As a photographer, it is important to know your rights in every aspect of the medium, from where and what you can photograph to what people are allowed to do with your photos without your permission. This article is a guide to your rights as a photographer in the United States.
Acclaimed rapper Jay-Z has filed a lawsuit against photographer Jonathan Mannion -- who photographed Jay-Z's 1996 debut album "Reasonable Doubt" -- for misusing his likeness, which includes the sale of merchandise such as photo prints and shirts, and licensing his image without the rapper's permission.
A reporter from a Univision affiliate in Arizona has accused police of illegally seizing his phone and threatening to access its contents by "brute force" during an incident in April.
As you may have read, my gear was stolen in broad daylight as the camera was rolling two weeks ago in a public San Francisco park. It may be getting worse out there: another photographer got hit this week looking at Golden Gate Bridge.
A class-action lawsuit has been filed in a federal court in San Francisco that targets Instagram's embed publishing tool. It alleges that Instagram and its parent company Facebook enabled copyright infringement by encouraging online publications to embed links Instagram posts in articles.
The NPPA has announced that it will instruct police, first responders, and journalists across the United States about citizens' right to record police and officials who are carrying out their public duties.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is soliciting photographers to share photos on Instagram based on monthly themes. Those who participate will be featured on the MoMA's social channels, but also give the museum significant rights to use the photos "for any purpose."
Architectural photographer Mike Kelley, who might be best known for his viral photos of Airports around the world has released a $100 contract template for professional photographers working in the architecture, design, and real estate markets.
If you've ever been on the streets of New York City, you've likely seen the iconic I Love New York slogan and logo that has been around since 1977. But if you're a photographer who sells photos, here's something you need to know: that logo is trademarked by New York, and the state is quite serious about protecting it.
When is copying another’s work not stealing? Andy Warhol copied a photograph taken by Lynn Goldsmith of the musical artist Prince and created sixteen colorized and stylized visual works.
A panel of judges has ruled in favor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art over a copyright case. Florida-based photographer Lawrence Marano alleged that the museum stole his 1982 photo of the band Van Halen in the 2019 exhibition Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll.
An Alabama fire chief was arrested in Georgia after pulling a gun on a real estate agent and photographer who had booked a viewing at his for-sale home. The realty team claims the incident occurred because of their skin color while the fire chief's attorney called the legal charges "baseless."
A U.S. appeals court has ruled in favor of photographer Lynn Goldsmith in her copyright dispute over how Andy Warhol had used her portrait photo of Prince.
Sony has been hit with a class-action lawsuit by a consumer who claims that the popular Sony a7 III has shutter defects that brick the camera and force owners to pay for expensive repairs.
Update on 3/05/2021: The creator of the deeptomcruise account today revealed that it was a stunt. Masterminded by visual effects expert Chris Ume, the goal was to draw attention to deepfakes and petition for their regulation.
Photographer Darryl Wilkins has reportedly filed a lawsuit against celebrity Hilary Duff and talk show host Wendy Williams, accusing the two of defamation by suggesting that Wilkins could be a child predator after Duff filmed Wilkins photographing her son's football game in a public park.
Freelance photographer Andy Aitchison was recently arrested in the United Kingdom for performing the duties of his job: documenting an event. Aitchison was tasked with photographing a protest, and after he concluded his business and uploaded his images, he was arrested at his home.
Tennessee state lawmakers working together with the Sullivan County District Attorney's Office have introduced a bill to the state legislature that seeks to expand what is covered by "unlawful" photography. The new law focuses on a photographer's supposed malicious intent.
A 28-year-old Tennessee man has been arrested and charged for creating a "disrespectful Photoshopped image." He is accused of manipulating a photograph of a deceased officer's grave and posting it on social media.
A California man has pled guilty to the charge of hitting a police helicopter with his drone. The crime of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft carries up to one year in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The staff of the Penn State newspaper The Daily Collegian are currently battling a contract being forced upon them by the periodical's leadership, claiming it strips them of image ownership and takes advantage of their "volunteer worker" status.
The National Gallery of Fine Art has apparently lost its association with National Geographic. Based on a multi-week investigation, I have been able to determine that National Geographic recently cut ties with the gallery amid legal complications.
Facebook may reportedly be hit with both state and federal antitrust lawsuits, with one of the main focuses being its 2012 acquisition of the photo-sharing app Instagram.
The founder of PhotoStealers, Corey Balazowich, has started a GoFundMe in order to pay for mounting legal fees that she has accumulated defending herself against a photographer she accused of stealing images in January. She also claims multiple instances of harassment against her.
Instagram just released a bombshell statement about copyright infringement. In response to recent developments in a lawsuit between a pro photographer and Newsweek, the photo sharing site told Ars Technica that it does NOT grant a sub-license to anyone who uses their "embed" feature to share a public photo.
An appeals court has ruled that a 40-year-old man who followed women around with a camera to shoot creepy images of them did not commit any crime because the photography was done in public places.
The Swiss camera brand ALPA has won a copyright infringement case in China against counterfeiters who copied the company's designs. In its ruling, the Chinese court acknowledged that ALPA cameras are "objects of applied art" that are worthy of protection.
The past few years have made it abundantly clear that platforms hold disproportionate power in the online sphere – from Uber to Grubhub to Amazon. Online success is predicated on building both utility as well as a critical mass of users, and for that, platforms should be congratulated.
A federal court has tossed a photographer's claim of copyright infringement against a major online publication that embedded her Instagram photo against her wishes. The court concluded that the photographer signed over the right of embedding by posting the shot to the photo sharing service.
On March 12, 2020, the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) held a webinar with General Counsel Thomas Maddrey entitled “Potential Business Ramifications of Coronavirus (COVID-19).” Maddrey covered a variety of topics, including cancellation clauses in photographer contracts.