The world-renowned award winning photojournalist Kai Wiedenhoefer has asked for help and we should all oblige him for our own good before it's too late.
The following is a slightly edited version of Kai's call to action posted on http://www.lightstalkers.org/
Here is a link to the original post:
http://www.lightstalkers.org/urgent-sign-up-against-new-contract%20/%20top
Sign the petition against the new contract of the Jahreszeitenverlag
The publishing house of the Jahreszeitenverlag (Verlag means publisher in German) handed out a new contract recently and every photographer who works for them is being coerced into signing it.
Jahreszeitenverlag has given photographers two choices:
1. Sign the contract (see terms below) or;
2. Don't sign the contract and not work for them.
The Jahrezeitenverlag is a major player in the German publishing industry with various publications. Their most well-known is the travel magazine “Merian” which also employs foreign photographers.
THE MAJOR POINTS OF THE NEW CONTRACT ARE:
1. ALL photographs produced during an assignment of the publisher must be given to the publisher. The photographs can then ONLY be used and distributed exclusively by Jahrezeitenverlag.
2. Neither the photographer nor photographers agent/agency retain any rights whatsoever to distribute any of the photographs shot during an assignment of the Jahreszeitenverlag.
3. The publishing house can use all photographs taken during an assignment for free and for any purpose in his publications. This applies also to the photographs distributed by the publishing house.
This means photographers lose virtually all ownership of their own work and say farewell to the copyright. The deterioration of working conditions has been going on for some time.
I ask EVERBODY to sign the petition of the German photographer association Freelens (an organization of 1800 photojournalists) against this new contract.
Please click on the following link. Although it is all German, its contents are explained below:
Here are a couple of links that should take you to the petition:
http://blog.freelens.com/2009/04/the-gravediggers-of-photojournalism/
The following is a slightly edited version of Kai's call to action posted on http://www.lightstalkers.org/
Here is a link to the original post:
http://www.lightstalkers.org/urgent-sign-up-against-new-contract%20/%20top
Sign the petition against the new contract of the Jahreszeitenverlag
The publishing house of the Jahreszeitenverlag (Verlag means publisher in German) handed out a new contract recently and every photographer who works for them is being coerced into signing it.
Jahreszeitenverlag has given photographers two choices:
1. Sign the contract (see terms below) or;
2. Don't sign the contract and not work for them.
The Jahrezeitenverlag is a major player in the German publishing industry with various publications. Their most well-known is the travel magazine “Merian” which also employs foreign photographers.
THE MAJOR POINTS OF THE NEW CONTRACT ARE:
1. ALL photographs produced during an assignment of the publisher must be given to the publisher. The photographs can then ONLY be used and distributed exclusively by Jahrezeitenverlag.
2. Neither the photographer nor photographers agent/agency retain any rights whatsoever to distribute any of the photographs shot during an assignment of the Jahreszeitenverlag.
3. The publishing house can use all photographs taken during an assignment for free and for any purpose in his publications. This applies also to the photographs distributed by the publishing house.
This means photographers lose virtually all ownership of their own work and say farewell to the copyright. The deterioration of working conditions has been going on for some time.
I ask EVERBODY to sign the petition of the German photographer association Freelens (an organization of 1800 photojournalists) against this new contract.
Please click on the following link. Although it is all German, its contents are explained below:
Here are a couple of links that should take you to the petition:
http://blog.freelens.com/2009/04/the-gravediggers-of-photojournalism/
http://blog.freelens.com/appell/petition/
Your email address won't be published.
Afterwards you will find a list of photographers who have signed up already. It hasn't been updated yet but there are more than 400 who have signed thus far.
I ask also EVERYBODY to spread this mail to colleges and especially to your AGENCIES, as they will cease to exist once this type of contract becomes common practice.
The best thing for the agencies would be to boycott the publications of the Jahreszeiten and not provide them with any pictures for the time being. Some photographers in Germany have already advised their agencies to do so.
It is essential for the survival of photographers that this contract is stopped because if it succeeds it is more than likely that this very contract will lead the way for other mayor publishing companies such as Gruner & Jahr (Stern, Geo) or Bauer (Focus Magazine) in Germany to offer the same type of contract. After that, these types of contracts will become global.
I know the general financial situation of photographers is dire and the businessmen and lawyers who work on these contracts are well aware of this fact as well.
From an internal source of the Jahrezeitenverlag, I know that about 40 photographers signed the contract. NONETHELESS, the publisher already has problems finding enough photographers & photographs for their publications after May.
By signing this contract only your very short term individual interests will be served. Signing this contract will ruin your career as well as the careers of everyone else.
Kai Wiedenhoefer
Berlin, Germany
April 16th, 2009
Kai Wiedenhoefer is a past W. Eugene Smith grant recipient. The Grant recognizes photographers who have demonstrated a commitment to documenting the human condition, and is one of photography's most important awards. Other past recipients include James Nachtwey, Sebastião Salgado, Eugene Richards Trent Parke, Paolo Pellegrin, Gilles Peress, Donna Ferrato, Pep Bonet and John Vink.
When photographers of this caliber sound this type of alarm for the photography industry, the rest of us should pay special attention to the concerns they are addressing.
If you're a photographer (other than one of the 40 mentioned above who has already signed your livelihood away), please heed Mr. Wiedenhoefer's warning and sign this most important letter of protest against a contract that quite frankly is outrageously unfair to photographers and their agents.
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
My Photoshelter Photography Archive Homepage
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