Cold shoulder from Coldplay
Coldplay has been accused of grabbing the rights to photographs taken during its concerts, BJP has learnt, pushing photographers to offer an alternative to music photography contracts
The chart-topping rock band has introduced a new contract for professional photographers that gives ownership of all the images to Coldplay's management. Photographers who refuse to sign the contract will be denied access to the band and its gigs.
The contract states that 'you hereby transfer and assign to us with full title guarantee the entire copyright and all extensions and renewals throughout the world (including by way of present assignment of future rights) and all rights of a similar nature in the photographs'.
The terms also prevent photographers from selling the images to other magazines or using them in their stock archives.
'Our contract is a standard contract that ensures that any live pictures taken are solely taken for the publications agreed with the photographer in advance,' a spokesman for Coldplay tells BJP.
However, veteran music photographers such as George Chin and freelance photographer Pete Jenkins have rejected the claim. 'This is one of the worst contracts I’ve seen in my career as a music photographer,' says Chin.
Such contracts have prompted a group of photographers to draft a new agreement that would address both photographers' and music artists' concerns, Chin and Jenkins say. The new contract states that any images 'obtained of the artists performance at the venue are for editorial purposes', while ensuring that the photographers will 'not release images for merchandising use without reference to the artist'.
The proposed contract would ensure that a photographer retains the copyright to his or her photos as provided by law, with the photographer having a moral right to be credited when the images are used.
The contract is expected to receive support from both the National Union of Journalists and the British Photographic Council before being presented to band managers around the UK. 'It's not the record companies or PR agencies that are causing a problem, it's the band managers that are behind such stringent contracts,' says Chin. 'They are concerned about merchandising, but we just want to sell the images for editorial purposes.'
Some artists, such as Take That and Madonna, do not require photographers to sign agreements. 'They just let you do anything you want with the photos,' says Chin. 'But with so many differences between the bands and their contracts, we feel a standard contract will be helpful.'
The spokesman for Coldplay declined to comment on the proposed contract idea. For more information, email music@petejenkins.co.uk.
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