DIY Photography

Your one stop shop for everything photo-video

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Ariana Grande’s latest tour is a major copyright grab; photographers protest

Mar 27, 2019 by Dunja Djudjic 40 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

The agreement required to cover Ariana Grande’s Sweetener tour has made photographers mad. The agreement requires them to transfer their copyright of the concert images to Grande’s tour company. And if photographers wish to use their own photos, they need to ask for written permission from the performer in advance. Because of this and several other terms, The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), along with 15 other press groups, is protesting against the agreement.

The “Standard Terms and Conditions for Photographers/Live Appearances” is available online. The agreement allows photographers to capture only still images, and only during the first three songs – but this is not that uncommon. However, what made the photographers mad is that “all rights (including all copyrights) in and to the Photographs shall be owned by GrandAriTour, Inc. (‘Company’) as a “work-made-for-hire.’” But it’s not all.

Photographers are required to “promptly provide Company with one (1) complete set of contact sheets and digital files of any and all Photographs taken in connection with the Performance, for personal, commercial and/or archival use by Company and Artist.”

Next, if photographers covering the concert want to use their own photos for journalistic purposes, they need written permission by the artist. The same goes for the news organizations for which these photographers work. And even if they do obtain permission, there are special conditions for using the image. First, they can use the photo only once. And second, it can be used only “as part of a news item relating to the Performance in the news publication of which Photographer is an employee/agent,” the agreement reads.

NPPA writes that these conditions violate established journalistic ethics. NPPA General Counsel Mickey H. Osterreicher wrote a letter of complaint to Grande’s representatives. It’s written on behalf of NPPA and 15 other outlets, including the Associated Press, The New York Times, Society of Professional Journalists and others.

We’ve heard of musicians who have weird requirements when it comes to photography (mainly phone photography, though). For instance, Adele stopped her concert to tell a guy to take his tripod down. Josh Klinghoffer of RHCP stopped playing and started filming with his phone. Jack White went even further and required the audience to lock away their smartphones. And to be honest, I’m on their side. People who shoot from the audience with their phones annoy everyone.

However, when it comes to professional photographers who make a living from their work, it’s a different story. I highly disagree with the agreement Grande’s tour company came up with. How can the tour company hold the copyright of someone else’s work and make the artists ask for permission to use their own work. I think it’s just ridiculous, and I hope that Grande’s tour company will change the agreement after the outlets’ protests.

[via Fstoppers, image credits: Emma/Wikimedia Commons]

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Photographers, beware this copyright grab on Instagram instagram_notre_dame_paris_feature_photoInstagram Hub Feature Photo = Copyright Grab? #Instascam U.S. Copyright Office proposes new copyright registration rules for groups of photos US Copyright Office proposes 41% increase in copyright registration fees

Filed Under: news Tagged With: ariana grande, copyright, copyright infringement, copyright law, copyright protection, music photography, Musicians

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.net

About Dunja Djudjic

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

« Canon Asia “pre-announces” new EOS R firmware with improved Eye AF and bug fixes
Profoto launches the Connect – a completely button-free flash trigger »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Learn photography

Recent Posts

  • Nikon announces Zf shortage (Surprise!)
  • Finally! Sennheiser EW-DP SKP plug-on transmitter offers 32-bit float recording
  • Photographing an abandoned Italian villa: A time capsule of history and mystery
  • The Tascam DR-10L Pro is an unclippable 32-bit float personal audio recorder
  • This year’s Nature TTL POTY winner puts global warming right in our faces

Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy