Hi everyone! Can you believe that it is already mid December? I’m shocked at how quickly this month has flown by. It may be cold outside now, but before you know it the warm weather will be back and we will all return to doing shoots outside in the sunshine again.
The topic of properly crediting photographers and models is one that comes up very often, especially in photog/model FaceBook groups. I felt that now (during the slower season) was a good time to reiterate why it is so important to credit everyone involved in a shoot. I know that I personally get a bit annoyed if I take the time to do a trade shoot with someone and see my work posted without credit. Here are some reasons why it is so important to credit the work!
If It’s a Trade For Print Shoot… All the more reason for you to credit everyone involved! Some creators do Trade For Print (TFP) shoots purely for the “exposure.” If you don’t credit them, you aren’t holding up your part of the bargain.
Models: You Don’t Own The Photos Unless You Have Purchased Rights I have run into so many models who are not aware of this, but it is important to know. Unless you have purchased the rights to the photographs, you don’t own them and don’t really have the right to use them. It is a privilege to be able to use the photographs! Credit the photographers. Give credit where credit is due. Pleeeease. And I am pretty sure that it’s the law to credit someone for their work if you have not purchased the rights.
Photographers: Models Deserve the Recognition For Their Skills and/or Job If someone wants to book the model you posted but you didn’t tag them and aren’t responding to your DM’s, that is a missed opportunity for the model. Not cool, man. You wouldn’t have a face to shoot without models! Credit us, please.
Referrals, Referrals, Referrals. You want your friends to be able to pay rent and feed themselves, correct? Well, if you want them to get referrals from the shoot you did, it is important to credit them so that anyone who sees the work and is interested in working with them can contact them quickly. You never know who is going to see the images! Someone could seriously miss the opportunity of a lifetime because you did not credit them.
Because It Is the Right Thing To Do Just... do it. (-Nike Campaign)
Hey Ashlie… What do I do if someone has not credited me for my work? What is the proper way to go about asking the individual(s) to please credit me? Great question, reader! Contact them to let them know that you didn’t see your name credited in their post and would appreciate being given credit. They could have forgotten, or they might just not know that they need to be crediting everyone. Give them the benefit of the doubt unless they have given you a reason to believe that they didn’t give you credit on purpose (in which case I think it is appropriate to be a little more “firm” in your message… just remain professional).
Wait… What if I DON’T Want To Be Credited? Another excellent question! Sometimes people do not want their names connected to their work (For example, some people do not want to be tagged in fine art nude work (Models/Photographers might not want their employers or family members to know that they participate in this style of modeling/photography). If you do not want to be credited for work that is being posted on the world-wide web, it is very important to address this ahead of time. I would have this conversation before even doing the shoot. If you use a “stage name” for modeling or photography and want that name credited (example: my glam, swim, and boudoir work is credited “Ashlie Noelle,” but all commercial and acting work is credited “Ashley/Ashlie Wynne”), this should also be discussed. Never assume that someone knows what name you would like to be credited with.
What is proper etiquette for crediting? When giving credit on a social media post, it is standard to do the following: 1- TAG the creators in the post (Photographer, Model, Stylist, H/MUA, Brands/Designers, Location, Assistants, etc). 2- MENTION the creators in the caption (Why both? Because not everyone will tap on a photo to see who is tagged. Some people will only read the caption). 3- ASK if there is something specific anyone would like written about them! 4- WEBSITES and/or CONTACT INFO should always be used if you are using the image in something like a blog post… (see how I tagged Tony Rocco’s site above?).
Oh, and while we are here talking about how to support people…
Something very quick and easy that you can do to support everyone involved in a shoot is leaving a review for them on Google, Yelp, FaceBook, their website, etc. It is such an easy way to spread the love and help your fellow creatives out.
