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What to Do When a Client Doesn’t Sign Your Model Release
97 Plays11 days ago
Episode Summary:
Let’s talk about a topic that can stir up big opinions: model releases. What should you do when a client refuses to sign one? In this episode, I share my personal boundaries around privacy, the legal and ethical truth about client image rights, and how to gracefully navigate situations where your client opts out of a release. Whether you're building your portfolio or running a high-volume photography business, this conversation will help you move forward with clarity and respect.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why clients have every right not to sign your model release
- How to approach portfolio building when releases aren’t signed
- How to use modified releases and protect client privacy while still marketing your business
Links & Resources:
Check out my Photography Business Roadmap
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Transcript
Introduction and Client Model Release Issues
00:00:02
Speaker
Hey, empowered listeners, and welcome to another short burst of audio education by Elena S. Blair. That's me. So today I was inspired to create this episode for you about something that's been going on in my Facebook group.
00:00:18
Speaker
And that is the ah question of what do you do when somebody doesn't sign your model release? And I thought it would be a great episode because it really was inspiring a lot of polarizing
Client Rights and Privacy Concerns
00:00:33
Speaker
information. And so here is, this is going to be a very quick episode because I'm going to tell you really the truth of this matter is that you have zero rights to your client's identity.
00:00:45
Speaker
And so if a client does not sign your model release, they have every right in the world to do that, to refuse to sign it. For example, even though I'm a photographer, even though i' a family photographer, I actually do not sign model releases for my own children in their classroom, anywhere, when they
Trends in Model Release Agreements
00:01:03
Speaker
go to camp, et cetera. I do not want their likeness shared online.
00:01:06
Speaker
And you might think that's a little silly seeing as I'm a photographer, but my privacy is extremely important to me. my clients. I would say it used to be about 40% signed my model release, but it has gone down as I have started to photograph more high-end, more well-to-do people. And I know that that sounds a little strange, but it's the truth. There are people who have reasons to me keep their family private, or they don't have the desire to have their children's photos online.
00:01:35
Speaker
And that's not my like I do not have any hill to stand on to fight with them about that. I believe in their privacy. So if your client does not want to sign your model release, that is their right and you should not argue with them about it and you should move forward.
Usage and Flexibility of Model Releases
00:01:51
Speaker
now For example, though, my model release is actually pretty intense because I use photographs not just for my marketing in my photography business, but also for my and education platform. So a lot of my clients' photos, if they sign my model release, will end up in educational offers. It will end up in... um you know, presentations that I'm doing, other brands that I work with might be using my photos that I've taken for their marketing, etc. So my model release is actually pretty inclusive and I can see why, excuse me, why people don't always sign it.
00:02:29
Speaker
If, for example, though, somebody didn't sign my model release and I really wanted to use one photo just for a blog post to prove a point, um for example, I might, and you can too, reach out to that client and ask them to sign a modified model release, one that says you're only going to use the photo for one particular purpose, and that may make them more likely to sign it.
Importance for Free Shoots and Respecting Decisions
00:02:52
Speaker
But it's pretty rare that I would ever feel like I wanted to do that. Now, I know that I'm saying this from a place place of privilege because I do a lot of photo shoots every year. i photograph like 100 families a year. So I have a lot of families to choose from, even if only 40% sign my model release.
00:03:07
Speaker
So if you're newer and you're really needing to build your portfolio, what I would recommend is that when you are doing portfolio building shoots, remember, do not ever do a free photo shoot if they don't sign your model release. That's why they're doing them.
00:03:20
Speaker
That's why you're doing the photos for free is so that you can use their photos in your portfolio. so if you're coming across that you're not getting a lot of people to sign your model release you may have to do some portfolio building shoots so that you have more photos to show in your portfolio but the truth of the matter and the the bottom line here is that your clients have every right not to sign your model release and it is their right and this shouldn't be something that you feel like you are want to argue with them about you need to move forward and just get more clients
00:03:53
Speaker
um I hope that that was helpful. I want you to have plenty of photos for your portfolio, but also respect your clients and your model's rights.