Editing someone else's photos for your benefit. Have you done this?

[Geoff79]

Just curious to know if anyone else has ever done, or had need to edit someone else's photos?

Seems a highly unlikely scenario so I'll quickly explain what made me ask.

Back in 2006 my wife and I got married and neither of us were particularly "into photography" and admittedly we probably looked more at the price than at the quality of the photographer we hired. Which is not to say they were bad as such. We were always happy enough with the snaps. Until recently, when my brother got married last year and we finally saw his album up in Port Macquarie the other day. Absolutely stunning, to be honest. And it got me thinking how I, after all these years, wish our photos were better.

Always thought it is what it is, can't turn back time... what's done is done. UNTIL!

In one of the last threads I was posting in here before my life got so ridiculously busy, someone (Jesus?) recommended I buy the best book in the world - a Scott Kelby book on Photoshop CS5. Because I have been so stupidly busy with work and had little time for anything else, I have not been able to put a lot of the book into practice, but I have read most of it during lunch breaks and stopped traffic interludes. And after a random, off the cuff comment from my wife a week ago, I thought that I could try to "fix" our wedding album!

When we got our photos we got the album and the JPEGs. So with a free moment on the weekend, I had a look through the photos and played with 2 shots, using a few of the new techniques I learnt from the book. And not to be a tool, but I thought they came up 100% better than the originals after a little fiddle.

For one thing, there is NO straightening or cropping of the shots AT ALL, but there's also nothing "special" either. I can appreciate that they're just nice photos capturing a beautiful day, but when I saw my brother's album and what a little pizazz can do to the shots... I had to try it myself.

So, long story short - I've decided to redo a handful of the best shots from our album and try to get a more exciting wedding album. A bit of blurring of backgrounds, softening skin, some artistic vignetting, adding something to the consistently blown out skies, the addition of some b&w (of which there was none)... all relatively little things, but it looks like they might well save some of these photos! :)

Anyone ever done such a thing with other people's photos?

[ricktas]

Yep. I have done it (with permissions checks from the original photographer). I did it for some friends who paid a photographer a few hundred dollars (more than $299 :D) for their wedding photos on disk (incl raw). The nameless photographer had done some minor edits to about 40 jpgs (added vignettes etc). So with the photographers permission, I edited them all, and then pointed my friends at momento and they had an album printed.

I am sure what you are saying, does happen quite a bit, but make sure you are not breaching copyright first. Check your contract with the photographer (if you still have it/had one) and ensure it does not give the photographer copyright over your photos. Remember, by law, you own copyright to your wedding photos and the contract would need to state that the photographer has copyright, for the photographer to get it back from you, in the first place.

[Kel]

No I haven't but I do know of plenty people that have used other peoples photo and edit then and posted them on the web as their photo's but I can't see why if would be a problem it the photography is happy for you to do it.

[ricktas]

No I haven't but I do know of plenty people that have used other peoples photo and edit then and posted them on the web as their photo's but I can't see why if would be a problem it the photography is happy for you to do it.

If you, or any other member becomes aware of this happening on AP, let us know, it is a serious site rule breach. We have in the past no only banned a person (who won a POTW with someone elses photo), but we reported her to her employer as she worked for the NSW government in relation to running an annual photographic competition for them. She got fired! She was stealing photos from a Canadian photography forum and editing them and passing them off as her own on several of the Aussie forums.

[Kel]

Hi ricktas

No it don't on the forum they had been posted on other website for people viewed and when asked who have taken them they have taken lead them to believe them that they have taken the photo, I have found this website/forum to be great and that it really nice to see that everyone is honest and helpful to help others out with out been mean or running people work down. This forum in my option is great and very well run and could not say a bad word about it. I did not mean on here at all and did not mean to unset any one if I have I sorry. I had just mean I do know people who have done it and it never been on this forum where it has happen. Sorry ricktas I should of explained myself better.

Kel

[mongo]

Mongo does it constantly on this forum (with appropriate permissions, of course). Where there is no permission but the image seems challenging, Mongo will do it , see if he has achieved what he intended and then delete it. Sometimes , even in the latter case, the poster will sometimes say they would like the edited version posted back just to see what the results are. Mongo does this mainly to improve his PP and because it is challenging and interesting. All is fine as long as you respect and do not violate anyones wishes.

As far as commercially is concerned, Mongo has no doubt even professional photographers will subcontract out the editing of their work to someone else they have confidence in while they get on with taking more weddings etc. Nothing wrong with that either as long as the client is happy and get what they paid to get.

[Kel]

Which is very helpful for us beginners mongo to learn where we need to do more work on our images, and to see the differents in the photo with the help of some good editing tips

[Geoff79]

Thanks for the replies. You got me thinking, Rick, if we had a contract and what was in it. I don't ever plan to share what I do with anyone but my wife and I and hadn't thought of legalities like that. Maybe I should check it out... :)

And wow, crazy story about the person editing Canadian shots and passing them off as her own. What a silly thing to do. I can't imagine getting any joy from that...