What Are Print Rights? What Is A Print Release? Photography Questions Answered!

Raleigh Wedding Photographer Answers Top Wedding Questions From Real Couples

What Does My Wedding Photographer Mean By "Print Rights"?

I love promoting that I give my couples print rights! 

It's a big part of my philosophy that with your wedding, engagement, or family photos, you have print rights. I export my photos at the highest quality so you can print big or small. Every photo I send you in your digital gallery comes with a print right, so no limits there!

Why print rights are so important to Drew and I:
When Drew and I were first engaged and looking into wedding photographers, we had nooo idea what to look for or ask. I just looked at the pictures and said, oh they look nice, let's go with them. We realized only after the wedding that we were not given print rights. The photographer wanted us to buy a very expensive 4x6 print and then with each print came a digital file. We sadly could not afford to buy hundreds of 4x6 prints from this person. We were devastated. We wanted to share our wedding with friends and family all over the world. I wanted to plaster my Facebook with wedding photos and show my friends my favorite day ever on my phone and text our best friends funny dancing moments. But because we didn't have print rights, we couldn't do that. We ended up fighting for over a year with this person and they finally let us purchase print rights but they were only quality enough for a 4x6 photo. Pictures are so important to me so it's my biggest regret in life.

​SO, Drew & I want to help you avoid that! We want to help you understand wedding photography print rights, copy right, and print releases!

​Q: What do print rights mean?
A: Printing Rights = Having print rights means you have the right to print your images for personal use.
I, the photographer, give you, my client, the right and ability to print your photos that give you in digital format for personal use such as sharing on social media and printing them out! I give you a print release (a form I'll put in your client portal) so you can have print rights! (Some places like Walmart will ask that you present a physical print release.) This way you can print thank you cards, canvases, put your face on a cake, anything that you use for you, your family, and friends.

Q: "Digitals"?
A: Photographer lingo for digital files, aka, your pictures! I send you a weblink with all your pictures as .jpg's in a beautiful digital album. Then, you can download those to your phone and desktop! Next, you can print your photos at your favorite lab and share them on social media! 

Q: "Personal use"?
A: Yup! So if you want to submit your pics to a contest or a blog or if someone wants to use or buy your photos, I'd be so stoked! Let me know and we can work together to show off your pictures to the world! 

Q: Why wouldn't another photographer let me have print rights in the first place?
A: It's very important to me that you, my clients have print rights. Every photographer has a different philosophy. I personally love giving you the option to print at whatever lab fits your budget and share with family and friends all over the world. We live in a digital age and I recognize and embrace that! I never want to hold your memories hostage! Some photographers will ask you pay additional for you to download your pictures. Sometimes you will be allowed a certain number of digitals. Sometimes, your digital pictures are only a certain size and quality so you can only print a 4x6 or something small and not big quality canvases. So these are all good questions to ask your photographer! 

• Digital photo files are included in my wedding, engagement, and family prices!
• I do not limit the amount you can download!
• My digitals are sent to you at the highest rate so you can print big and small!

​​Q: So, who has the copy right to my photos?
A: Technically, I, the photographer do. But, it's for good reason! This way, I can use your gorgeous photos to use in my marketing, blogs, social media, and submit to contests and publications! I always work with couples who want to keep their photos private or want to purchase full copy rights too so feel free to ask :) 

Q: Why is knowing about print rights important?
A: It's always important to ask your photographer about number, size, and quality of print rights and whether they are included or not in the price. This way you know the full price upfront and you know what's included in the entire photography package. All my sessions include print rights at the highest quality with no limits :D 

If you have any other thoughts or questions about print rights, copy right, or print release ask below in the comments or send me an email! I'd love to help navigate these terms with you!

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