Pictures of people at public events - releases, usage and legals?

blacknosugar

Hi

I was taking some pics at a couple of public events recently, one a marathon for example, and was wondering where I would stand on usage of some of the pictures taken.

I presume wide shots of the general scene would be considered 'editorial' and fair game, but what about shots where one individual is the clear focus of the image?

Would I need to have a model release from the competitor to sell one to a regional newspaper, or just publish on the web, or for arguments sake sell prints in a gallery?

I suppose on the one hand it's a public event but then it's not like it's the county GAA team or something, just random people, is it uncool to sell or post them on the web without asking, a couple of the shots have happen to have peoples kids in them, is that a no-no...? I don't know, I'd never thought about it before.

Paulw

Selling to a paper is editorial. No problems there.

Posting on the web - no major issue either, depending on where you post and what the images are used for.

Selling as prints - it depends. No hard rule there.

I assume you mean shots like this -

PWP_4555.JPG by PaulWa, on Flickr

blacknosugar

Yeah, that kind of thing alright, to my mind that shot would be safely editorial but it would be more like the next one along you have with the guy in red & white which is more like a running portrait that I was unsure about.
Any thoughts on Racepix by the way, I see you have it tagged in the comments there?

Paulw

These people are in public, and have no expectation of privacy, so you are free to use the image in almost any way except commercial endorsements.

For that event, I was the official race photographer, hired by the event organiser.

Corkbah

blacknosugar wrote: »

Hi

I was taking some pics at a couple of public events recently, one a marathon for example, and was wondering where I would stand on usage of some of the pictures taken.

I presume wide shots of the general scene would be considered 'editorial' and fair game, but what about shots where one individual is the clear focus of the image?

Would I need to have a model release from the competitor to sell one to a regional newspaper, or just publish on the web, or for arguments sake sell prints in a gallery?

I suppose on the one hand it's a public event but then it's not like it's the county GAA team or something, just random people, is it uncool to sell or post them on the web without asking, a couple of the shots have happen to have peoples kids in them, is that a no-no...? I don't know, I'd never thought about it before.

* the following is only my opinion ...I could be very wrong !

in general people sign a release (usually within the list of rules) - which allows them to be photographed during the race.

As regards usage of the image - you are permitted to use the image in a newspaper (doesn't matter if there are kids, monkeys, elephants or walruses in the picture - all that matters is that the image was taken without breaking any laws) - chances are its the pic-desk that will select the image they want anyway from the many ones sent in.

selling prints could/should come under "art" for the purposes of revenue and as such would allow the images to be sold to the public - but its more than likely that the only people interested in purchasing the image would be friends/family of the people in the image.

publishing on the web ...its kind of a grey area in regards to Irish law - at the moment it seems to be accepted that its ok but if the person asks for the image to be removed its polite to do so - you can refuse and would be legally entitled to do so, the person may argue image rights but the majority of "ordinary" people do not have image rights, its open to being challenged but who has the money or time to put a challenge in...given the fact that its very common place these days it could be regarded as the norm.