# Question....



## Rick99 (Dec 6, 2017)

I just had a multi-Family Portrait Session. It was a Family Photo they were giving to their Parents of all the kids and grandkids. 19 People total 10 Adults.....in order to post the picture to a website do I need a signature from all the Adults on the contract/release paperwork? Sorry just trying to see what everyone else does. TIA


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## KmH (Dec 7, 2017)

You really should check with a qualified attorney.
Online legal advice is not reliable.
While copyright law is federal law and applies equally in all 50 states, model release law varies by state.

In general you only need permission from the people in the photos if the use is commercial. You do not need a release if the usage is editorial.

If the website the images are posted on is a website you use to advertise/promote you & your business then you only need their permission if the images were made in private or under controlled conditions.
In other words, if you made the images in a studio or at a private residence, yes you would need model releases valid in PA signed by each adult and the parents of the children would have to sign for the kids.

Model release law is not as cut and dried as laws like traffic laws.
For guidance, but unfortunately no hard answers, I highly recommend this book:
A Digital Photographer's Guide to Model Releases: Making the Best Business Decisions with Your Photos of People, Places and Things

The safe thing to do, if you don't already have it, is to include a clause in your contract that is a model release valid in the state where you are working.
That brings us back to having a qualified attorney  to check _all your legal paperwork_ to ensure you haven't inadvertently included any legal time bombs.


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## Rick99 (Dec 7, 2017)

Thank you very much!


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