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

[Evan Peters 10,763]

He's right tho. It's his photograph. I'd be pretty ****ing pissed too if some high and mighty celebrity asked for **** free for the sake of accumulating marketing material. 

Why does everyone feel the need to defend Taylor against people who bring up actual points?  If you have no problem calling other celebs + artists out when they do stupid crap then the rule should apply to little miss 'America's Sweetheart'. 

I'm actually glad people are finally calling her out. I have nothing against her but I find it so grating when people defend every little thing she does and try to make excuses for it. Like, just admit she's done some **** and move on.  

[JusKeepBreathin 19,311]

He's right tho. It's his photograph. I'd be pretty ****ing pissed too if some high and mighty celebrity asked for **** free for the sake of accumulating marketing material. 

Why does everyone feel the need to defend Taylor against people who bring up actual points?  If you have no problem calling other celebs + artists out when they do stupid crap then the rule should apply to little miss 'America's Sweetheart'. 

I'm actually glad people are finally calling her out. I have nothing against her but I find it so grating when people defend every little thing she does and try to make excuses for it. Like, just admit she's done some **** and move on.  

He is not right. It's her concert her event and her likeness he is trying to sell. She is not imposing a contract on his photograph of a bowl of fruit.

Apple is a retailer trying to attract business to their streaming service by using her and every other artists' music. Apple is giving a 3 month trial for free and not paying the artists for those streams during those 3 months. Two very different things. 

[IWasBornThisWay 77]

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.

first of all, I'm not a fan of her but! If anything Taylor and her team didn't create PC or programs or plugins, so its not completely their work

[Bradley 59,639]

first of all, I'm not a fan of her but! If anything Taylor and her team didn't create PC or programs or plugins, so its not completely their work

I wasn't her fan either when I was defending her. In fact I've been claiming how basic her latest works have been.

[GHGUY 230]

He is not right. It's her concert her event and her likeness he is trying to sell. She is not imposing a contract on his photograph of a bowl of fruit.

Apple is a retailer trying to attract business to their streaming service by using her and every other artists' music. Apple is giving a 3 month trial for free and not paying the artists for those streams during those 3 months. Two very different things. 

you make no sense.... Don't devalue what photographers do just because one is for a concert and the other is a bowl of fruit (what on earth?) professional photographers make sure they capture the best shot and capture a moment to make it look breathtaking.... They make decisions on how to capture the best photos. That's like saying Terry Richardson shouldn't be paid because he uses gaga's likeness for GagaxTerry (and I still think he is a sleazy pervert, but he still deserves pay for his professional work).

 

if we use your logic why even pay music video directors, they just use the artists' likeness 

[aaronyoji 2,055]

can we stop acting like a streaming service not giving taylor royalties or even as much royalties as she'd like is the same as her giving her work out for free?? cuz its not. people buy her ****ty albums, pay to see her live, god knows why, and and merch, etc etc etc. she's far from giving away a free product.... 

[Mast 980]

Didn't they sign some contract with the celebrities themselves before taking their pictures?

With Taylor they have to. Gaga does this as well, I believe. Not all artists do it though. They photographers are literally being asked to give away the products they produced, that's why the author is upset. Unlike Taylor who has all the money in the world, this dude can't use his photos to get by.

[uo111 5,266]

With Taylor they have to. Gaga does this as well, I believe. Not all artists do it though. They photographers are literally being asked to give away the products they produced, that's why the author is upset. Unlike Taylor who has all the money in the world, this dude can't use his photos to get by.

This comparison would make sense if the contract had them give the artist their entire collection of every photo they have evet taken of anything, and the artist could use it for free. 

But that's not what happening. It's actually ridiculous that you think there is any comparison. Well not really, people would only argue this about Taylor because they can't stand her success but can't find anything else to complain about.

And yes, not being able to take concert pictures of taylor and sell them for a profit is keeping food off of this guys table. I'm sure he depends on it.

[Affinity4PoP 17]

I would like to thank Strawberry Blonde for your commentary as I completely agree with you. You have been informative and it is appreciated!

[Mast 980]

This comparison would make sense if the contract had them give the artist their entire collection of every photo they have evet taken of anything, and the artist could use it for free. 

But that's not what happening. It's actually ridiculous that you think there is any comparison. Well not really, people would only argue this about Taylor because they can't stand her success but can't find anything else to complain about.

And yes, not being able to take concert pictures of taylor and sell them for a profit is keeping food off of this guys table. I'm sure he depends on it.

What? I never argued for or against Taylor.  I'm completely neutral about it, I was just explaining why the photographer has some substance to his claim. If anything, the fact that I said Gaga does the exact same thing means that I feel indifferent about Taylor doing so as well. Please don't try to interpret my intentions, I have nothing against Taylor nor was I complaining about her. Notice how I never said anything negative about her.

[Bt1 5,213]

Show the world how false she is. She wants money even if Apple doesnt make any in the same period. Its a bizz partenrship Taylor. If you dont get it, tell your manager to give a lesson to you.

[JusKeepBreathin 19,311]

you make no sense.... Don't devalue what photographers do just because one is for a concert and the other is a bowl of fruit (what on earth?) professional photographers make sure they capture the best shot and capture a moment to make it look breathtaking.... They make decisions on how to capture the best photos. That's like saying Terry Richardson shouldn't be paid because he uses gaga's likeness for GagaxTerry (and I still think he is a sleazy pervert, but he still deserves pay for his professional work).

 

if we use your logic why even pay music video directors, they just use the artists' likeness 

He is getting paid for his work. He is signing a contract that only allows him to sell it once. Just like a photographer shooting the cover of a magazine. That photographer is only allowed to use that image once. It actually makes the shot worth a lot more money. Does this photographer really think he will get as much for a great shot if he sells it to every publication he can? It will lose value and just become another paparazzi photo. Also if your take away of what I wrote is "why pay music video directors" you need to check your reading comprehension. Especially since the original letter the photographer wrote says he gets paid only once for his art. Just like a video director only gets paid once for his art. He doesn't own the music video he is directing after he shot it. Thank you for making my point for me. 

Bowl of fruit...Semiotics of photography---- nevermind 

[blacklistedd 599]

or that Taylor's representatives have already responded and said that he grossly misinterpreted their contract to get his name out to the public?

sure.

[TheFame Monster 9,000]

The photographer does not know what he's talking about. He's applauding Taylor for calling out Apple for using artists and not paying them. What he is doing is no different than what Apple is doing. He's using celebrities(photos) to make a profit without paying the celebrities. He completely in validated himself.