How do I stop a photographer using my wedding images for their promotion?
I have read a few contracts and I am so confused. Why don't I own the photo's of ME that I paid for? :(
Question Asked: 4/07/2017
Wedding Date: 9/08/2018
Most Helpful Response
(12) · Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, servicing all of South East Queensland.
Posted: 26/06/2026
Answered by: 10 Experts
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Hi when talking to the photographer request a clause in the contract .I howver sign my copyright and ownership of the photos over to the newly weds so the photos are yours .I do however ask permission to use some of the photos in my portfolio ,display purposes and also competitons and sometimes magazines Up dating my portfolio helps me to keep it fresh.Being able to use the photos helps me display my work.I am very careful with my choices of how I use them.
(10) · Sunshine Coast / Noosa, Brisbane and surrounding areas
Posted: 26/10/2017
This is usually part of a wedding photography agreement that you and the photographer agree to before your wedding. In the event that you did not make any previouse agreement you need to work this out now. You could try contacting The Copyright Councle of Australia they have some good guid lines.
We ask all our couples if they are happy with us using their images. It is rare that a couple don't want their images shared but we have had that as a request and totally respect their decision. Having our clients feel happy and confident in what we offer, including what we do or don't share afterwards is our priority.
If you find a photographer that does not want to agree to this then simply move on, there are plenty of photographers that more interested in pleasing their clients than sharing some photos. It would be pretty rare to find one that will refuse to budge so communication is best, simply ask and if you cannot come to an agreement, then they are not the photographer for you.
One couple did not want their images used online but were happy enough for us to have them in a display album that we have in our studio so that can be an option. You do own the images that you are given, however the photographer also owns a copy, what happens to those images after your wedding is something you can just both discuss and come to a mutual agreement on.
Happy planning.
Naomi - Tascon Photography
Always ensure the photographer has a wedding contract and that you fully understand the terms and conditions. Dont be affraid to ask if you dont understand something. Sometimes I have clients who do not want any images used without their prior permission ( after all some of us have sensitive jobs ) and in that case we modify the contract to suit. In the end it all comes down to communication. I find many clients in the end book our services on trust.
First thing to do is speak to the photographer and see if they will change their contract to accomodate your wishes. Many photographers have a clause, in the contract, covering usage of digital images for the client and the photographer, this is just so everyone is clear about what can and cant be done with the images. I ask my clients if they mind me using the images for promotion and advertising, and for the most part people are excited about their images being used, on the occasion someone would prefer to keep their images private I respect their wishes.
I hope that helps.
Best regards,
Manny
I think most of us are pretty decent human beings and if you ask us not to use the images in their promotional material, we would respect that request. Other than that, I use a contract for all my brides and grooms, and I have a clause, I point it out and I "ask" if i can include them in my marketing material. I havent had any say No yet. So i am pretty happy with that. Its just a simple matter of requesting that we do not use them. Hope that helps . xxx j
HI, the best would be to speak with your photographer and let them know that you are not willing to allow any of your wedding photographs to be used for marketing purposes. If they don't aggree to it , please look for another photographer as I am sure you will find another one within your budget with similar style. I am one of the photographer who always ask for prior permission for all the selected photographs that I would like to use and if I don't get the permission I respect it and no further question asked.
Regardds
Pabi
Pabi Photography
Some photographers won't give you the high-res images but rather sell you the album. If you're not comfortable with this. Look for another photographer that does. After all, you're the client and you know what you want.
Most of the professional photographers would respect your privacy request. If you don't like your images being used online and for promotional purposes, be upfront with the photographer and get them to put that into the contract/agreement. Negotiate until you both are happy.
Hope that helps :)
Tuan Nguyen
Twentyone Photos
(64) · Perth, Regional WA, South West, Margaret River and Surrounding Areas.
Posted: 6/07/2017
You can ask the photographer before you book them to add a clause in the contract that you sign up to that states you do not want any of your images used for advertising and promotion. Any reputable photographer will agree to this. If they dont it's easy walk out the door and dont come back. A reputable photographer will not use the images after agreeing to add that clause. I have had clients ask me the same question and i've agreed to not use there images. You do own the images that you have paid for, it's just that in the photographers contract the client agrees to allowing the photographer to use the images for advertising and promotion.
Warm regards,
Peter Edwards Photography
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The confusion is really common, and it comes down to two different things that get tangled together: copyright and licence. In Australia, under the Copyright Act, the photographer who takes the image usually holds the copyright by default, even though it is your wedding and your face. What you are paying for is a licence to use and print those photos for personal use, while the copyright, and the right to use them for promotion, often sits with the studio unless your contract says otherwise. So it is not that you do not own anything, it is that ownership and usage are split, and the contract decides who can do what.
The good news is this is completely negotiable, and you sort it out before you sign, not after. Read the clause that mentions advertising, promotion, marketing or social media, and if you are not comfortable with it, simply ask for it to be amended or removed. Any decent photographer will happily add a line saying your images will not be used publicly, or that they will ask your permission first on a case by case basis. If a photographer refuses to budge on that, take it as useful information about how they work and keep looking.
One thing worth deciding is how far you want the privacy to go. Some couples are fine with a few photos on Instagram but do not want their faces on a billboard or a wedding expo banner, so you can be specific: no public sharing at all, or named platforms only, or a quiet review of anything before it goes up. Get whatever you agree written into the contract in plain words so there is no grey area later.
For what it is worth on our side, we edit every image and film in house ourselves, so nothing of yours is ever floating around with an offshore editor or a third party, which is one less place your photos could end up. Set the terms clearly upfront and you get the best of both: beautiful images you control, and a photographer who respects exactly how private you want your day to stay.