Quick and dirty on copyrights and selling images

[drkranger]

I have a press pass to a drum and bugle show tonight. I will be submitting pictures to local papers and the organizations involved. People do have to pay to attend this event, making it private, right?

I know I don't need anything to submit shots to papers and magazines for editorial purposes.

In order to show pictures in my portfolio, do I need anything like model releases?

In order to sell pictures, do I need anything like model releases?

I ask because when I shoot sports, I do not need releases at all to submit shots editorially, to display, or to sell. The only difference in the sports is they are not paid events and not "closed" to the public.

Thanks,

[heartseye]

well....if you lived in Canada, you would ABSOLUTELY need releases for anything beyond editorial....and even that can be a slippery line too. I suggest a quick call to a copyright lawyer.....cheers...Bob

[Mr. Pickles]

Originally Posted by drkranger

The only difference in the sports is they are not paid events and not "closed" to the public.

Argumentative. At a sports event where you have to pay to get in, is it not the same as your event?

[cyclohexane]

Sports events are private, whether they are closed or not. The officials have every right to eject you if they deem it necessary.

In order to show pictures in my portfolio, do I need anything like model releases?

In order to sell pictures, do I need anything like model releases?

Selling the pictures as prints for personal use, you may be in the clear, as editorial use in the US includes the sale of prints.

Portfolio, I don't think anyone's going to fault you for using them, though if I could get releases I would just to be safe. It's really not realistic 100% of the time though, and if you're covering the event editorially you're probably in the clear. Portfolios are another one of those fuzzy areas...

[drkranger]

Thanks all for the responses. It sounds like as long as I'm not selling for advertising, I should be okay.

Mr Pickles, the sporting events I was talking about are youth sports at public fields, not professional or even high school events. Youth type stuff. Cyclohexane had a good point about them being private anyway.

[cyclohexane]

By the way, a lot of events (such as the drum/bugle show) have some form of a blanket release that everyone has to sign to participate in them, allowing the use of their image and so on... If these releases exist, if you are credentialed/granted permission by the league to be there you probably are in the clear for just about all uses minus commercial sales. This all depends on the wording, of course, but it wouldn't hurt to check.