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Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

mrslegeyt Posted:

Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

Has anyone purchased the copyright to their wedding pictures directly from the photographer, particularly after the fact? And, if so, can you tell me about how much they charged you for that?

Thanks a lot!!
Lsorrent Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

My photographer actually gives us the rights to our photos as part of our package.

mrslegeyt Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

I know that's how most photographers do it but unfortunately mine doesn't. They won't give us any digital copies, just 1,000 physical copies of the proofs, so I've been unable to share any of our photos with my friends and family (including my parents, grandparents, sister, in-laws, bridal party, who all live in different states from us). I'm really upset and aggravated about it and trying to find a way to get around it now. They also charge $10 for a 4x6 print but without rights to the photos we can't make copies ourselves without breaking copyright laws :(

MrsCastanedain09 Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

I'm so sorry to hear this Good luck, don't have any advice but I hope someone can help!
cavvento Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

After the 'proofs' stage, will they then give you a cd with a certain amount of jpegs that you select? We went to numerous photographers and they all give out the jpeg cd. The difference is that some give it with all your proofs, some only give it with the 100 or so that you select, which they then edit.

mrslegeyt Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

No, they said there is no option to give us our pictures digitally, even a year from now. They do allow you to choose 25 of your favorites that they will then post on their website. If you want to post any more, it's $1 per picture! Not really possible to pair it down that much since we have like 1,000 great proofs. Plus if we or any of our guests then wants to order prints from the website, they charge those ridiculous prices. I wanted to include a copy of one of the pictures in each of our thank you cards but to do that with even the smallest print will end up costing us almost $2,000. So ridiculous!

mokie74m Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

That is horrible. I feel so bad for you. I met with and got A LOT of quotes from photographers and all of them but one included the DVD with rights. The one who didn't asked me what 'I' needed the digital negatives for. WHAT?? Because it is my wedding, my family, my friends duh!!! She said she doesn't like to give out the negatives but would for $1,000. Yikes! Obviously I didn't hire her. Is there anyway you can meet with the owner of the company and sit down and explain your situation. There is no REAL reason that they shouldn't give your pics other than greed. Good luck.

mrslegeyt Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

I just got off the phone w/ the manager and got absolutely nowhere. They will give me a CD of the pictures in FIVE YEARS for $350. So I can share them with people then. He also told me the reason that they don't allow the pictures to be given out and then recopied is because they are 'art' and they print with a very special process because the owner doesn't want to think that there are sub-par copies of their photos out in the world. Instead, they'd rather no copies of their photos be anywhere. I've explained to them that I will not pay any more money to have prints made from them at ridiculously high prices and if they would just offer a different system more people would buy their photos and they'd make more money. I was so pissed. The fact that they keep talking about how it's art and it's their work is really aggravating me because it's not art, it's pictures from my wedding. If it's their art then I should have been paid for posing in a wedding dress so that they could get such great shots ... rather than me paying them over $5,000. He also told me that they have never had a call like this, which I find very hard to believe, given the responses I've been getting from people I tell this story to. I should be getting a call back from the owner of the studio but I have little hope that this will go anywhere.

They should tell you upfront that you won't get your pictures digitally and tell you how much it will cost you to order prints and albums. I can tell you for certain that I would not have used them had I known this. Oh and the photographer is b.r.e.t.t. m.a.t.t.h.e.w.s (hope that came out since it usually gets blocked) in case anyone is planning on using them.
anie922 Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

I'm really sorry you're going through this. As someone who used B rett M atthews too, I know their back-end customer service leaves a lot to be desired. But i will say they were VERY upfront with DH and I about how much prints cost, that nothing would be given to us digitally and that if we wanted the negatives they would be available to us in five years. They didn't hide it from us at all, and it's a trade-off I accepted to get the photos I wanted. Hopefully the owner is willing to work with you, but unfortunately I wouldn't hold my breath. We ended up scanning in all our pictures ourselves to friends and family from out of state could see them.

rerejohn2009 Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

i also have the same photographer and i am having the same issue and REFUSE to pay them anymore more money.
I paid $6,000 witht the digital package. I also refuse to pay for thank yous from them as for me i am going to scan and do my thank you on snapfish. I LOVE the pics they took and happy on that front but they are my wedding pics and i feel like they are keeping them. At least we get the proofs to keep. I am going to do design my album in august and i am so afraid of how much extra ut is going to cost me for adding more pics. i only get 50.
rerejohn2009 Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

Posted by mrslegeyt

Has anyone purchased the copyright to their wedding pictures directly from the photographer, particularly after the fact? And, if so, can you tell me about how much they charged you for that?

Thanks a lot!![/QUOTE

as soon as i saw this post i knew it was the same photgrapher and i have also complained to them twice already wait 3 times this first happened when we got our engagement pics and i wanted to do the table numbers with them and they did NOTHING. if it wasnt for the amazing pictures i have i would be SO much more annoyed but i knew it before hand BUT not from them from other people i knew that used them.
Jordy1010 Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

I'm booking BM this week...even knowing that they refuse to give a CD with all of the pics for 5 years. I felt their pictures were the best we had seen and I actually thought they offered a lot in their package compared to some other photogs we have seen.
One thing we are doing to avoid a problem later on is negotiating extra albums and prints up front. I was also told that they put about 100 pictures on the website that guests and family can look at and I thought that was more then enough.

RereJohn2009...what is the digital package..they never mentioned that?
rerejohn2009 Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

dont let richie fool you man.. he gave me that same crap about the pics on the site its bull. they told me the same and then when i got my proofs its 25 free and a charge for however mmany more you want added. if he says that have them write that on the contract.

My original contract was for a reversible 10x10..when i went to pay my final i paid an extra 600 to upgrade to the digital which is like the magazine style album but still stays at 50 pics.

if this is something you want make sure you do negotiate this all before you sign and have them put it all on the contract.
MarjorieFrank Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

That really su cks.... so sorry....
You'll need to stress to anyone who gets married in the future and comes to you for advice... make sure you get copyright privileges in your contract!!

Jordy1010 Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

Ahh this really scares me now! FH and I have a whole list of things we plan on negotiating and asking to be included in the contract, but now I'm seriously having second thoughts. What ***** is that I still think they do the best work and I really really want to use them.

RereJohn2009--would you still recommmend them? Also what things do you think you should have discussed up front that you didnt?
Jordy1010 Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

haha didn't realize su cks would be censored

GT143EA Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

Posted by Jordy1010

Ahh this really scares me now! FH and I have a whole list of things we plan on negotiating and asking to be included in the contract, but now I'm seriously having second thoughts. What ***** is that I still think they do the best work and I really really want to use them.

RereJohn2009--would you still recommmend them? Also what things do you think you should have discussed up front that you didnt?



IMO I dont think oyu should book with them! I'm not using them and I didnt even look at them but I think its rediculous that they are going to hold your pics hostage for 5 years!!! There are other photogs out there who also do amazing work.
mokie74m Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

Posted by GT143EA

Posted by Jordy1010

Ahh this really scares me now! FH and I have a whole list of things we plan on negotiating and asking to be included in the contract, but now I'm seriously having second thoughts. What ***** is that I still think they do the best work and I really really want to use them.

RereJohn2009--would you still recommmend them? Also what things do you think you should have discussed up front that you didnt?



IMO I dont think oyu should book with them! I'm not using them and I didnt even look at them but I think its rediculous that they are going to hold your pics hostage for 5 years!!! There are other photogs out there who also do amazing work.


ITA. You may not think having your digitial negatives is a big deal now. But after the wedding when you want to show everyone the pics and have some of your favorite photos printed you won't be able to and then it will be too late. You should really, really think about. YOu can get an amazing photog who will give you your negatives, and if you don't ever use them then fine but at least you have the option. FYI I have never used BM or even seen his work (which I am sure is amazing) but IMHO I don't think its worth it to not have your negatives.
rerejohn2009 Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

just to clear things up...

they DO amazing work and they do give you all your hard proofs
mrslegeyt Posted:

Re: Copyright of Wedding Photos from Photographer?

Yes, you get the first 25 on their site for free and after that it's $1 per picture. And, if you post on their site, they leave the big copyright mark across all the pictures. And, anyone who wants to order a print from the website has to purchase it at their prices. If you go to their website www.**************.com, click on 'Your Br*tt M*atthews' and just find a wedding (you'll have to enter your email but you can just make one up). Then pick a picture and put it in your cart and you'll see how much they charge. It's absurd!

In speaking with the Photo Manager today about this issue he said 'I'm just shocked to hear you say this because we've never had anyone complain about this before.' I knew it was BS anyway but then to hear that other people have actually complained and he flat out lied to me ... that's infuriating.

To be honest, I wouldn't book them. Not only are all of these issues so awful, but they aren't very nice about it either. In fact, once I booked them, they seemed to stop caring whether I liked them or not. I asked to add additional time to the front-end of my contract so that we could get some pictures of me getting ready with my mom, grandparents and bridal party and the Photo Manager basically told me I was stupid to want that because he's been in this business so long, no one ever orders pictures of themselves getting their make up done. I was like 'I don't care how many weddings you've shot of other people -- this is my wedding and I want them.' Now I realize it's actually no one ever buys them from you because you charge so frickin much. They also gave me a hard time about splitting the photographers up in the morning so we'd have some pro shots of my husband getting ready with his guys. They kept saying 'this is your (meaning my) wedding, nobody really cares about the groom pictures.' Last time I checked it was OUR wedding. Ugh, so aggravating. I ended up getting all these things my way and was really happy with my decisions, so what do they know?

It's unfortunate b/c their work is really beautiful and, imo, several steps above the other photographers on LI that I saw. And our actual photographer, Noah, was great. We had so much fun with him and we love the pictures themselves. However, the studio keeps referring to the pictures as 'art' and that they don't want their 'art' to be reprinted in poor quality (that's why they charge so much for prints ... riiiight) but I'd rather have slightly lower quality that no one refers to as 'art' from a studio that realizes that these are MY wedding pictures and I want to be able to share and purchase them all or as many as I want (without going bankrupt ... if not bankrupt already from the wedding).

If you are looking for an amazing photographer (even better than BM in terms of final product) you should look into 5 West Studios and particularly Spencer Lum. They are located in Manhattan but totally worth the commute and small travel fee they charge. They photographed a wedding I was in and then I made my sister use them. Their pictures are amazing and, even better, they put everything up on Pictage for you to share and then give you CDs of your prints. They were more expensive than BM (and BM was a recommended vendor of the Woodlands) so I decided not to use them but now that this is all over it would've been worth every penny for me to not be going through this. They did the videography for our wedding (as well as my friend's and my sister's) and I can't wait to get the video back. They are more like movies than wedding videos. Check out their website www.5weststudios.com. And if you decide to meet with them, tell them that Kacey (Foster) LeGeyt and Shannon (Foster) Parsons recommended them. We LOVE them.

Sorry for the long post ... I could go on all day about this situation!

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