Q AND A'S FOR ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS.

Q. Who owns the photographs after the shoot?

A. The photographer does, but licenses their use to the designer with restrictions. Without additional fees, a designer may use the photographs in portfolios, on their company website, for presentations, and for general company promotion. Submission to design competitions or to publications are also allowed. I provide a detailed description of usage rights on every proposal and invoice. All included usage rights can be expanded as part of any projects specific needs prior to the shoot. I aim to provide my clients with everything they will need without paying for what they don't need. If you have any questions, just ask and we can design a usage license that works for you!

Q. What happens if a publication wants to use the photographs?

A. Most reputable publications, whose own existence is predicated on copyright, provide the photographer a fee for the use of photos. Architect's Magazine, Architectural Record, Interior Design, the DWELL, LUXE etc. all adhere to this standard. There are many book publishers however who try to get photography for free. They either ask the architect to pay the use fee or they ask the photographer to waive it.

In these cases, generally, photographers adhere to the underlying principle of copyright, which is that if someone is to profit by the use of their photographs then remuneration is necessary. The book publisher is a for-profit enterprise whose product is books. Like printing, writing, and editorial services, photography is a component in the making of the book which adds to its value. Thus, publishers must expect to pay a usage fee.

Q. What if a contractor or manufacturer wants to use the photographs?

A. You should have them contact the photographer directly to arrange usage. Again, only the photographer has the right to license the use of his or her work.

Q. What is multiple-party usage?

A. When more than one party is paying for the rights to use the photography it is called multi-party usage. For example, architects often split the cost of a shoot with the contractor and other parties who were involved in construction. Fees in this situation will be greater due to the increase in usage. However, each party will still realize a saving relative to the prospect of paying for photography on their own.

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