What follows are a question and two responses on the Museum Computer Network discussion list about getting permission to use photos of people in the museum. Some interesting ideas.
1. Subject: Photography releases
From: Eric Johnson Sent: Mon, May 17, 2010 10:49 am
Hi, all--
We were curious about how people are handling a couple of photo-release-related situations these days:
1.) Does your institution have a formal policy concerning the use of photography of visitors for promotional purposes (i.e. marketing or advertising)? Do you always, sometimes, never use photo releases?
2.) How do you reconcile that with the opportunities that Facebook or other social media provides to showcase visitors or events at your institution? Do you consider such images "editorial" and thus put them up without signed releases or do you get such releases there, too?
We've been asked to gather "best practices," but I'm almost more interested in focusing not only on what other organizations do but on what the best practices are from a legal perspective. In other words, I'm interested not just in the letter but the spirit of the law.
Any and all thoughts on these matters are very welcome!
Thanks,
--E.
Eric D. M. Johnson New Media Specialist Monticello P.O. Box 316 Charlottesville, VA 22902 Phone: (434) 984-7570 | Fax: (434) 977-6140 http://www.monticello.org/ ejohnson@monticello.org
2. From: dlewisarfm@aol.com Sent: 18/05/10 04:17 AM
Eric -- I found it interesting to note that visitors entering the "Civil War Days" event at the Naper Settlement Museum in Naperville Illinois were offered a flier with the bold heading "Attention all Photographers." This hand-bill invited visitors to submit (donate) a disk of their photos to the museum (along with an attached photo release) in exchange for a one-year family membership.
I thought it was an interesting way to gather hundreds of images, and engage the crowd.
3. From: "Rebecca Lawrence" Sent: 18/05/10 06:56 AM
The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center does not have a formal policy. A photo release is included as part of any youth program registration form, and includes parental/guardian consent for SLHC staff and the local press totake photos and use them for publication and record. It's not required thatthey sign to register for an event. 95% of the time, parents will sign theirconsent so it usually is never a hindrance. We do not take pictures ofschool children, or children in large groups unless we have permission from the school's administration.
For adults, particularly for events with lots of people, we consider the photos "editorial", and leave them untagged or unidentified on Facebook, YouTube, our website, or any other form of publication.
However, now that we have a YouTube channel, more thought has been given to receiving written consent from adults. I am developing a photo/video release form to hand out to all of our presenters, guest lecturers, and adult visitors. Until now photographs from special events were taken only with adult visitor's verbal consent or consent was received over email.
A photo/video release form from Elizabethtown College was distributed to one of our staff members who will be speaking on campus in a few weeks and passed it on to me as we've been discussing this topic at our institution particularly now that we've launched a YouTube channel. Elizabethtown College has a photo/video release form that all photographers on the property or at their sponsored event need to have signed by the member of the public. According to their form, the policy is not in effect when photographs are of news events unless the image/likeness will be used for marketing purposes. It is also not in effect if the photo is taken in a crowd scene. The form also grants the college permission to release the photograph to media outlets. It covers both adults and minors.
-Rebecca
Rebecca Lawrence Museum Educator Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center 105 Seminary Street Pennsburg PA 18073 (215) 679 3103 fax: 215 679 8175 http://www.schwenkfelder.com
_______________________________________________ mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu)
1. Subject: Photography releases
From: Eric Johnson
Sent: Mon, May 17, 2010 10:49 am
Hi, all--
We were curious about how people are handling a couple of photo-release-related situations these days:
1.) Does your institution have a formal policy concerning the use of photography of visitors for promotional purposes (i.e. marketing or advertising)? Do you always, sometimes, never use photo releases?
2.) How do you reconcile that with the opportunities that Facebook or other social media provides to showcase visitors or events at your institution? Do you consider such images "editorial" and thus put them up without signed releases or do you get such releases there, too?
We've been asked to gather "best practices," but I'm almost more interested in focusing not only on what other organizations do but on what the best practices are from a legal perspective. In other words, I'm interested not just in the letter but the spirit of the law.
Any and all thoughts on these matters are very welcome!
Thanks,
--E.
Eric D. M. Johnson
New Media Specialist
Monticello
P.O. Box 316
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone: (434) 984-7570 | Fax: (434) 977-6140
http://www.monticello.org/
ejohnson@monticello.org
2. From: dlewisarfm@aol.com
Sent: 18/05/10 04:17 AM
Eric --
I found it interesting to note that visitors entering the "Civil War Days" event at the Naper Settlement Museum in Naperville Illinois were offered a flier with the bold heading "Attention all Photographers." This hand-bill invited visitors to submit (donate) a disk of their photos to the museum (along with an attached photo release) in exchange for a one-year family membership.
I thought it was an interesting way to gather hundreds of images, and engage the crowd.
- David -
David Lewis, Curator
Aurora Regional Fire Museum
www.AuroraRegionalFireMuseum.org
3. From: "Rebecca Lawrence"
Sent: 18/05/10 06:56 AM
The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center does not have a formal policy. A photo release is included as part of any youth program registration form, and includes parental/guardian consent for SLHC staff and the local press totake photos and use them for publication and record. It's not required thatthey sign to register for an event. 95% of the time, parents will sign theirconsent so it usually is never a hindrance. We do not take pictures ofschool children, or children in large groups unless we have permission from the school's administration.
For adults, particularly for events with lots of people, we consider the photos "editorial", and leave them untagged or unidentified on Facebook, YouTube, our website, or any other form of publication.
However, now that we have a YouTube channel, more thought has been given to receiving written consent from adults. I am developing a photo/video release form to hand out to all of our presenters, guest lecturers, and adult visitors. Until now photographs from special events were taken only with adult visitor's verbal consent or consent was received over email.
A photo/video release form from Elizabethtown College was distributed to one of our staff members who will be speaking on campus in a few weeks and passed it on to me as we've been discussing this topic at our institution particularly now that we've launched a YouTube channel. Elizabethtown College has a photo/video release form that all photographers on the property or at their sponsored event need to have signed by the member of the public. According to their form, the policy is not in effect when photographs are of news events unless the image/likeness will be used for marketing purposes. It is also not in effect if the photo is taken in a crowd scene. The form also grants the college permission to release the photograph to media outlets. It covers both adults and minors.
-Rebecca
Rebecca Lawrence
Museum Educator
Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center
105 Seminary Street
Pennsburg PA 18073
(215) 679 3103
fax: 215 679 8175
http://www.schwenkfelder.com
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