General Realase form in Shared Times

[dougp26364]

Got our latest issue of Shared times this morning. In it was a general release to MVCI with no explanation that I could find.

Now I'm not in the habit of signing a general release without explanation as to what it is and maybe a little legal advice so I gave them a call.

It seems that if you want to send Marriott your vacation pictures and they decide to use them in some of their publications, then they want you to give them a realase to use them as they see fit. Personally, if they want to use any of my photo's that will be all right IF I'm compensated in some way shape or form (contest, points et.....)

It was disappointing that they just put the release in with the Shared Times but gave no explanation for it. I wonder if it ever crossed their minds that the recipients wouldn't have a clue what it was for and would generate more than one or two concerned (possibly angry) phone calls?

 

[Dave M]

Doug -

I agree that the explanation could have been better, but the info is there. See this earlier thread for more info - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18643

 

[Gadabout]

Trouble with that kind of release is from what you say it doesn't say all parties in the photo need to sign it. What if friends are in the photo? What if your spouse doesn't agree about your kids being in the picture? How does any magazine know it's you sending that photo, and not anyone else?

Here's a worse one: our Park and Rec classes include in the liability release a clause that says you are allowed to be photographed without compensation while you take any of their classes. Uh, no. Good grief, it can't be that difficult to get a release signed at the beginning of a particular class being photographed, at the time the photo is being taken.

 

[JimC]

I threw the release in my issue away. Why would anyone sign a general release to anything without compensation?

 

[Dave M]

The compensation - for some - is the thrill of seeing their vacation photos in a publication.

 

[Clark]

Hmm, well personally, I wouldnt go out of the way to sign and return such a thing, but on the other hand, I could hardly give a hang if I wound up in a group photo that got used. I mean, nobody ever paid me anything to show up somewhere in person, why would they pay for just my photo to show up :=)