[Leica] "Life" Magazine photo archive hosted by Google

[leica at web-options.com (Bob W)]

Many of the pictures are by Magnum photographers, who were with Magnum at
the time, so the copyright belongs to Magnum and the photographer('s
estate). Publishing the pictures (again) doesn't necessarily breach
copyright. Presumably at the time of original publication Life had a
contract which included the right to re-publish.

It will be interesting to see how Magnum reacts, given that they were
founded specifically to defend their photographers' copyright. The trouble
is that in situations like this the small fish often loses, whatever the
merits of the case, simply because of money. I heard Philip Jones Griffiths
talk about Francis Ford Copolla's use of Griffiths's photos in Apocalypse
Now! without permission or attribution. When they broached Copolla about it
his reaction according to Griffiths was 'those words so beloved of
Hollywood: Sue Me!'. Magnum couldn't afford to.

Bob 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+leica=web-options.com@leica-users.org 
> [mailto:lug-bounces+leica=web-options.com@leica-users.org] On 
> Behalf Of Ted Grant
[...]
> 
> HOWEVER! If you were a freelance, in other words, you owned 
> your own company
> and leased your services for a particular assignment. Then by 
> all means you
> should receive extra compensation if the material is being sold again.
> 
> This is a very tough topic to work through from an 
> independent business
> person point of view and the opposite. a hired gun to a magazine or
> government employer situation point of view.
> 
>  
> 
> ted