This is Lady Gaga’s Photo Release Form

This is Lady Gaga’s Photo Release Form

Photographers unite!

Imagine photographing a supermodel and instead of asking her to sign a release, you instead sign over your copyright to her, thus giving her all rights to do whatever she likes with your photograph. Celebrities like Madonna have freely allowed press photographers to photograph her during her concerts and the photograph remains the property of the photographer. Lady Gaga wants to own the imagery captured by press photographers at her concerts.

Copyright is established once the shutter is clicked. That copyright is held by the photographer. Sure, you can't use someone's likeness in advertising without a release, but documenting celebrities and if used in an editorial, non-slanderous fashion, but, most importantly, in a way that is non-revenue generating (i.e., a fan website or blog) seems tolerated and maybe even endorsed by many celebrities. They don't sign a model release. But, Lady Gaga isn't saying she didn't sign a model release; she is saying she wants to own outright your photographs of her.