Can I Use This Photograph on Social Media?

There can be serious consequences for posting / reposting or partly using an image to your personal or business social media accounts and websites without the right permissions.

It’s a simple enough question, but unfortunately isn’t quite a straight answer. Images are everywhere… In magazines, in shop windows, and online. With images being online, and being the prevent use in online marketing and sales as they induce clicks, likes, curiosity and share, over and above posts that don’t.

There is allot at stake too, copyright infringement and breaches of copyright can find your business in court with hefty fines for damages. Excuses like “We just didn’t know” or “But its on the internet” wont sit well with the court as a valid defence. Especially if it’s been a breach of copyright that you have carried out for commercial marketing. Sourcing these images for use in your social media isn’t always straight forward. And its always worth double checking and proceeding with caution, rather than ignoring and hoping for the best. As the latter choice could turn out to be very very costly indeed.

One of the questions we are often asked by other photographers and media creators who are entering the industry is How Much they should charge for their creative services. Be it Photography, Video Production, Graphic Design or any other creative field where you are using you brain and hands to create something either digitally or physically for a company / client.

This is a HUGE conversation that I’m sure that you see often be flung around on social media and in forums. From the age old…

Client: How much do you charge for Video Production?……

Creative: What is your Budget? Mexican stand off conversations.