Photographer's open letter to Taylor Swift: How are you any different?

[Laceface 2,964]

A photographer has taken issue with Taylor Swift's "unfair" photo policy in the wake of the popstar's open letter to Apple.

The 'Shake It Off' singer claimed that she would not make her latest album 1989 available on the company's new Apple Music service because it planned to pay no royalties to writers, producers and artists during a three-month trial period - prompting the tech giant to overhaul its policy on royalties.

Photographer Jason Sheldon has now penned an open letter to Swift, supporting her battle against Apple but calling on her to change her own stance on image rights.

Sheldon wrote: "I applaud it. It's great to have someone with a huge following standing up for the rights of creative people and making a stand against the corporate behemoths who have so much power they can make or break someone's career."

However, he went on to post a contract photographers are asked to sign when they attend her concerts, which stipulates that the photographs can only be used once and that worldwide rights belong to the artist.

He continued: "How are you any different to Apple? If you don't like being exploited, that's great... make a huge statement about it, and you'll have my support. But how about making sure you're not guilty of the very same tactic before you have a pop at someone else?

"Photographers need to earn a living as well. Like Apple, you can afford to pay for photographs so please stop forcing us to hand them over to you while you prevent us from publishing them more than once, ever.

"With all due respect to you too Taylor, you can do the right thing and change your photo policy. Photographers don't ask for your music for free. Please don't ask us to provide you with your marketing material for free."

Earlier this year, Garbage photographer Pat Pope explained why he decided to write a public article on the band's request to use his work without additional payment.
 

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a654223/photographer-pens-open-letter-to-taylor-swift-how-are-you-any-different-to-apple.html#~pglbauEcCkVxU5

 

[GagaMyBlood95 9,915]

What? Photographers need to pay in order to take a picture or to publish her pictures??

Did I understand that right?

[Laceface 2,964]

What? Photographers need to pay in order to take a picture or to publish her pictures??

Did I understand that right?

They are allowed to use them once I believe but after that they have to pay to re-use the image. Even if they took it at a concert etc  

[SlaeUrAnus 15,950]

I do not understand his words.

Taylor is an artist. She practically penned and produced a whole record, and to not receive royalties for any of her hard work is wrong - even though she is rich enough. 

It is like McDonald's offering free Coca Cola with their meals. It is exploiting the supplier and the company.  

[Bradley 59,003]

I don't think they are cases of the same nature.

Taylor and her producers and writers make their own work and their own music but photographers take pictures of other celebrities, hence they do not have the right to keep the photos since they weren't completely their own works.

[darkchylde 14,857]

So, a paparazzi is mad? Good. They're trash, specially in L.A.

You ask Taylor Swift why she's not letting you make tons of profit out of HER image after harrassing her publicly and follow her around? Hell, you're sick.

[darkchylde 14,857]

I don't think they are cases of the same nature.

Taylor and her producers and writers make their own work and their own music but photographers take pictures of other celebrities, hence they do not have the right to keep the photos since they weren't completely their own works.

Exactly, I think it'd be different if they paid a model to pose for them. It'd be their creation and they would have hired someone to make it possible -like you would hire a producer-. However, if V Magazine HIRES you to take Lady Gaga's photoshoot, it's not entirely your work. It's V Magazine's, Gaga's and yours.

[Florian 19,952]

So, a paparazzi is mad? Good. They're trash, specially in L.A.

You ask Taylor Swift why she's not letting you make tons of profit out of HER image after harrassing her publicly and follow her around? Hell, you're sick.

He's not a paparazzi. The pictures he's refering to are concert pictutres

[LetsGetHigh 52,683]

So, a paparazzi is mad? Good. They're trash, specially in L.A.

You ask Taylor Swift why she's not letting you make tons of profit out of HER image after harrassing her publicly and follow her around? Hell, you're sick.

He's not a paparazzi... He's a normal photographer. 

[Dorothy Gale 7,575]

So, a paparazzi is mad? Good. They're trash, specially in L.A.

get your facts right before you call people trash

[darkchylde 14,857]

get your facts right before you call people trash

Educate me, then.

[AIex 3,102]

Gaga was right about paying artists, this guy is right about paying photographers.

You would have to pay to get a photo taken of you at the Sears portrait studio or something, right? It's a professional photoshoot, not a regular group of pictures someone randomly took of you with their cell phone. Photographers get the right to charge you if you do a photoshoot with them. And it's no different with singers and actors, or any type of fame really. 

There is a fine difference with general photographers and paparazzi, if no one has noticed. Photographers take professional photos with you and you get complete control over what happens with those pictures after you pay for them. Paparazzi follows you around on the streets while you're minding your own business and they take pictures of you every chance they get and then upload the pics wide across the internet without your notification or permission.

As I said earlier in this post, photographers must be given the respect of some money in return for a full photo shoot. It's a simple exchange, and especially someone with high amounts of cash like Taylor should be able to pay.  

Case closed. 

[ARTPOPdidntflop 3,987]

I bet taylor pays them well, its just about publishing the photos

Sounds like a bunch of cry babies to me

[GagaMyBlood95 9,915]

They are allowed to use them once I believe but after that they have to pay to re-use the image. Even if they took it  

WHAT? This is getting ridiculous  

[CannaeDrive 3,412]

I think the photographer has a legitimate point here.