Data Protection

[liannef]

Anyone know the legal side of whether I can take photos of the products I've made and use them on our website and social media etc? Some items have photos in which the customer has provided and also names etc for any photos of kids which we haven't done any yet I would ask permission but for adults I haven't and used a couple and one customer isn't happy so have taken it down. Anyone know where I can look specifically for more info on this rather than reading the whole data protection act?
Thanks
Lianne

[raydavies]

Dogs are my speciality, generally in the form of a reproduction of one of my wife's watercolours which she does from the customers photo.

We have found that most people don't mind at all if asked. I confess I am ignorant of the legal side.

I've never tried asking the dogs though!

Ray

[Dave271069]

Or go to one of the sites where you can purchase license free images and use these on a few of the items you make, then get the items professionally photographed and use these, also when on the road you can keep all the printed items in a small box etc and use them as examples to show potential customers in the flesh,
I bought a wedding image for about £3

[GoonerGary]

Are we talking about products or children? If it is children, then it's more about Privacy laws. The photos are legally yours, but when photographing people or children, you generally make them sign a 'model release' which they allow you to use their image for promotional use. People can opt out of it, but with people's attitudes now different from twenty years ago, I would never put pictures of kids up online. Of course the same parents upload them to facebook and haven't a clue about their privacy settings and allow the entire world to see them!

Need more information about the products to help.

[James990]

If I am going to use on my website an example from work I have done for a customer, I usually ask them. To date I have never been turned down. I also carry copies in a flight bag to show anyone that is interested.

[NikGrey]

I used images of my friends for all of my product images, I asked each and every one of them as I didn't want the hassle of re-doing anything.

Having my own friends on my product images didn't stop another member here using my images (for a short time) but that' a different story..lol.

never had any objections when asking for permission.

[liannef]

thanks for your replies, the items are things like teddy bears, mugs etc which I have personalised and then taken a picture of and put on the website to show what I have done for a customer. I do have examples already but find the more the better and only really take a new picture if I've done something new. The problem is when the design includes photos that the customer has provided. I guess to be on the safe side I should just ask permission when photos are involved as all the graphic designs etc are mine but also run the risk of someone seeing the present their friend has bought them if I post the pics on facebook and twitter etc

[pisquee]

Another option, if you are a good photographer, (or know one!), is there are models that will work for free to build up their portfolio, they are then free to use all the images as are you ... there are photographers out that do this too, so could be a win-win for everyone involved, and you could have products with pro level pics with pretty/good looking models rather than someone's badly taken holiday photos to show off your products.

[Spike1865]

I think you only ask permission to be polite. A guy I know was in the same hotel as Jordan recently in Jamaica. There were a few photos in The Daily Star and he was in the background on 2, and sat near her on a couple more. Nothing he could do about them being published and nobody asked permission. When you watch the news they don't block everyone else out.

[GoonerGary]

I think you only ask permission to be polite.

You can photograph anyone in public, that's the difference. Apart from a few countries with strict privacy laws.