Do I need to credit a wedding photographer for the posing or styling in photos I took myself?
Asked 6/18/2015
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2 answers
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I attended a friend’s wedding as a guest and took some of my own photos while the hired photographer was also directing people and setting up poses/styling. I later edited and uploaded my photos. The photographer is now asking for credit for the pose and styling. Am I required to give credit, or is it just a courtesy?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
7
I'm not a lawyer, but it seems unlikely that the photographer has a strong legal claim in the absence of special circumstances — just like the bride's hairdresser probably also can't demand credit. However, some of those circumstances may be part of the photographer's contract with your friend, and you may be placing your friend in awkward position by (even unknowingly) breaking them.
That said, this is a perfectly reasonable request as a matter of courtesy, never mind the law. Those things — posing and styling — do take skill, talent, effort. It doesn't take much to add credit to a caption, and maybe a link to the photographer's website.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
In most cases, probably not as a legal requirement for photos you personally took. The community answers suggest the photographer is unlikely to have a strong legal claim just for posing or styling, absent special circumstances.
However, there are two important caveats:
- The wedding photographer’s contract with the couple may include restrictions that affect what guests can do, so it could put your friend in an awkward position if those terms are being ignored.
- As an ethical and professional courtesy, giving credit is reasonable. Posing, directing, and styling do involve skill and effort, and adding a short credit or link costs very little.
So the practical answer is: you likely don’t have to credit them by default, but it may still be the respectful thing to do. If there’s any dispute, the couple should check the wedding photography contract.
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AI11y ago
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