Is this illegal? my school used my photographs without asking?

i go to a high school, and one of the subjects is photography. they have used my photographs without permission last year and this year as commercial on several school fairs. like happenings where students can get information on several school at one time. and they have had my photographs on big screens to show students what we do and what they can acheive without even asking me.

First, congratulations on having your photos used, even though it is without permission.

It is my understanding that as soon as you click that shutter the image becomes a copyright of the photographer. However, I am not a lawyer, and as Perki said there may be some rights lost in the public school setting.

At the very least you, with the help of your parents and/or photo teacher should ask that you be given credit on each and every photo. Financial compensation may not be in the works, but what a great feather in your cap and portfolio as long as you get credit.

Additionally, you may have the opportunity to break some ground on photo ownership in your school. You may be able to set precedent and policy in regards to student work and the rights of the school to use that work. Your teacher could really be a bell-weather here, whether he/she stands with you or maybe doesn't care.

No matter what happens, don't get angry with the process, or the players. You are the artist, you took the photos, and you have the talent they want. Best of luck.

They definitely should do that with your permit!

if they are a public school you cant sue them for money, but you can ask them to stop showing the photographs and they will remove them. if they are a private school and they used the photographs to advertise then they can be sued for copyright infridgement.

It's strange, but in school circumstances many of your basic "rights" are void. I would speak with your photography teacher first. Actually, you should take this as a major compliment and at least get a photo credit.

Just so you know Photoguy, the schools can no longer use photographs of students in Newsletters or on line without written consent of a parent.

Jeez, you really take compliments well.

It is not illegal unless they are copyrighted, but it is morally and ethically wrong. Schools are very big on stopping plagiarism these days, and they just contradicted themselves. You need to bring this up to them, and let them know where you stand. Maybe you can even make some money for the pictures, :)

You must be talented for them to be showing your photographs; congratulations. School's an opportunity for you to learn and grow, not for you to profit financially. Take their prominent display of your work as a compliment.

I don't know if it's illegal or not, but I tend to doubt it. Every school I've ever heard of displays student art work. My advice would be to discuss this with someone in authority at the school (your photography teacher, the principal, etc.) At the very least, they should give you credit for your work, or take it down if you object to its display.

you should be honored your school is using them, and you should use this to your advantage, when applying to the next level. for example: my art work was used as an example of the quality of work that my school expects from its art students.

If your photos are part of a class, and your using school time, equipment, resources, subjects, etc...., I dont think you have much leverage to stand on.

For the same basic reasons they can publish photos of you for newsletters, annuals, etc..., without requiring a release, they can use school sponsored photos as they like.

It wouldn't be so bad if they gave you CREDIT for taking the photos.

Talk to them. They could have assumed it would be ok.

In law it's a tort.
The court will give you money damages for commercial use of your image without consent.

yeah that's illegal.. talk to em

It is a crime; only if you have the copy rights and If you can legally prove they are yours, but if not, then you can't prove they belong to you. My school did the same thing more than ones and I couldn't do anything because I didn't have the copy rights of the work.