When hiring a wedding photographer, couples should make sure that the contract or agreement clearly outlines the ownership and use of the images. This type of agreement is essential to protect the rights of both the photographer and the customer. Without it, the customer could use the photos however they wanted, which would result in the photographer not being paid for their work. Each wedding photographer will have their own specific contract and the details will vary between them.
It is important to ask the photographer if you have the rights to the photos and check what the contract says before signing one. A photo rights agreement is a contract between a photographer and a customer that outlines the terms of use of photographs taken by the photographer. Exclusive rights give the purchaser the right to use the photo in any way and prohibit anyone else from using it. The agreement will describe what types of photos the customer can use, how they can be used, and for how long they can be used.
The client also has the right to confidentiality and can negotiate how the photographer uses the photos. If a photo is distorted or treated in a way that harms the photographer's honor or reputation (for example, downloading a low-resolution photo or taking a screenshot and then uploading it to your Facebook page or putting an Instagram filter on it), then action should be taken. The most common type of right of photographic use is the right of use, which gives the owner of the image the right to use the photograph for personal and non-commercial purposes.
