A photo consent form is used by photographers to obtain permission from subjects to use their image for commercial purposes. It is not necessary for news photography or images taken at sporting events, but is required for minors.
A photo consent form, also sometimes referred to as a photo release form or media release form, is a document used by photographers to secure the consent of a photographed subject. This type of form is often used in commercial photography to demonstrate that a subject understands their rights to the images they take and grant the photographer any type of ownership of their image for the images they take. A photographic consent form can also be used in news photography, although it is less common and often unnecessary.
Photographs taken of a person can often imply partial ownership of the image by the subject of the photo. This is especially true for commercial photography, and images taken of a person cannot be used for commercial purposes without that person’s consent. Professional photographers often use a photographic consent form to prove that a person knew about the photo that was taken of them and released the image for use in commercial applications by the photographer.
This type of form is often used for glamor photography and advertising. It is usually a simple single page stating who will retain ownership of the photographs and any compensation that may be required for use of the images. For minors or children who are the subject of a photograph, a parent will typically need to sign a consent form to allow the images to be legally used in commercial applications.
The photo consent form for a minor will often also state whether the minor’s name and other personal information may be used in conjunction with the image. Journalists typically do not need to use a consent form with a subject as long as the photo is taken in a public space where the subject did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy and the image is not being used for commercial purposes. The image may be published in a commercial publication, one that sells space to advertisers, as long as the image is used in a journalistic context within the publication and not as an advertisement.
A photo consent form is not usually required for images taken at sporting events, even smaller-scale high school track and field events. As long as the image highlights in-game action and on-field action, rather than a specific player, it can usually be sold without the written consent of the participants. It is important to note that a photographic consent form is typically only required in regards to posting a photograph and taking a photograph of an individual does not require written consent as long as it is taken in a public space where the person did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
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