Copyright Ownership vs Licensing

I paid for the photos, so I own them, right?
 

This is a totally understandable way of thinking. It is true for most things we buy; a sofa, a rug, a lamp, plants… We pay for them and we own them. 
 

However, when it comes to photography, you are typically buying a license to use the photos as opposed to the copyright a.k.a. "full rights” or “buyout.” This means you don’t actually own the photos, just permission to use them.
 

A wise lady recently said to me: “Ah! So it’s kinda like music!” YES! Exactly!

So you may be wondering…

Can I just buy the copyrights then? You can, but it will cost you a lot more and honestly, most likely you won’t need it.

When would I ever need to buy the copyright to a photo? Basically, when you want to control where it will show up. 

What can I and cannot do with my license? You can use them for promoting your business through ads, show displays, collateral, website, social media, professional competitions, and even billboards. You cannot sell or distribute any image to a third party and this is where I really need your help! We live in a digital world where it is so easy to share/take images. So please, I beg you that if a vendor or publication approaches you to use your photos, that you send them my way. You can simply answer “My photographer owns the copyright of this image, please contact her directly." I value our relationship so much and I do not ever want anyone or anything to put us in a sticky situation.

I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions regarding this subject or anything else, please send me a message.

Diana