bttheolgee

Are you aware that &Pizza is using your likeness to sell pizza? Have you considered asking them for pay?

I definitely moved back in.

Not sure if this is going to get downvoted or not, or even seen by anyone, but here goes nothing. I'm a photographer as well, and I can provide some insight as to why many wedding photographers (and professional photographers in general) do not want to give away or even sell the copyright of your wedding photos to you.

To begin with, under federal law, a copyright is generated the moment the photographer snaps the picture. Singing a contract selling the copyright to a client means that the photographer is handing over any and all rights to use the photograph in whatever way he or she pleases. Many wedding photographers who know the law and use smart business practices want to be able to use their best wedding photos in magazines and their websites, etc. If you, the client, owns the copyright, that would allow you to sue the photographer for using any of your images on their website to promote themselves. It prevents them from being promoted in magazines. Even if you, the client, PROMISE to allow the photographer to use the wedding photos on their website, if you own the copyright, it creates a host of legal quandries that the photographer does not feel comfortable with.

Generally, a wedding photographer has a clause (that they don't even legally need to include, but do any way just to be transparent and courteous to the customer) in their contract that says you, the client, understand that copyright law and that by giving you any digital files/prints/etc they are in essence (and for lack of a better term) licensing you the use of the photographs, and that the photographer is still legally free to use the photos whenever, however, wherever, and how often he/she pleases. Usually clients are totally cool with this concept and owning/not owning the copyright is irrelevant to them and they go on with their lives. If the client insists on owning the copyright, the photographer will either charge a huge fee in what is generally referred to as estimated "lost business" from losing the copyright (i.e. not being able to use photos for their website for promotion/be featured in a well-known wedding magazine/blog, etc.) OR they will simply refuse to do business with the client to begin with. tl;dr - photographers want to keep copyright so they can use photos to promote themselves without being sued.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5csNO3oMrQ