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This international dating blog website is hiring me. What to do?


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I’m a local photographer. I mostly take photos of the places I travel to together with my girlfriend. An international dating blog website (a fairly small one) wants to hire me to become the sites photographer. Basically, in a nutshell, the photos I take with my gf in our travels will be used by them exclusively and I get paid for them. Should I accept the offer? Or is this kinda shady? What do you guys think?
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What's the small print? Do they have first refusal on every image you take? If it's a small site and someone there felt the need to source some photos and liked yours, I don't think there's a reason it couldn't be legitimate, but I'd look very closely at the contract. And, just in case, what happens if there's a problem with your relationship if the contract is about shots of the two of you?

 

This is kind of predicated on both you and your girlfriend being happy to have your visages appear where they will be stared at by libidinous singles (without intending to disparage users of dating sites in general). An image is an image wherever it's posted, and all images are arousing to the right observer (professional models presumably have to be aware of this no matter the context), but I assume that some aspect of your photographs being considered for that site is that the two of you are an attractive couple. Not a problem I have personally, but I'd want to be sure you're both aware of the mind set of who's going to see the images, no matter how innocent they are. Or, to you, that may not be a problem. Just checking.

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Seems a bit of a weird proposal to me

 

The party that has approached you is an 'international dating site'

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's a fair assumption their core business is getting interested parties in contact with each other

/ creating a platfom where interested parties have the opportunity to see each others 'profile' and if desired get in contact with each other 'to make a date'

So the most essential/important content of the site is the (personal) info of the subscribers, and a picture of them

 

I fail to see what the real added vaue of pictures of places where you and your girlfriend travel to, so basically images of landscapes and cities, is.

They can get images like that just as easy, assuming you're paid a fair price probably cheaper, and with far less possible legal issues from a stock agency

 

If they nevertheless still want to use the pictures of the places you and your girlfriend travelled to, it's standard to agree upon in writing about the intended use,

period of the intended use, ownership and copyrights of the images used (during and after the period of use agreed upon, to avid the 'dating site' eg selling your

images to other parties during that period )

Of course a clear term should be included for the period (beginning at, and finishing at) during which the pictures (landscapes and cities) can be used (only for the

intended use of course)

 

Likewise it should also contain a waiver (from them to you) shielding you from any possible claims of people that might be visible on the pictures

The latter normally is a 'problem' for the photographer, especially in the light of the recent 'upgrade' of the International Privacy rights, basically something

which is/should be taken care of in/with a 'Model Release'. But as they will now become the user of the images, and responsible for a wider distribution

of the images, it should be/become theirs

 

It becomes a different story though if they're really after images featuring you and/or your girlfriend, the two of you basically

becoming the face/posterboy/girl/couple of the site

From a privacy point of view, do you/does your girlfriend wish to so?

 

From a money point of view, how much do you/does your girlfriend get, in addition for the fee agreed upon for the use of the pictures, paid for the

use of your/her portrait rights?

Please note that for a 'model' (eg from an agency) there always is an extra fee (in addition for the shooting day) to be paid for the

right to use the images eg for a campaign, poster, TV, etc. and in this case 'profile' of the dating site

At such occasion it's as mentioned before also standard that apart from the price, a fixed term is agreed upon (in writing) for the duration of the period

the images to be used, as well as provisions on ownership of the images and copyright, and possible reselling of them

 

And not to forget for the intended and agreed upon purpose of that use, in particuler important for avoiding to your surprise see the images of you/your

girlfriend featuring on other sites then the one you thought only to given permission for

And is there a provison in the contract for the responsibilty of the 'international dating site, for, in case of such abuse, undertaking the necessary legal and otherwise necessary action(s) - by them- to have such abuse ceased and terminated, and payment of damages (by them to you, independent of the payment of the parties caught in that abuse to the 'dating site') as compensation in case of such abuse?

 

I know, a lot of legal issues nowadays looked over in this age of image stealing from Facebook (who in its own right already is notorious for appropriating the copyrights of images posted on its site) and simply the Internet at large, but no less important to look into nevertheless

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Well, it might be real (maybe from a slightly naive marketing person), but it depends a lot on what they're offering you, and for what. It's technically possible that someone decided that a photo story of a "site couple" visiting interesting places would make for better branding than lots of stock images. But it's still quite a big ask (or would be for me) to agree to be part of the branding, and it doesn't seem like they approached you appreciating this.

 

And it might still be a scam (either completely, or just with an unfair contract). Interesting, though.

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contract contract contract. Get their offer in a contract on paper and make your desicion based on that. Everything else is just puffing.

 

And remember you shouldn't have to pay them a red cent for anything! If they ask for money, its a scam.

The more you say, the less people listen.
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  • 2 weeks later...
I am just curious. .

1. You say you are a "Local Photographer".....how did this dating website get your name.?

2. Do they want pictures of the places you travel to...or do they want pictures of You and Your Girlfriend.?

 

Probably on my facebook page and instagram. The dating site is still starting up so they're looking into some small-time photographers for fresh content for their website.

 

I guess they want both?

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contract contract contract. Get their offer in a contract on paper and make your desicion based on that. Everything else is just puffing.

 

And remember you shouldn't have to pay them a red cent for anything! If they ask for money, its a scam.

I'll keep that in mind!

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Probably on my facebook page and instagram. The dating site is still starting up so they're looking into some small-time photographers for fresh content for their website.

 

I guess they want both?

What i am getting at is......are you a member of this "Dating Site".?

If not, think of the Thousands and Thousands of "Photographers" that have a facebook page.

There are So Many scams floating these days. Just be careful.

Hopefully it IS legit, and will simply be another "Feather In You Cap" regards your biz. :)

Good Luck

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