David Haas 
, Jan 21, 2012; 12:24 p.m.
My youngest daughter came home from school all excited yesterday -
"Daddy the school needs a photographer!" and handed me a printout from the school and Lifetouch...
Basically they are looking for parents to "donate" photos from events at school to the school yearbook. In return, you get NOTHING, and lose the copyright to your image. (All submissions become the property of Lifetouch or its subsidiary with no payment, credit, or return of rights on unpublished images. Lifetouch reserves the right to reprint, use, sell, etc... any and all submissions with no compensation to the creator of the work.)
Lifetouch is a for profit company and is making money off of the sale of the yearbooks. They should at a minimum credit the photographers, and even look into providing a small stipend for contributors.
But alas - there are plenty of Mommy (and Daddy) togs who will give up their images to Lifetouch.
Dave
Fred G. 
, Jan 21, 2012; 12:51 p.m.
It's for a kids' school! A parent who's a professional photographer might be concerned about it, but I doubt most mommies and daddies are worried about copyrights of their pics of their kids and school events and are more concerned with feeling they're part of putting together a nice memento and can offer something personal to make it special. If the almighty dollar, pound, or euro determines the decisions and runs the lives of the Lifetouch people, that's fine. It doesn't have to run the lives of the mommies and daddies. If it is the case that they are being naive (and I wouldn't necessarily characterize it this way), their naivete is more appealing than the alternative which, it seems to be, is a heavy dose of cynicism.
John H. 
, Jan 21, 2012; 01:38 p.m.
I would be willing give a few images towards my child's yearbook even if someone's making some money on it. Something cool of course. Especially if it won't sell anyway. If it could be used for third party advertising or other things beyond the business' own uses, then no.
Tim Lookingbill 
, Jan 21, 2012; 04:30 p.m.
When I was the photographer, layout artist and cartoonist for my high school annual back in 1978, I never thought about copyright issues or even cared.
However, I did constantly sigh in relief at the thought that a company outside of our school was doing all the work of paste up and production, providing typography and saddle stitched printing on hard cover editions so I and the rest of our high school annual staff didn't have to do all that work.
I also knew the publishing company could care less about making money off my cartoons and photographs published in our high school annual because there would be NO DEMAND for them due to the fact that they were topical and relevant only to my high school. I mean who the heck would even see this work or even care but my high school mates?
IOW...You might not want to take this too seriously or else suffer the risk of entering into "Annoyingly Pretentious Yuppy" territory.
But if you happen to see any of your work make it to the big time, it won't be hard to spot in the media at which time is when you lawyer up. You'll cash in then because you let them do all your promotion work.
A. T. Burke 
, Jan 21, 2012; 04:40 p.m.
Gentlepersons:
Yearbook slimes are out there. They depend upon parents emotionality to “stick-it-to-’em.” They are scum. They use children for unreasonable profit. They’d put their sons and daughters to work the street on their knees.
That being said, the school fools have chosen them to do the yearbook (maybe for a “little of the action).” So you are stuck with a choice. Give in for the best interests of the children or stand on your rights.
Next time choose school board members more carefully. You can get an honest equitable yearbook creator; stop expensive sweetheart contracts that cost the school money they could otherwise use for your child’s education and get the administration back on track.
A. T. Burke
John H. , Jan 21, 2012; 05:48 p.m.
The choice really isn't THAT draconian, Indeed, because its the word "choice" in there. Granted, we are more informed than many, but that goes to the well inspired point of educating a school board to help make more informed choices. (pun not originally intended but fitting nevertheless)..
Jeff Spirer 
, Jan 21, 2012; 06:07 p.m.
Yearbook slimes are out there. They depend upon parents emotionality to “stick-it-to-’em.” They are scum. They use children for unreasonable profit. They’d put their sons and daughters to work the street on their knees.
Can you back up any of this? Or are you rehearsing a speech for a Dickens book?
Dan Ferrel , Jan 21, 2012; 07:18 p.m.
Can you back up any of this?
Picateers is the first thing that comes to mind for me. Their business model is based on "volunteers" doing all of the shooting in it's entirety. I'm sure the quality was top notch and it's why they are the top of their game today. /sarcasm
John H. , Jan 21, 2012; 09:27 p.m.
Picateers is the first thing that comes to mind... ...I'm sure the quality was top notch and it's why they are the top of their game today. /sarcasm
This isn't going to go over well then...
(link)
Art Thomas 
, Jan 21, 2012; 10:06 p.m.
