Photography

I think there’s a lot of misinformation being spread here. This would be a better conversation to have with a lawyer, imo. Having that said, it’s super weird that they would place any restrictions on your work, outside of work.

I'm no expert, but I don't think the can actually do that.

If it's their account, yeah, that makes perfect sense, but on your own personal account that's not affiliated with the company? Not sure if that's ok.

If you're taking your own photos during work hours, on a job, or ones that show the business in some way, then they have some reason for oversight, but other than that it's a pretty questionable thing.

I think they aren't allowed to do this, but I see your dilemma liking the job.

I still wouldn't use their presets on my private pictures. It's a breach of my boundary. It's private. If you should do company stuff in your private time, you should get paid for it. And what if you post nudes or racist stuff. Do they want their logo on it?

But perhaps you could make a company Instagram account with your name to post some pictures with their stuff, I don't know. Otherwise, post a dickpic with their logo and see, if they still want to have their presets used.

If it’s not written in your contract it ain’t real.

Find a new job, that’s insane, not fair and totally uncool. No job is worth loosing your freedom and creative growth. I’ve been a professional photographer for decades now and always did it on my own, it’s fine to work for others and totally legit they force you to edit their way and not use or share the pix you take while on the job. It’s a bit lame but companies do that, and it’s reasonable. However, it should stop with work. You doing your own thing and posting and developing your own style is critical to your happiness. Seek another job and once you find one then you can bargain with this employer and not worry about loss of income when they tell you their rules are their rules.

Take the money

They can't do that. If they want to use your own personal Instagram page to promote their presets then they have to offer compensation for it.

Why do you comply with having your own photos ruled over by your employer? That's not their business. Stand up for yourself!

I didn’t expect this to get this much attention overnight, thanks everyone!

I will clarify a few things:

• i live in europe
• i’m a student
• i have only a ‘verbal’ contract

I post my own art on my own separate photography page, but they want me to use thei logo and preset on those pictures as well

They pay very well, and i can’t really find other sources of similar income as a student where i live, and I’m definitely good at this job, don’t wanna lose the money

This work is helping my pay my way through university, and i don’t want to lose it

I think i will create ‘another’ photography page, where i post everything using their presets and affiliate it with the brand, but also keep posting with my own presets on my ‘personal’ photography page.

Thanks everyone for your time, much appreciated

Where is this? I’m in the US and that isn’t legal-unless you explicitly agree to it, and/or are on the clock as an employee (I’m not a lawyer but have studied my rights as a photographer pretty well). Did you sign a contract? If so, what does that say? Are they paying for your time to create this personal work? I’d start a new account and bill them. I don’t brand / shoot / work for free. That is work.

Good luck!

Lyn H

Just make another Instagram account

Look for a new job. Immediately. After you find one, never let another employer impose upon your personal, away from work life in this unreasonable sort of way ever again unless you're getting paid A TON of money.

The solution is simple. Just create an artist name and hide what you are doing privately behind it. 😉

If you get fired, that’s a big payday :) your boss is kinda childish and does not know legal work vs private work.

They can't control your portfolio outside of work.

As for those done at work - depending on your contract it's made within work and work property. That's about it.

Welcome to work for hire. Take the money or source your own clients.

I'm pretty sure that's illegal. As an employer, they own the work you do for them, but they absolutely do not own you or your own personal work

Create an account for work, with this employer. Create a private account.

Just create a new account for your personal stuff!

at the end of the day the bag is all that matters

So they’re paying you for the photos you take outside of work too then?

So take up shooting something they won't want associated with their brand.

For example, try shooting at some fetish clubs.

Then allow them to make the distinction between your personal work and what you do when employed by them.

But the real problem is that even the pictures i take myself, outside work, let’s say i call a friend out or take pics of my girlfriend and want to post them on my page, they won’t let me post without their presets as well

If they're willing to pay you for those shots too then I'd milk them for every nickel.

Then start up a completely different IG (you're allowed to have more than one you know) - and post your own creative stuff there, using a different business name.

No no no. These people don’t own your personal life. Absolutely not.

Personal work on your personal page is nobody’s business but your own. If they want you to use their filter presets on your photos tell them there is a $250 fee per photo (since it’s marketing purposes).

They don’t own you and they can’t force you to post to your personal Instagram. My advice, if you’re looking to keep this gig, would be to tell them you’ll be setting up a separate Instagram that will include work done for them, as you’d like to keep your “portfolio” separate. Whether you post on that account is up to you, I personally wouldn’t look to promote them at all, but at least it’ll be a separate account if it becomes necessary or you feel like it.

The underlying reality here is that they’re looking to use you, they want to feel the ripples of any bump in social media attention that their staff photographers get. If your work starts to shine and you blow up on social media, they want that success to optically be attributed to them, or at least that want an avenue to take credit for it.

Fuck any company that hires creatives and then forces them all into the same box. They’re not interested in putting out the best product, they’re interested in being palatable and marketable and are way overextending their reach here. Do they ask their DJ to promote them and play their event company’s beat tag when they DJ on a weeknight? Do they have the same expectations of their videographers? I doubt it.

I really hate this, because i can’t be creative anymore.

They pay really good money, so idk what to do.

How would you guys handle this?

Start looking for a new job immediately.

No amount of money is worth actively trading in your happiness for it.

Start up an Instagram account called ugly, hairy toes and let them decide to separate your branding.

Aight, that's concerning! So as to keep the work events on preset autopilot like maintaining that split personality, but let the usual perfect blend? Their presets taking over during events and ur personal shots staying true to the artistic chaos within unfiltered raw shots. Just say that it affects your creativity & the audience are different. It's all about finding that balance even if you go the blunt way!

Find out if you are allowed to do freelance work. That will help you with the conversation. They want to grow their brand, however they aren’t going to pay you for it.

They’ll likely ask you to ensure any work you post on your personal page clearly states it’s not related to them or their brand if they “agree” to you posting. Or they’ll ask you to make your page private as long as you work for them.

Yeah, no. You legally own the copyright to ALL of your photos unless you sign off on them. For example, when I shot for our newspaper, I would submit several for a story. The ones they published became the property of the newspaper. The photos they did NOT use were still mine.

Same with wedding photos. My clients signed a contract that gave them the right to reproduce or publish them as long as they gave me attribution and used only quality labs for reprints. I agreed to only use them to promote my photography business in a respectful, tasteful way. They were thrilled to be featured in my portfolio.

Sorry they're blackmailing you with your own images. There are plenty of decent non-profit, PR & marketing firms looking for freelancers. They pay well. Happy shooting!

Did you sign a contract? If so this may stipulate the issues you’re having. If not. Screw them!

They can't dictate your personal pace unless you use it to market yourself for them. I would just make a second page for your creative style and don't link it to your page or the business.

Did you sign a contract stating that they own copyright to all your images even outside the hours you work for them?

If not tell them to poiletly fuck off. Poiletly. Know copyright and contact law before this Conversation though would be my advice.

Create another IG account and don't ever tell them about it. What they're doing is messed up, and if you don't like their style you shouldn't be forced to use it on your own creative works.

Unless your employment contract says you agree to doing this... they can get stuffed.

Too many businesses want their employees to use their personal social media presence to increase their business exposure... I mean, you could just give them an invoice for the time you spent creating your own images after hours, processing and uploading. If they have expectations, they need to pay for them. If you're not on the clock at that time... then they should have realistic expectations: none.

I would expect them to have something in your contract about bringing their business in disrepute via your social media, but other than that they should butt out. But as I said, it depends what you agreed to. Really good money doesn't mean they own your entire life, but if you think it will benefit you in the long run then you might want to suck it up. I hope this helps.

There is a lot of information that is missing from this for me to give you any real advice. But based on what you posted, here are some hypotheticals:

If they won't let you post your own personal photos, then it becomes a simple matter of "Are you going to pay me for these?" If so then cool. But if not then I don't see how they have any claim to your personal photos. UNless of course, you are using their equipment, software, ect, then they would have some claim.

You say they pay well. So is this your FT job, one you'd like to keep? Based on the condition of your employment with them, I would reread your contract and know what they are due and not due.

IF they are overstepping their bounds and demanding what they have no right too then you have a decision to make. Is the pay worth the frustration you're feeling?

I know this isn't much, but hopefully you can find a gold nugget here somewhere.

This is so stupidly easy to solve. Just make a new instagram account with a pseudonym that does link to you at all and post whatever you want.

That said, this is super weird and unprofessional.