QUESTION
Can I email my friend? Is he required to respond or do we need a contract?
Asked on Jul 25th, 2013 on Entertainment Law - California
More details to this question:
I took photos for my friend that is a disk jockey and did events. I did this on the promise of payment when he started to make money. Throughout a year he only paid me $50 in cash for thousands of photos. I decided to no longer do this for him. He has the photos on his social media page. However, I don't think he should be able to use the photos for anything else, due to lack of payment. There is no contract, even verbal when it comes to this.
2 ANSWERS
Theodore M. Roe
You can only release intellectual property rights, like the copyrights you hold in your photos through a written and signed document. Because you did not so release you can have an attorney issue a cease and desist letter to him.
Answered on Jul 26th, 2013 at 9:14 PM
Susan Marie Basko
How about get your friend to give you photo credit below each photo he uses and to include contact for your website, where you also have contact info? That way, your friend can use the photos and they are at the same time being used to promote and advertise your services as a photographer. If your friend has many visitors to his social media, this is great advertising for you, better than you could buy. That way, you will both have something of value.
Answered on Jul 26th, 2013 at 4:18 PM