Photos of celebrities need model releases?

1 year 7 months ago #742203 by KENT MELTON
If you photographer a celebrity or VP or President of USA for example, would a model release form be needed if you wanted to publish the photo?  


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1 year 7 months ago #742259 by db3348
Generally , yes,  Kent .  That's the whole idea , point ,  of model releases ,  for  getting the person's permission  to use  their identity in publication / ad .


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1 year 7 months ago #742268 by Shadowfixer1
Depends on what you mean by "publish". You see images of famous people, celebrities and politicians all the time in newspapers and magazines. There were no model releases signed or required. If you want to use the image in advertising, then that is where you need to have a release. You can't use someones image or likeness to promote products without a release.
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1 year 7 months ago #742314 by Sandy Smith Photos
While I don’t have person experience with celebrities, I thought because they are public figures, you don’t need permission?  Example paparazzi takes photo of Robert De Niro picking his nose (example), now they sell that photo to US magazine who publishes a story about Robert picking a winner.  Silly example, but purposeful in painting a picture that Robert certainly didn’t give permission for this photo to be used.  So on that note, I’m thinking you don’t need permission.  


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1 year 7 months ago #742320 by Shadowfixer1

Sandy Smith Photos wrote: While I don’t have person experience with celebrities, I thought because they are public figures, you don’t need permission?  Example paparazzi takes photo of Robert De Niro picking his nose (example), now they sell that photo to US magazine who publishes a story about Robert picking a winner.  Silly example, but purposeful in painting a picture that Robert certainly didn’t give permission for this photo to be used.  So on that note, I’m thinking you don’t need permission.  

That is exactly correct. Now if you wanted to sell that image to Kleenex or to a neti pot maker to use in advertising their product, then a release would be required.
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1 year 7 months ago #742576 by Stanly

Shadowfixer1 wrote:

Sandy Smith Photos wrote: While I don’t have person experience with celebrities, I thought because they are public figures, you don’t need permission?  Example paparazzi takes photo of Robert De Niro picking his nose (example), now they sell that photo to US magazine who publishes a story about Robert picking a winner.  Silly example, but purposeful in painting a picture that Robert certainly didn’t give permission for this photo to be used.  So on that note, I’m thinking you don’t need permission.  

That is exactly correct. Now if you wanted to sell that image to Kleenex or to a neti pot maker to use in advertising their product, then a release would be required.


+1 it's when the photo is used for some sort of endorsement or "Likeness" that things go another direction

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