For those who negotiated their negatives...

aliciahelene Posted: Apr 04, 2004 11:42 AM

For those who negotiated their negatives...

Does anyone know how this works? Does the phtographer sign over the copy rights to you, or can you just do whatever you wnat with the negatives without being given a hard time? I just picked up my album and wont have my negatives for another 6 months..but was wondering how that works. Thanks!

Julestrd Posted: Apr 04, 2004 11:44 AM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

When I signed my contract he said I will get them after a year with the stipulation that I make a $50 donation to a charity and show them the receipt.

groovypeg Posted: Apr 04, 2004 11:46 AM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

I don't understand why photographers make a big deal with the negatives. You are paying for the pictures. Shouldn't you be entitled to getting your negatives with your package? Why do you have to donate to a charity? And why do you have to wait a year????

Julestrd Posted: Apr 04, 2004 11:48 AM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

I think it may be to show off their work to other prospective clients, I am assuming.

Anniegrl Posted: Apr 04, 2004 12:07 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

Since I live out of state, Patken said they'd give me the negatives after a year. (So I guess they realized that it would be hard for me to ask them to do reprints for me when it would just be easier for me to get them reprinted in Virginia).

suven Posted: Apr 04, 2004 12:09 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

I own my negatives.

LIJuneBride Posted: Apr 04, 2004 12:54 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

I get my negatives for no extra cost. I can do whatever I want with them.

May2704bride Posted: Apr 04, 2004 01:10 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

Posted by suven

I own my negatives.

Yeah baby!!!!!!! So do i

groovypeg Posted: Apr 04, 2004 01:27 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

i own my negatives too. i just doesnt make any sense to me why they need to keep the negative.

september2004 Posted: Apr 04, 2004 02:33 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

Posted by groovypeg

i own my negatives too. i just doesnt make any sense to me why they need to keep the negative.

usually, those who want to keep negatives are studios and people who count on repeat business via prints. ownership of the negatives allows them to charge an arm and a leg for prints because they know how much the clients wants them.

my photographer will have my negatives for about a month or so to create prints and digital scans for his portfolio. afterwards i can do whatever i want with them...

oakslady Posted: Apr 04, 2004 02:38 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

we will receive all rights to the negatives after 1 year - he keeps them that long in case anyone wants prints made - you have 1 year to ask for prints at the same price he quoted for the pictures when we booked - after that they are more

butterfly20 Posted: Apr 04, 2004 03:42 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

Posted by Anniegrl

Since I live out of state, Patken said they'd give me the negatives after a year. (So I guess they realized that it would be hard for me to ask them to do reprints for me when it would just be easier for me to get them reprinted in Virginia).

patken told me one year also..

aliciahelene Posted: Apr 04, 2004 04:04 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

I will have my negatives in 6 months, what Im wondering is does other photo places giev you a hard time if you want to make pictures. I know teher are copyright laws, so if I took the negatives to a place to have a pic turned into black and white, will they give me a hard time??? Thats what Im trying to find out about?

aliciahelene Posted: Apr 04, 2004 04:04 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

I booked Patken last summer and have 6 months from album pick up in my contract!

samsbride Posted: Apr 04, 2004 04:12 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

Don't negotiate for your negatives. Simply meet only with photographers who openly turn over the negatives.
Any photographer who thinks that after paying them several thousand dollars that the negatives are their artwork is full of crap.
Tell them you want them. I can tell you the name of my photographer. She's great. She threw in lots of extras, does great work and seems genuinely trustworthy.
She offers her negatives but sometimes asks to use the photos with permission (fine with me)

samsbride Posted: Apr 04, 2004 04:15 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

They are not holding the negatives for a year to help you out. They are doing it so you won't have photos printed anywhere else. They probably charge 3 times as much for extra prints than a photo place would. After a year - you probably aren't going to print more so they give them to you.

Maribelle7777 Posted: Apr 04, 2004 04:32 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

Posted by aliciahelene

I will have my negatives in 6 months, what Im wondering is does other photo places giev you a hard time if you want to make pictures. I know teher are copyright laws, so if I took the negatives to a place to have a pic turned into black and white, will they give me a hard time??? Thats what Im trying to find out about?

Can you not ask Patken to do that for you? I know you had a hard time with them so maybe you don't?

Perhaps if you say to Patken 'listen can you give me a release letter' with the negatives saying they are yours now to do as you please then no one will give you a hassle.

aliciahelene Posted: Apr 04, 2004 04:38 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

Thanks Maribelle, thats a GREAT idea, I wonder if anyone else has had problems making copies with the negatives?

aliciahelene Posted: Apr 04, 2004 04:40 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

I have to call them back on tuesday because Im having some pictures reprinted..I will ask them then how it works with the negatives. I do plan to make copies with a few pictures, I want to turn them into black and whites and make up an album of only black and whites..but I know if you bring in a pic and try to have it duplicated, its against copyrght laws, so I didnt know if thats the case with negatives. Arent there any brides on here who have used their negatives yet?HELP!

september2004 Posted: Apr 04, 2004 04:53 PM

Re: For those who negotiated their negatives...

Posted by aliciahelene

I have to call them back on tuesday because Im having some pictures reprinted..I will ask them then how it works with the negatives. I do plan to make copies with a few pictures, I want to turn them into black and whites and make up an album of only black and whites..but I know if you bring in a pic and try to have it duplicated, its against copyrght laws, so I didnt know if thats the case with negatives. Arent there any brides on here who have used their negatives yet?HELP!

what i plan to do is scan mine to a digital format (with a negative scanner), transform those that i want to black and white, and have them printed. i will compare this quality to any prints i have the photographer (or professional lab) make using the negatives. my ultimate goal is to make a digital album/coffee table style book. i am playing this all by ear for now, my photographer stated he was willing to help in any way he can...

i think it totally depends on where you go to get prints developed and if the studio used cares about duplicates. i wouldn't worry too much...