Photo Copyright Release...of my own pictures???

[theatermouse]

I made a photo collage & had it printed at Walgreens (for FREE!). I went to pick it up & the photo lady took an issue with me. She asked me if I was authorized to print the pictures, if I had a copyright release. I took those pictures! I told her that I authorized myself to print them out & use them as desired. She made me fill out a form stating I was the owner & if Disney ever came back to fine anyone, I would be the one dealing with the fine. Has anyone else ever had issues with this? She said it was because of the character in the picture, but that the pictures also looked professional. My camera isn't professional by any means, but I told her I was taking it as a compliment!

My scanner isn't working, but it's these photos of my son with Sorcerer Mickey in the Animation Building at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

 

[Gorechick]

I had the same problem. Had to bring in a copy of the release and sign. Apparently there have been issues and they are cracking down with the Disney photos.

 

[jhaig]

This also happened to us when I went to develop some pics for scrapbooking at home. It does not apply to ALL of your pictures, just the ones from Photopass that have borders, character signatures, etc. I believe these are all copyright protected by Disney. The place I developed them at said you only have to have a copy of the Photopass release form on file one time, so that way if you come back and do more, you will already have a release on file.

 

[surferdude]

They are worried that you plan to use the photos for financial gain (advertising usually). While you took the image, you do not own what is portrayed in them, under copyright laws there is a rule for how much of the image can contain something not owned by you. Part of it is how recognizable it is vs. the amount of room of the image and some other bs.
But that is besides the point...Their standpoint is that they do not want backlash from Disney for printing the photos for you if you did something with them. Personally I think its ridiculous that they made you do this.

 

[sunflare]

They do that with any picture that "might" have been taken by a professional. One of my best friends took some amazing photos of my daughter when she was a baby that I used for my Christmas cards - I had to sign a release that said that they were not professional pictures and that I had the right to use them.

 

[theatermouse]

It does not apply to ALL of your pictures, just the ones from Photopass that have borders, character signatures, etc. I believe these are all copyright protected by Disney.

Thing is, none of the pictures on the collage were PhotoPass! They were all mine. Oh well, I'm sure Disney execs aren't going to storm my local Walgreens to hunt me down. I'll be on property at the end of this month anyway.

 

[bumbershoot]

I had the same problem. Had to bring in a copy of the release and sign. Apparently there have been issues and they are cracking down with the Disney photos.

Which is silly, since Disney gives us the release if we buy the CDs or downloads.

I made a photo collage & had it printed at Walgreens (for FREE!). I went to pick it up & the photo lady took an issue with me. She asked me if I was authorized to print the pictures, if I had a copyright release. I took those pictures! I told her that I authorized myself to print them out & use them as desired. She made me fill out a form stating I was the owner & if Disney ever came back to fine anyone, I would be the one dealing with the fine. Has anyone else ever had issues with this? She said it was because of the character in the picture, but that the pictures also looked professional. My camera isn't professional by any means, but I told her I was taking it as a compliment!

My scanner isn't working, but it's 4 photos of my son with Sorcerer Mickey in the Animation Building at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Stand firm! YOU took those pictures, they are NOT photopass, and there is no other owner.

If they were photopass, just bring in the release. Since htey aren't, they are your own, just repeat that.

Walmart up in Edmonton once gave a friend of mine HUGE grief over baby announcement cards that she had made. She took the pictures of her baby, she created the cards on her OWN; not through shutterfly or anyone, she actually was starting a business that involved such things and it was her OWN work, and the walmart employees nearly didn't give her flash drive back to her. She had to make a HUGE stink to get them to give her her property back, and she found another place to print them.