Don't forget to get a photo of the dog holding the release (after their pawprint of course) 

Yeah right, and with additional parent pawprint if it's a puppy of course!   

I know for the U.K. that all properties of the National Trust are forbidden stuff.  So I took all my images of Lacock Abbey (Harry Potter location) off all sites.

Good idea!  I was planning to hand out small cards with my website URL etc., so I can just add a notice on it that photos may be sold/licensed to other people beside the owner, unless they object to it.  I can also repeat that on my website page. 
Thanks!

This is not just a legal/copyright question, but also a more ethical one. 
I would like your opinion about this.

I am asked to be the dog photographer on a "Dog Adoption" event in April.  It's a whole day, and I am supposed to open a "mini studio" (kind of enclosed corner area in a big hall) where visitors with dogs can have photos taken (just the dog, or boss/dog).  After the event, I will put all images on a website page, to be ordered in several sizes, or downloaded for a fixed price.  The organizers of the event will not be paying me anything, so it's just for the photo sales.

I don't expect to earn much of this, but it will (I think) be fun, and after the event I will certainly be able to say that I know how to take dog pics!

Now here's the question :  suppose I take one or more really cute photos of beautiful or funny dogs, and I think these could be stock worthy.  Can I submit them to microstock agencies?

I'm not talking about photos with people on it, and not about "show dogs".  Just "posing dogs" of visitors to an event.
There won't be time to explain any details about stock photography to the owners, or ask any (written) permissions, because I think I'll only have 10 minutes per dog or so.

What do you think ?  Both legally, and "morally" ?

Hello guys,
I used to received the Photographer's Sales Report from Rodeo every week, but in January  I got only once at the end of the month...It's the same for you too?

Yes, it's the same for all of us.  I sent them an e-mail about it two weeks ago, and this was their answer :

Hi Anyka!
sorry for the delays, we have had several repetative problems after changing the server location and have used all times to check, test, check and re-test the system. At the moment we cant (again) upload the photos to Rodeo due to new version of the uploader software which doesnt work. We are still waiting for our developer team to fix the issues.
Those monthly/weekly sales reports are also again in the fix list (that was fixed earlier and now its again broken!!!).
Im really sorry for the inconvinience!
Cheers,
Juha

The photo upload he refers to is my dvd with 500 images, sent around 1st December.  I don't think my spring images will sell very well after Easter 

Super! thanks!   I not only enjoy reading the results, I also like participating in it.

I'm opting out. Even if other agencies do not give us the chance to opt out, at least I can show my models/family/friends that I DID opt out where ever possible.

OK, I'm back again with more news :   
Worked perfectly :   Fotolia (custom), Istockphoto, Shutterstock, Dreamstime and Canstockphoto.
I did not try 123rf.

Sorry I have to joint the Bad News Club :  just noticed that none of my channels is working right now.

The good news is :  we've got snow here in Belgium today, and I LOVE snow!

Yes, that sounds as if I only need 1 license. 
However, I will probably need only 1 background image per customer, so in this case I am fine.  I would download a series of fairy-tale backgrounds (even with a subscription) and choose a different background for each customer (which makes the work less boring for me too!).
It wouldn't make a very creative impression if I can only show a portfolio with 20 girl-portraits using 20 times the same background ...
Same thing for christmas cards :  I wouldn't make a very professional impression if all of my christmas family-portraits had the same illustration-border.

You would not need an EL, as you are producing custom work for your clients.  Just like if a business needed a designed postcard that you then print out and charge them for.

You are not mass producing generic cards and selling to the public.

Thanks Sean, I think I'm going to knock on Fotolia's door again, using your term "custom work" - that might convince them.
I'm aiming at one particular portfolio of an illustrator who does fairytale background stuff - ideal for kids photos, and I haven't found him on other agencies, so keep your fingers crossed that Fotolia says "OK".

I wonder if I should open a separate buyer's account for situations like this.  Would that be wise or completely unneccessary?  It would certainly be easier to keep a clear overview on my sales figures ...

Hi all,
I few days ago, I sent the following question to fotolia :
I am asking this question not as a contributor, but as a (potential) buyer of illustrations.
As from 2012, I will become a fulltime photographer, and I will expand my business with local portraiture and product photo shoots.
I was thinking of offering green screen shots, put against a romantic or fantasy background (in photoshop). However, I am not an illustrator, so I would buy vectors/illustrations (fantasy landscapes, borders) to put my subjects in. This means that I would sell my photos, enhanced with Fotolia borders/illustrations to families for use as Christmas cards, Wedding invitations or just for fun. The illustration would not be sold seperately of course. Does the standard license allow this? Buying an extended license for such a limited use would make the end-product much too expensive, so if the standard license does not allow this, I can only try and make my own borders and fantasy landscapes.

And this is Fotolia's answer :
I'm afraid once the file is used in as end product that is for resale, eg greeting card, calender etc, the Extended Licence is required.

Now I can hardly believe that all (advertising) agencies pay EL's for every image they buy on behalf of their customer.  And isn't this the same?  I buy an image, put the photo of their child in it, and sell my work, to be used by the parents only, for private use like their christmas card, invitations etc.  This is very limited use, much more limited than the flyers, brochures ... of clients of an advertising agency.  Fotolia uses the word "greeting cards", but there's a big difference between selling greeting cards in a supermarket, then supplying 50 cards to a family, with their baby on it.

Am I wrong, and do I really need an EL ?  That would make my product unsaleable (too expensive) for family use.  I could of course ask the family to buy the illustration, but that makes things a bit too complicated.

Over 10K/yr for several years, and no card.  But I do live in Europe, and last week we had a strike of the post offices, so I expect lots of cards to arrive late.