# License Photos to My Own Business?



## JG_Coleman (Dec 2, 2010)

I have something of strange situation on my hands (at least I think so), and I'm wondering if anybody can give me a bit of advice or some insight into how I should handle this.

I'm a co-owner of a business related to hiking and outdoors and I'm in the process of re-designing our website.  Since I've been amassing a library of my own nature photography for some time now, I got around to thinking that I would like to use my own photos oftentimes on the website.  For example, if we do an article on the website about a certain state park in Connecticut, I would like to use some of my own photography to illustrate the article.

My problem with the whole thing is that I want to maintain my own copyright on my photographs... independent of my co-owned company.  In other words, I envision my photographs remaining my own, personal property... but simply licensing them for a one-time use to my hiking/outdoors business whenever the situation might arise.

So... well, I suppose I'm not exactly sure what my question is.  Basically, I don't know what this entails or exactly how to go about this.  Does anyone have any experience doing something similar?

Since the photos are mine _and _I'm a co-owner of the business, do I even need to write-up a license, at all?  Or, if I do need to write up a license, can I do so for $0.00 (since I don't want to essentially charge myself to license my own photos)?

Any thoughts on this matter would be greatly appreciated...


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## tirediron (Dec 2, 2010)

That's kind of a convoluted little problem, and not being a lawyer, nor playing one on television, my thought is that all you would need is a signed agreement between all co-owners of the companying acknowledging that the images are yours and remain your property, copyright, etc.


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## Overread (Dec 2, 2010)

I'd be inclined to agree with tirediron - that or consider treating your personal life/photography as a separate entity to your hiking shop. So even though you're a co-owner a contract with yourself (and the other co-owners of the hiking shop) to be signed and agreed to would be my approach. That way its keeping your photography a totally separate entity which in the long run might be a lot simpler.


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## bentcountershaft (Dec 2, 2010)

If you think there is any possibility at all that you may sell out of your part of the hiking business then just write up a short term gratis license for usage of those images.


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## JG_Coleman (Dec 2, 2010)

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I've been putting off dealing with this issue for a while now, but it's come time to figure out how I'm going to handle it.

The thought having to write-up a seperate license for every photograph of mine that I choose to use is truly exhausting... I like the idea suggested that I write up a single contract that more generally specifies that my photographs, although used free-of-charge for my hiking/outdoor business, are to remain my own.

Thanks again for the help.


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## orljustin (Dec 3, 2010)

JG_Coleman said:


> Since the photos are mine _and _I'm a co-owner of the business, do I even need to write-up a license, at all?  Or, if I do need to write up a license, can I do so for $0.00 (since I don't want to essentially charge myself to license my own photos)?
> 
> Any thoughts on this matter would be greatly appreciated...



Why don't you just use them?  Why all this worry about licensing?  You, the person, always hold the copyright.  You co-own the business.  Just use 'em, unless you're trying to waste paper or something.


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## c.cloudwalker (Dec 3, 2010)

JG_Coleman said:


> The thought having to write-up a seperate license for every photograph of mine that I choose to use is truly exhausting...



And you want to run 2 businesses? 

Once you've figured out how to write the contract/usage contract, with the help of a copyright lawyer, it will be same all the time. Or at least the same until things change.

As long as both businesses are clearly separate, there is no problem. If you were the sole owner of the outdoorsy business, it would be easy as peas but you are not. And that means that, one day, it could belong entirely to your partner. So you need a contract to spell out the use of your photos clearly as far as this business is concerned.

If you were to sell out to your partner, do you want him/her to be able to use your photos forever for absolutely no pay?


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