Negotiating Licensing

Q:

How do you negotiate licensing or ask a client to stop using your photos when there was no contract in place at booking and/or during delivery of images?

A:

Step one is to find the appropriate contact at the company who is using your images illegally. Step two is to educate the client as this usually occurs because they don’t understand copyright ownership. The photographer owns the copyright with or without a contract. Instead of asking the client to stop using your images, you can explain how they need to pay you to continue using them and a penalty fee for when they have already used them. Handle this yourself with legal copyright documentation or use a temp rep or lawyer on your team.