Photographing someone, and waivers

the_syco

Hi all,
Was wondering, if I were to take a photo of a child giving feeding grass to a horse, would I need a waiver form from the childs parents filled out before I could use said photo in a photo competition? The childs face is not in the photo (back is turned). It was a case of "see, shoot".

I don't have the waiver, I won't be able to get one as I've no idea who it was, but on looking through photos I took today, it was one I was happy with, but unsure if I'm allowed to use it as I don't have a waiver from the childs parents.

I'm not sure if I even need one as there's nothing in the picture identifing the child, but thought someone here may know?

Zillah

As far as I know there are no special rules for children, beyond needing a guardian to sign anything on their behalf. Model releases are not needed in a lot of cases, such a journalism or similar editorial use - most competitions would count as editorial I would imagine, though it depends on what it might get used for; if you permit them to use the photo promoting their competition and they put it on a billboard then they'd certainly need a model release.

It is "they", by the way, the publisher needs the release and is liable for any consequences, not the photographer. Photographers tend to get the release as it's obviously easier to get it at the time than track them down later.

the_syco

Grand. All I have to do is check if the date is set as today on the camera (baaaad feeling it isn't), and it'll be submitted.

pixbyjohn

the_syco wrote: »

Grand. All I have to do is check if the date is set as today on the camera (baaaad feeling it isn't), and it'll be submitted.

Here you are > http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Graphic/Digital-Photo-Tools/Exif-Date-Changer.shtml

the_syco

pixbyjohn wrote: »

Here you are > http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Graphic/Digital-Photo-Tools/Exif-Date-Changer.shtml

Thanks for that. Luckily in the end I never needed it, but it's something handy to know about