Using Reference Library photos in competitions

[Cariboo Bill]

Hi

I have been recently reading up on a number of "call for submissions" shows and contests and several of them specify that the artist must have the copyright to a photo image in order to submit a painting based on that photo. Would WetCanvas reference images fit in that kind of an environment or does the painting need to be sufficiently different (i.e. the photo truly was just a starting point) to qualify?? Or does the use of Reference Library images imply that the painter can assert that they have copyright? (To answer my own question I don't think so but I need to ask).

Is there any solution? Could a person ask the photographer for the "copyright" to the image on some kind of a basis?

Thanks, complicated I know and clearly it is best to do paintings from your own photographs if you are going to use the photograph as a major source of the painting. However, having said that, I am starting a series of butterfly pictures and it is winter where I am and there will be NO butterflies for some time while the Reference Library is chock full of them, many very good (thank you all for that!!!!)

Thanks.

[Yorky]

All I can suggest is you make them aware of the terms that wetcanvas members can use the RIL photos.

Doug

[Charlie's Mum]

When juries specify that the artist must own the copyright it normally means using your own image - rather than a copyright-free image taken by someone else.

Not all juries demand this, but that's my understanding of the rule.

Using copyright-free images (as from RIL) allows you to exhibit and sell work but normally credit should to be given to the copyright-owner (the photographer) when publishing details of the work.

Could a person ask the photographer for the "copyright" to the image on some kind of a basis?

You could, but I doubt the owner would sell it!
Granting permission to use the reference is a different matter

In UK law, the only time the copyright does not belong to the photographer is when the image has been commissioned as part of the photographer's job for example.

[Cariboo Bill]

Thanks Maureen, that is more or less what I thought but I just needed someone with experience to spell it out for me, carefully. Thanks again.

[oldrockchick]

It is a problem whem some of us like to paint wild animals not indigenous ot our country and can't get good refs in zoos because of glass.. It means unless we can afford adventure holidays, high tech cameras and a lot of luck (and money), we can never enter competitions in our best fields of work >.<

Probably why there are so many paitnings of dogs, cats and fluffy bunnies at art exhibitions instead of more inspiring and unusual creatures....

[MattOKC]

I've talked to some photographers who do sell the copyright--it's called an "image buyout." It's usually around $1000 for a commercial photographer's stock image. You can buy the rights to use an image for a lot less, but if you want to own the entire copyright then yeah, most will do it but not cheap.