So I came across this blog post today. Copyright violation/misuse of images is something I've spoken on before. I tend to have a different view than the majority on the subject, but that's a post for another day. Anywho, here's the article from an Australian peer, Rohan Anderson. (Rohan is a dope name BTW.)
This was a very interesting read. While I feel that his approach was a little aggressive, he's within his rights. If this was me though? I wouldn't keep mentioning the lawyer. They (the violators) would just get hit with the papers. Don't talk about it, be about it.
I've yet to have a negative experience with a band/performer and I like to think that's due to the personal relationships that I have with them. I'm not about being disrespected just for a little bit of shine so I'm pretty choosy about who I shoot. Some others aren't so lucky I guess. Fiending for the flash, they should take another selfie.
David Dallas taught me that.
I just try to be rad err day and it's been paying off like gangbusters. (Not sure if I used that correctly, but it sounds good.) It's somewhat flattering for a performer to identify so much with your vision of them. That being said, there needs to be a better line of communication between the parties involved so that negativity doesn't come up like it did in Rohan's case. Musicians/performers and photographers (REAL photographers, not iPhoning pit groupies) should concentrate on being RAD together. I'm not speaking for everybody in the field, but when I shoot a band/performer, I try to make them look as good as they sound. So often, they see the pictures and are amazed at how they look mid-performance. They're in that zone of performance/creativity. I don't take unflattering images. What purpose does that serve? I want us to BOTH look good. It pains me to see the contention between the talent and the photographers. Because of that, there's an army of middle men, just complicating everything. The first step is repairing talent/photographer relations is to abolish that bothersome "First three songs" rule. The good stuff doesn't happen until AFTER those warm-up songs. That's when artists are at their best. Come on guy. I'll have to write about this more later, so keep an eye out for that.