business

Mellor

Is there much of a market for this,
seeing as most, if not all of the country is photographed at high def now, and helicopter photos are available to order to the grid ref

damoth

Thanks guys,

@Mellor - I have no idea if there is much of a market. All i really want to do is cover the cost of getting the photos in the first place but i would think local b&bs and some businesses would be interested...

DotOrg

there are photographers that do this all over the country

there was a couple based in dublin who used to do it on film cameras up until at least a year ago, not sure if they're stil doing it but they never ran into problems with copyright

Fajitas!

There's no problems to be had, as you're in public, even if you're in the air. If anything is seen from here, it's their fault, not yours.

Duchovny

i know this was post before but for a reminder.

http://www.digitalrights.ie/2006/05/09/photographers-rights/

sunny2004

I have done this nationwide for years and there is no issue at all.

robinph

Although it is from ground level so much more likely to have recognisable faces in it Google has now been seen driving round London in their street view cars and this has aparently already got some people there worried about privacy issues.

sunny2004

Aerial views show people as dots..
there are laws regarding the height you can fly at...
So as stated and from personal experience there is no issue here at all

mikeanywhere

Officially, if you are in an area where there is an army base, you have to seek permission to have their location in the shot.

Thought I would throw that in...