Use Your Own F*#%ing Photos {Please}

Whether its Spring, Summer, Fall, Holiday, Mermaid, Lemonade stand or WHATEVER, Mini Sessions are super popular!

Most of us started shopping for our props, scheduling models, and doing our sample shoots months ahead of time so that we could get them edited, have our ad together in time to advertise and book our Mini Sessions early enough.

Phew, it's a lot of work but it's worth it. And it's our job.... It's part of running an honest photography business.... and this is one of the MANY reasons why its sucks so much to see people steal images to use in their Mini Session ads. (Plus you know, it's illegal) This is the time of year that photo theft is the worst. There is no excuse for this. Do a model call (or use your own kids and get your holiday card done early) or if you don't have kids of your own, use a friend's kiddo or do a model call. Or if your model cancels you can always improvise..... Use your dogs, your kids, or even photography your empty set. Just don't use a photo that YOU DID NOT TAKE.

If you are a "professional" photographer, you should know this. If you an honest person, the thought shouldn't even occur to you. If you don't know this is wrong, then you may have began your photography journey prematurely and you need to step back and educate yourself on the basics before you continue. If you did not set it up, take the photo, and edit it yourself, then DO NOT USE IT TO ADVERTISE TO CLIENTS. Period. This includes: (But is not limited to)

Photos from google

Photos from Pinterest

Screenshot photos

Photos with watermarks

Photos without watermarks

Photos with people in them

Photos without people in them.

Basically ANY photo that you did not, plan set up, shoot, and edit.

It doesn't matter if you wrote "not my photo" in your post, if you claimed it was your photo, or if you didn't. All of its theft. All of it is illegal. All of it is deceiving to your clients. And you don't have a model release for the people (and children) in these photos. Nor do you have a commercial license from that photographer. Someone else worked hard on that. THEY came up with the idea, THEY planned the shoot, booked the client, THEY shot the photo, THEY edited the photo and THEY obtained a model release for THEIR company. And it sucks when someone just takes it from the internet and makes money of of YOUR work. The ONLY gray area is a vendor photo used to show your clients a product such as a maternity dress. And honestly, even then it's better to use your own photo and it should NOT be use in your Mini Session ad. Order your items early enough so you can take your own photo.

Isn't one of the best parts of being a photographer sharing your work with the world. Why would you want to use someone else's photo anyways? Are you THAT ashamed of your work?

TLDR: Take your own F*#%ing photos. Thank you,

The Professional Baby Holder