Do I Need Releases For Images of (Sponsored) Hot Air Balloons

[Ger Bosma]

In the past I've made quite a few shots of hot air balloons both in the sky and on the ground.

Most of these are obviously sponsored, also used as a means to advertise, for instance by cigarette companies etc and logos on them are often hard to miss

 

Do I need releases from the companies that own these logos? Or can/must I photoshop them out to out entirely to be able to submit them without a release? And what if the logo is only partly visible (not recognizable)?

I have some too that are showing a stylized G inside a circle, a logo from my home town of Groningen, used for marketing purposes. Are these okay without releases and where does one draw the line?

Any help is appreciated

 

 

[Niels Quist]

Hi Ger,

 

Alamy is rather strict about releases on property (and persons) if you want to sell the images as RF.

 

But if you sell as RM and state that the image contains either people or property that you have no release for it will be the customer's decision (and responsibility) whether the image can be used for the purpose.

 

You could of course remove the logos, but in many cases the property can still be recognised. That is how many micro stock agencies do it - at Alamy best to sell as RM and tick the appropriate boxes.

 

As to persons and model releases remember that a hand can be enough for Alamy to require a model release for RF sales. (Again micro doesn't give a damn if they think the person cannot be recognised (or leave all responsibility to you), but that is always a discussion whether somebody is recognisable).

 

Many of us have learnt to appreciate this extra safety precaution for the photographer.

 

Niels

[Ger Bosma]

Thanks for the swift reply. That's indeed how I usually deal with such issues, but in this case I'm left wondering. I would like the option to have them sold as RF as well.

 

I guess it's a matter of how you look at them. Balloons are very expensive and hence often sponsored by large companies. They are a floating 'bill-board' for them.

Then again, a bill board in a busy city street somewhere with lots of logos would not need a release. Guess my question is how prominent may a logo be in order to be considered in need of a release.

 

What would you say in case of the above photos? Can you actually tell which companies own the logos? If not, are they still copy-righted?

And if I were to blur them out? Or could you say those are simply decorative, as cars parked in a street might show the brand logo

[Niels Quist]

You wouldn't be able to sell the above images as RF on Alamy as they presently appear. You will have to remove all logos and persons. Tiny and distant persons also count at Alamy.

 

Also remember that you cannot sell the same image as RF and RM - will have to be different.

 

Niels

[dov makabaw]

In a nutshell you cannot sell these RF due to the logos and people. I suspect that you are unlikely to have earned more from these as RF than RM so. Great images - good luck anyway.

 

dov

[Bill Brooks]

Nice images. Answer property release necessary but not available. People and no release available. Sell them as RM

[Ger Bosma]

Thanks for the replies guys. The people in the photos are not an issue, I have the same images without them.

 

Still wondering if the 2nd one would be considered a logo. It's just a letter G basically

 

Curious btw as to how strict the no people clause would be in the case of the 2nd image.

I can't make out anyone in that image, still there's bound to be at least someone aboard (-;

[Ger Bosma]

Nice images. Answer property release necessary but not available. People and no release available. Sell them as RM

 

 

Thanks also for your input Bill.

I doubt it would be much use cloning out the logos. For some reason or other a logo is more or less expected and the absence of one would be a bit odd.

[K. L. Howard]

I think that even if there's no logo on hot air balloons you still need a release, many balloons are custom made with custom color patterns that make them identifiable property. I wouldn't bother with editing out the logo's or trademarks, not worth the time.