Purchasing negs from retiring wedding pro's?

P

pentaprison

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204
Name
Dave
Edit My Images
Yes
How long do wedding photographers keep their negatives, and what happens to them when they retire?

The prints from our wedding are definitely fading after 20 years. When we employed our photographer I asked for a price for the negs to guard against this eventuality, but he refused - which I now understand is quite normal.

He is still working, but I think he must be near to retirement age. Before I approach him again, I'd welcome the opinion of the pro's here about what their attitude would be after all this time.
 
I've restored your post for you. The wedding restriction is now lifted.
 
I am not a pro, but after all this time I think its safe to say that buy selling you the negatives he won't be removing the chance to sell other people the images. As such, I am sure he'd rather make a bit of cash selling you the negs than to keep them gethering dust.
 
Harvey_nikon said:
I am not a pro, but after all this time I think its safe to say that buy selling you the negatives he won't be removing the chance to sell other people the images. As such, I am sure he'd rather make a bit of cash selling you the negs than to keep them gethering dust.
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I'd argree, after 20 years he aint getting any reprints so it's money for Christmas.
 
would scanning and pp do any good
 
Because if you make copies of the original pictures you'd be breaching the photographers copyright. I assume that's what was meant?
 
If you scan the old prints to make 'new images' either printed or as digital files that would be a breach of copyright. You'd have to go back the the photographer and ask permission.
 
awp said:
If you scan the old prints to make 'new images' either printed or as digital files that would be a breach of copyright. You'd have to go back the the photographer and ask permission.
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As above, I thought you were talking about buying the negatives off of the photographer and then scanning them in and PPing them being illegal, hence my confusion!
 
I wasn't intending to infringe anyone's copyright. (I could just scan the photos I've got and PP them.) My intention was to come to an agreeable arrangement with the photographer.
 
awp said:
Because if you make copies of the original pictures you'd be breaching the photographers copyright. I assume that's what was meant?
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Pre the Copyright Act which was revised in 1988, the rights would normally be held by whoever commissioned the pictures, ie the couple, not by the photographer. The Act reversed this.
 
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