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AIBU?

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Original poster

Is this illegal? Could I get sued?

77 replies

photoquestion · 06/03/2023 14:11

Ok I have massive anxiety and am a huge over thinker so I may be completely over thinking this but just needed to ask!

is it legal to edit someone else’s photograph? Am i risking getting sued?

for context- im going to be in a situation soon where we get some professional photographs taken soon (not specifically for me but I’ll be at the event) and I’d love to have some nice photos of me and my close family. Unfortunately I’ve gained a lot of weight (through steroid for a health condition) and I look temporarily a bit puffy. I was planning on buying the digital copies of the photo and editing it slightly - not unnaturally so- but just enough that I look like me again in the photo (the steroids are not forever and neither is my current weight so it doesn’t feel like me if that makes sense) but someone told me it’s illegal and you can get sued for editing someone else’s photography even if it’s of you and if you buy it etc?

is that true? Am I overthinking and being ridiculous? I haven’t asked the photographer but I did ask if they would be able to edit photos so they could do it and they said they could adjust the lighting etc but they dont edit or ‘fix’ specific details

if anyone could help or advice I would be really grateful! I don’t want to do anything wrong or illegal.

OP posts:
xILikeJamx · 06/03/2023 16:31

It's definitely not illegal to edit someone's photo. What you do with it after editing may or may not be depending the intent of it and what you do with it (fake nudes/terrorist stuff etc). In your case you've got nothing to worry about from that point of view.

I'm a photographer, and I wouldn't give 2 shits if you did this if it's only for you/your family to have at home etc. As long as you're not plastering it all over social media or using it for professional purposes (which would be illegal regardless of the editing).

My main worry if I was you would be how good you are at editing and how obvious it'll be that you've done something to the photo before you show it to other people

LadyJ2023 · 06/03/2023 16:39

I had an illness a few years back and the meds made me twice my weight.i would still never once have thought of photo shopping as thar wasn't me at the time..Now I'm back to normal again

lunar1 · 06/03/2023 16:41

As long as you aren't selling them to OK magazine I'm sure you will be fine.

monsteramunch · 06/03/2023 16:42

@Cocobutt

My advice would be to lay off the carbs so you lose some water weight, put on some fake tan (not orange or too dark), find a nice sliming outfit and do your hair and make up nice (maybe even pay someone to do them) these will make you look slimmer without the worry of needing to edit them.

Good grief, how insensitive. OP clearly states:

"Unfortunately I’ve gained a lot of weight (through steroid for a health condition) and I look temporarily a bit puffy."

She doesn't need to 'lay off the carbs' 🙄

category12 · 06/03/2023 16:45

Also, why not speak to the photographer beforehand - they'll know the most flattering poses, lighting and angles to use. Maybe they'll get some shots you quite like without needing to do too much editing.

restisall · 06/03/2023 16:46

I mean… I definitely edited my wedding pictures to get rid of my double chin before I posted them anywhere! Haven’t been sued yet.

Cocobutt · 06/03/2023 16:50

@monsteramunch

Looking puffy suggests water retention which steroids are known for.

Whenever I go to a fancy event I always reduce my carbs and so I look 10lbs slimmer in photos.

Yes it’s only a temporary fix but it makes you feel much better than having to photoshop your own photos.

I’ve never needed to filter or photoshop my photos because i do my hair and make up, tan and a nice outfit etc and if I’ve put on weight or I’m on steroids then I just cut carbs for a few days before.

OP doesn’t need to take my advice but it’s what works for me and I personally hate this craze of having photos filtered or photoshopped because it’s not you and you and everyone around you knows it.

VictorStrand · 06/03/2023 16:53

It depends on what you're going to do with the photo. Display it in public (including on social media) or use it on merch? Not allowed. Put in a frame in your house or carry it about on your phone? Allowed.
You can ask the photographer for permission for editing and public display. They will also know if they've retained the copyright or sold the copyright to whoever has commissioned them.

Daftasabroom · 06/03/2023 17:07

KillingLoneliness · 06/03/2023 15:38

How would the photographer even know though? I had professional photos taken and did some extra editing on them.
My opinion was that I paid a lot of money for them and no one else is going to see them, I’m not profiting from them so I can’t see what the harm if I edit them a bit and then stick them on my wall.

You stole something from someone in order to avoid paying for the owner to edit, print and frame them. You gained financially at the expense of the legitimate copyright owner. That's profit in pretty much any book.

YellowDaffodillie · 06/03/2023 17:11

whatadayforadaydream · 06/03/2023 15:33

Something can be illegal without being a criminal offence. That's simply incorrect.

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Ah god bless Google. 🙄

Merryhobnobs · 06/03/2023 17:12

Copyright is a legal issue. As others have said check with photographer.

Mumofnarnia · 06/03/2023 17:29

singer15 · 06/03/2023 16:26

I can't believe any photographer would care about this. I'd just do it!

Believe it or not, most actually do care! As I said in my earlier post, I work in this sector and have come across many unhappy photographers because someone decided to edit pictures due to them feeling insecure about themselves.

excusemewitch · 06/03/2023 17:44

Just email the photographer and ask if its okay and that it would be for personal use only. I am a photographer and would never edit a photo of someone either except light retouching if it's a headshot. I'd be fine with you editing a copy for your social media or whatever.

excusemewitch · 06/03/2023 17:46

Oh also I wouldnt sue you if you went ahead and did it without asking as long as it was for your own use! Copyright belongs to the photographer unless you buy the rights to it but I wouldnt consider it a huge deal.

whitebreadjamsandwich · 06/03/2023 17:48

I'm a photographer - I own the copyright to the images I take (as does every photographer), and explicitly state photos may not be edited - they are a representation of my style + brand. However, I'm sure the photographer could edit them if you ask - they'll do a better job, and will have the raw files to allow them to digitally manipulate the images far more than you would with the jpeg file

EwwSprouts · 06/03/2023 17:49

Ask the photographer to do it for you. There may be a small charge or not. I had a stained tooth when we had a family photo shoot which seemed to really stand out. The photographer changed it to match for no fee.

ladyofshertonabbas · 06/03/2023 17:49

Just ask the photographer!

whitebreadjamsandwich · 06/03/2023 17:50

I see the photographer has said no to 'fixing' things, which would be my standard answer for event photography as well, BUT if you offer to pay an additional edit fee, or fee to cover pro retouching, I'm sure they would accommodate

ChristmasCwtch · 06/03/2023 18:21

My SIL is a photo editor. I’m significantly skinnier in every photo she edits for me 😂 And there are never any of the ridiculous wavy lines you see in a Kardashian photo. So just make sure you know what you’re doing.

A run of the mill photographer (where you’ve bought the digital image) isn’t going to care about your edits!!

burnoutbabe · 06/03/2023 19:04

whitebreadjamsandwich · 06/03/2023 17:50

I see the photographer has said no to 'fixing' things, which would be my standard answer for event photography as well, BUT if you offer to pay an additional edit fee, or fee to cover pro retouching, I'm sure they would accommodate

But is it's something like a royal garden party most would surely say no as they are paid by someone else and don't want to risk agreeing and then having to go through all photos for any that x appears in.

I think most would advise you just not to stay around when camera appears.

KillingLoneliness · 06/03/2023 20:42

Daftasabroom · 06/03/2023 17:07

You stole something from someone in order to avoid paying for the owner to edit, print and frame them. You gained financially at the expense of the legitimate copyright owner. That's profit in pretty much any book.

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No, I paid for my photographs and for their time, I also paid for them to edit my photos but they didn’t do the greatest job so I made some minor edits myself, I spent an absolute fortune but didn’t feel the need to make any disputes over the poor editing when I knew I could do a decent job myself as I have the skills for it.

KillingLoneliness · 06/03/2023 20:46

@Daftasabroom I’d like to add I was also well within my rights to print and frame them as per the terms and conditions, I purchased pre-printed photos along with their raw digital formats placed on to a usb for private printing purposes as long as I agreed not to use them for commercial use or financial gains which I have not.

Mumofnarnia · 06/03/2023 21:09

KillingLoneliness · 06/03/2023 20:42

No, I paid for my photographs and for their time, I also paid for them to edit my photos but they didn’t do the greatest job so I made some minor edits myself, I spent an absolute fortune but didn’t feel the need to make any disputes over the poor editing when I knew I could do a decent job myself as I have the skills for it.

Show quote history

I work very closely with photographers. The photographer still holds the copyright whether or not you pay for them. Just because you’ve paid it does not give you a legal right to edit them. The only way you would own the copyright is if it was signed over to you by the photographer.

Daftasabroom · 06/03/2023 21:15

KillingLoneliness · 06/03/2023 20:46

@Daftasabroom I’d like to add I was also well within my rights to print and frame them as per the terms and conditions, I purchased pre-printed photos along with their raw digital formats placed on to a usb for private printing purposes as long as I agreed not to use them for commercial use or financial gains which I have not.

That's a very very different set of conditions to your first post. If you paid for the rights then of course you are within contract. You clearly implied in your first post that that was not the case.

purpledalmation · 06/03/2023 21:21

If you've paid for the digital copy yes, you can edit it. However you cannot sell that edit or any copies of the original. Copyright belongs to the photographer. What you do with your purchased copy is irrelevant.

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