# Do I own the photos that I take?



## LawrenceChiu (Jun 13, 2012)

Do I own the photos that I take?
I was on a bowling team for a University and I took portrait shots and normal pictures for the team.
Things got complicated and we had a huge fight.
They also kept like $200 of my bowling equipments and I'm about to report it to the police.
Director of Sports is also now telling me to cough up the pictures that I took which belongs to school.
I'm like... no, we didn't sign any contract or anything plus I did it free of charge. I believe those photos are mine and you stole $200 of my bowling equipments.  

Does the pictures belong to the school or mine? Camera and lens I took were all mine. 
I don't have to give them the photos, right?


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## Bitter Jeweler (Jun 13, 2012)

Sure, why not?


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## Infidel (Jun 13, 2012)

Lawyer up.


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## Ernicus (Jun 13, 2012)

I say yes.  There are a few threads here I was reading about such things...you may want to search and read some of the advice given. 

But common sense says, you took them, of your own free will and not by request and no contract...so they are yours.  I'm sure had they not been dicks you would have probly given them to them..at this point..if I were you...I'd make them pay...dearly.  lol


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## cgipson1 (Jun 13, 2012)

Depends on where you are.. since you didn't say! US is yes, unless there is a contract that says differently. Canada is no, I believe, if paid to do it. Unpaid, don't know! Elsewhere, I don't know!  That is why contracts are a good idea, no matter where you are!


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## TGordon (Jun 13, 2012)

I day yes to.that...


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## Infidel (Jun 13, 2012)

TGordon said:


> I day yes to.that...


wtf?


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## Bitter Jeweler (Jun 13, 2012)

Infidel said:


> TGordon said:
> 
> 
> > I day yes to.that...
> ...



It's a contraction of "I 'dare say'". Da'y.


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## Infidel (Jun 13, 2012)

Oh. Thanks for the info (abbreviation for "information"). Sorry all about the snark.


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## TGordon (Jun 13, 2012)

I meant say..lol


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## tirediron (Jun 14, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> Depends on where you are.. since you didn't say! US is yes, unless there is a contract that says differently. Canada is no, I believe, if paid to do it. Unpaid, don't know! Elsewhere, I don't know! That is why contracts are a good idea, no matter where you are!


If the OP is in Canada, then, based on the circumstances presented, he would own the photographs.


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## calicozac (Jun 14, 2012)

Reporting the matter to the police may or may not help... You technically own the photos since you took them, unpaid, and with your own equipment. I expect that if they asked you to take the photos and you agreed to do it free of charge then they may belong to them (you provided a service though free of charge). They might be able to argue that you cant use those photos without their permission if the school or anyone else refuses permission to use their logo/uniform or whatever else made its way into the photo.

In any case you should probably just contact the police anyway about the theft(?) of your bowling gear.

This is all just my speculation.


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## Forkie (Jun 14, 2012)

My feelings would be that if there was no contract, you took them with your own equipment and in your own time, they are yours.


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## morganza (Jun 14, 2012)

Yes of course you do.


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## WilliamDSLR (Jun 14, 2012)

First off, sorry to hear about your disagreement.  I don't see why you would have to give them the photos you took, especially free of charge.  My guess is, if they had paid you the money for the photos, that may be a different story.  However, the fact remains it was free so I do not think you have to give them the photos.


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## xjoewhitex (Jun 14, 2012)

Yes, so do you have to turn them over? Nah.. could you make big prints and sell them? probably not.


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## sm4him (Jun 14, 2012)

First, tell them they can have any photos AFTER they return your equipment.
Then, after you have your equipment back: "Pictures? What pictures? I don't recall having taken pictures." or "Hmmm, yeah, sorry, my hard drive crashed and they're gone, all gone." 

P.S. I wouldn't actually DO this, personally. But it's fun to think about.


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## bhop (Jun 14, 2012)

Sounds like you got Munsoned.


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