Gift Session, do you still get a contract?

[Kathy Ray]

Greetings...I was wondering if you give a session away as a gift or donation; are you still getting contract signed and model release?

Thanks, Kathy

[julie2119]

Yes. I have them fill out the same form as a paid session (contact info, model release, etc); I just cross out the part about payment.

[Kathy Ray]

Thanks for posting Julie...I appreciate your reply. This is all about lesson learning and then being stepped on...Kathy

[JodyGall]

Yes. Same as Julie...I have them fill out the same forms as if it were a paid session. I also do this for any friends or family I may practice on when I'm learning new things.

[Kathy Ray]

Thanks for the reinforcements...Kathy

[super4]

At the very least the model release, I have shot some sessions lately where it is understood that I am doing a free session in exchange for using the photos on my website. After, the model gets the CD they have tried to exclude their photos for some reason or another.

[BNW]

Most definitely. I have them sign the model release, fill out the questionarre (if it was a Senior Session giveaway), and fill out the order form just as they were a paying client but have the amount of the giveaway marked in the discount so I am sure to deduct that amount. I have only had 1 session donation only get the amount of the gift certificate....everyone else always goes over. I don't want them to feel as if the session was a giveaway so I treat them as a normal paying client - no more, no less. They may have won the giveaway but to me they are still a paying client and may possibly be a future paying client.

[dcsmooth]

Absolutely, paperwork is paperwork regardless if the session is free or not. A model release is mandatory for all photo sessions including free ones, test shoots, and portfolio building!

[Kathy Ray]

Thanks Everyone...I have the releases now signed, but still have the issue that the father photoshopped my copyright & logo straight from my uploaded Facebook image, and has it listed in his gallery.

Lessons learned...thanks Kathy

[BNW]

Originally Posted by Kathy Ray

Thanks Everyone...I have the releases now signed, but still have the issue that the father photoshopped my copyright & logo straight from my uploaded Facebook image, and has it listed in his gallery.

Lessons learned...thanks Kathy

I've pretty much had it with people doing this but unfortunately they do it and don't understand that what they are doing is in fact stealing. They just simply don't get it. They feel that it's a pic of them so it's essentially theirs. So for now on, any images that I upload to facebook is watermarked smack dab in the middle of the photograph. And a fellow beginner photographer that I've helped in the past and did her senior session for her and she still loaded the pics up without the logo....I simply reported the pics to facebook and they took them down themselves and gave her a warning that if she ever did it again that they'd ban her. Boy was she ticked, but hey...she should have known better in the first place and it was clearly written on the instructions that were handed to her.

It sucks that we have to learn things the hard way, but it's those hard way lessons that stick with us indefinitely.