Via Steve Outing

Eastman Kodak announced it was going to stop selling film based cameras. While this hardly affects me and my work, I am a tad bit worried that the company's next move will mean cutting back on their film products for professionals. That would be disastrous. Call me old-school, but I still shoot film. Sigh!

“The move comes amid Kodak's controversial plan to focus on high-growth digital products, such as medical imaging systems, and reduce dependence on its declining film business.”

From the financial aspect of things, Kodak is trying its best to stave off the accountants who have seen red for far too long. Just as soon as the announcement was made, Kodak's shares were up by 1.33%. That should keep both the accountants and the shareholders somewhat happy.

“Kodak said that it plans to continue making reloadable cameras that use 35-millimeter film in emerging markets, such as China, India, Eastern Europe and Latin America and that it will introduce six new cameras in those markets this year.”

Seth Resnick and Paula Lerner of Editorial Photographers are waging a battle that you must know about.

If you are creating work and calling it your own, please read the note below.

Folks, your work, once you create it, is YOURS. Until it sinks in, repeat that last sentence a couple of times. Too many people out there forget this fact. Just because your work is published in XYZ magazine or newspaper or web site or CD-ROM, does not mean the publication owns your work. Sure, there are situations where and when you enter into a contract to sell your work outright. Sheer lunacy, but I'll take that up another time. But what is being debated here and now is the tendency for big name publishers to assume that because they paid you for the use of your images, they have the right to re-use your images ad infinitum. That's simply not true.

For those of you starting out in the business, it may be all too tempting to “give” away your images or work or work for free. Don't! Who wouldn't like to be published in The New York Times or People magazine? No doubt, getting published is important, but so is having a livelihood. Look to the future, not just the here and now. Enter into a written contract to LICENSE your work. This is an important distinction that I urge you to make early in your career and this piece of advice comes from me having learned this the hard way.

A license allows the publisher the specific use of your image for a specific amount. Multiple usage should garner you multiple payments. The nitty-gritty details need to be fleshed out in a written contract that both you and your client have signed.

Stay clear of verbal agreements. A litany of winks, nods and nudges may have sealed the deal but it will not convince any judge in court that you have the kind of rights over the publication of your images, or, even words.

We all make choices, don't we? What will be yours about your future?

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