Need advice: photo licensing

[crazytom]

I'll try and make this concise:

I managed a business that was bought out. They kicked me to the curb thinking they'd do fine by themselves. I had developed a web page for the business and took some photos for the page (on my own time, with my own equipment). They cloned my web page and put it on their own site. That also included the photos. I'm kinda ticked off about the whole thing because they assumed the photos belonged to the business (which they don't) or were licensed to the business (which, in a sense, they were licensed to me, by me...but not compensated for). I'd like to present them with a licensing agreement for my photos. What's reasonable to charge (per photo) for this? And, does anybody know where I can find a plain licensing agreement?

Any helpful comments will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Tough road on some issues. The web pages may be considered "property" that was created on your company time.

The photographs on the other hand may be different. You may have the right to claim copywrite to these images. Your situation seems to be one of needing to seek out a attorney for true legal advice.

 

[crazytom]

Tough road on some issues. The web pages may be considered "property" that was created on your company time.

The photographs on the other hand may be different. You may have the right to claim copywrite to these images. Your situation seems to be one of needing to seek out a attorney for true legal advice.

Yes, I was paid for the original web page (no 'work made for hire' contract---technically, the entire site could be considered mine), but the second incarnation was done on my own time. Right now, I'm assuming that they'll just pull the images off the website, so I don't need to be wasting time or money on an attorney. I think that I'm just more ticked that I lost a job I loved and now I'm watching all my hard work be destroyed in a matter of months....on the plus side, they're losing a lot of business because my hard work is being destroyed by their incompetence!

Thanks for your input Chip!

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Yes, I was paid for the original web page (no 'work made for hire' contract---technically, the entire site could be considered mine), but the second incarnation was done on my own time. Right now, I'm assuming that they'll just pull the images off the website, so I don't need to be wasting time or money on an attorney. I think that I'm just more ticked that I lost a job I loved and now I'm watching all my hard work be destroyed in a matter of months....on the plus side, they're losing a lot of business because my hard work is being destroyed by their incompetence!

Thanks for your input Chip!

I do share your pain. I was hired by my company to handle advertising requests, billing, and other "issues" with the Washington Post. The "deadline" was looked upon by the paper and my boss in different terms.

After getting a "ration" from both the paper and my boss over minor or major changes in the ad (depending on whom you talked to ); I went home that night and created my own vision of the ad in of all things MS Publisher.

The next day I showed my boss my ad. He thought our newspaper did the layout. So the rest is history of sorts. I was given the task of producing the ads.

A year and half ago I was informed that that my company decided to outsource all aspects of advertising. To be honest I was happy to be offered the chance to go back to the sales floor.

Some may wonder how this fits this thread. Well tell you, after 2+ years I came up with an ad format that I thought "worked" for the company I work for.

After the "out-sourcing", they kept the basic "look and feel" of my layout; but the new source IMO never met a small font or graphic element they didn't like.

Trying not to sound as sour grapes here. But there is a certain pride in taking the time to come up with a design that you can say to others, hey this is my "artworK".

In the end Tom. I am surprised that this thread seems to be more about you and I. There are real legal issues there perhaps. Is it worth our time and money? Perhaps not.

But pride in our creative efforts is.

 

[crazytom]

Sure enough, they said they'd take the pictures off 'as soon as they can'...after arguing that it was an asset of the business in some way or another...