If i pay for pictures from a photographer or get a beat from a producer am I allowed to edit the product?

How does conceptual property work? If I pay 400 dollars for a photograph or a custom made beat or a painting, is it mine to do with as I please? Can I have it edited if I find something wrong with it?

Just as buying a car, you are allowed to change the engine, does the original manufacturer have rights to my purchase. I am referring only to CUSTOM made art. I don't mean a music CD from the store. I mean music or photography that was commissioned and made solely for me.

I should have added that it is not being used for financial gain.

Do with it as you will. As long as you dont turn the piece into a commercial attempt at profit, your fine.

If its something your just doing for yourself, for whatever reason, who's going to know to give you a hard time about it.

Depends on your agreement with the creator of the work.

You should have a written contract spelling out permissible usage.

HTH
V2K1

Unless you are paying for all the rights, no. You will know if you are, because in addition to the shooting fee, you will be paying a large fee for the total rights .. something over $1,000 per image.

The photographer owns the copyright and all the rights. What you are paying for is his/her expertise. Additional fees for the rights to use the images in a specified way ... no more. Yes your pre-press folks can prepare them for publication, but that has always been that way ... now we are including digital image files in the mix.

You are not buying a car ... your are renting it ... it still belongs to the rental company