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Model releases and resubmissions


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I just had my test submission approved a couple of days ago and am now preparing my first files. I have a couple of questions about life on Alamy.

 

I use the Easy Release app for my model releases, and I think I've seen somewhere that these are also accepted by Alamy. However, I live in Taiwan, which of course means Chinese. Does anyone know if Alamy accepts releases in Chinese, which is an option in Easy Release, or if I would have to have my models resign the English version.

 

And a question about resubmissions: What is the rule on resubmission of rejected images? For example, when submitting my test images, I found chromatic aberration that I had missed in one of the pics. If I had missed it, and had had the batch rejected because of that, would I be able to resubmit it after removing the CA? I am assuming that I would be and that I would also be allowed to resubmit the other ones which would have been rejected because of the faulty one. Still, better safe than sorry, thus the question.

 

Thanks,

Perry

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Perry,

 

First of all, welcome here!

 

About the acceptability of MR's in Chinese, I have no idea about that, but if no one comes up with a quick answer, I suggest you e-mail the query to Member Services - they are usually very helpful.

 

If you have a failed image, you can re-process it and resubmit.   What you do need to try to avoid is having many QC failures, which can lead to you being suspended for 28 days, which is annoying to say the least.

 

In my personal experience, it takes some time. to learn how an image should look to pass.  Take care to thoroughly check every one.

 

Hope this helps..

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Thanks for the welcome Peter, and for the response.

 

I was thinking that the MR question was a bit of a longshot, but thought I'd give it a try here before going to member services. Thanks also for the info on resubmissions. I'll do my best to stay away from the suspension :-)

 

Perry

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Interesting question. Since Alamy is an English language site, I suspect the majority of clients read English, even if it's not their first language, so an English language release would be preferable. However, if the model doesn't read English, and things go south, they could easily argue that they didn't understand what they were signing. Going forward, I'd think the best solution would be to have models sign both a Chinese and English release with the most precise translation possible. Hopefully that would satisfy Alamy and provide you with a Chinese release for whatever possible needs you have in the future.

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A release signed in a language that the person doesn't understand e.g. someone who only reads/speaks Mandarin etc signing an English language release, wouldn't be valid.

 

Releases are there for customers, not for Alamy, get a model to sign the relevant release - use the Getty ones.

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Ed, thanks for the welcome, and the advice. Luckily, I'm already in the habit of checking at 100%, although that still doesn't meant that I catch every instance of CA, for example :-(

 

As for the release, it's true that Alamy is an English language site, but if they accept the Easy Release app releases, I think it only stands to reason that they would accept translated versions of the same text generated within the app.

 

Then again, like Geoff says, the release is for the customer, not Alamy, and it wouldn't be valid if the model doesn't understand what he/she signs, in which case I would think that Chinese would be acceptable. As for using the Getty release, they also have a Chinese-language release, but they also accept releases generated with the Easy Release app (with all the language versions it offers), which is why I started using it in the first place. These days I bring my iPhone and my iPad everywhere I go, and it makes life a lot easier not to have to worry about printouts and scanning them.

 

In any case, I have asked member services, and I'll let you know what they say when I get an answer.

 

Perry

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So this was the answer I received from member services. I'll post it here for those who participated in this thread, and to make it searchable in case someone else has a similar question about another language or the app.

 

"Yes, we accept release forms from the Easy Release app: http://www.alamy.com/Blog/contributor/archive/2010/04/01/4808.aspx.  

 

Ideally the release should be in English.

Releases are legal documents between yourself and the model or property owner, so whichever language you use you need to ensure its legally binding and happy it protects you and your interests.

If you’re in doubt then we’d recommend speaking to a lawyer.

 

You can download our sample release forms from here: http://www.alamy.com/contributor/help/image-releases.asp"

 

Perry

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FYI, Getty and most commercial collections don't accept app-releases from China. I'm not sure why but it's a red flag (hmm) for them.

 

Even though this is Alamy, I would recommend using the guidelines and releases from G. You can't even use an Alamy release 21 miles from Dover so I would be very careful in this.

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No, they don't accept app-releases from China, but they (or at least Getty) do accept them from places outside of China, even if they are in Chinese, so since I live in Taiwan I'm good. I don't have many pics on Getty sites yet since I've only been uploading for a few months and I've been too busy with my regular job to really get started the way I want, but the 7 or 8 model releases I've uploaded so far are all Easy Release app-releases in Chinese from Taiwan, signed in Chinese both by the model and the witness, while I have signed in English as photographer (my Chinese handwriting sucks :-) ). If you're travelling in China, though, one of Getty's printed Chinese releases in traditional or simplified Chinese would be required. Not sure if HK and Macau would be counted as China or not these days.

 

Betty, it uses the handwriting recognition function, so there are fields where the photographer, the model/property owner and a witness can sign, either with your finger, which is a bit awkward, or with a special pen, which makes it more or less the same as writing with pen and paper. The app then saves the document, signatures and all, in jpeg and pdf format which you can e-mail directly to yourself and the model before uploading it with the image. Avoids printing and scanning releases, making a copy for the model after signing and remembering to even bring them along.

 

Perry

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To ask an ignorant question....how does the model sign something that is on the iPhone??

 

Betty

 

Betty,

 

These can be signed either using a finger or with a stylus specifically designed for iPhones and iPads. These resemble a small pen and are available in computer stores.

 

fD

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