Do wedding photographers have the copyright on the pictures they take?

This is the question I asked yesterday, and it seems I upset a few photographers out there. Sorry about that, but it seems to me that 拢800 for 1 hours work, then to supply discs with 1 copy of each picture, was a bit over the top. If I commission an artist to paint my portrait, I would not expect him to take the finished product home with him and charge me extra for the occasional look. My son and his wife only wanted someone with "A good eye" to make sure the pics were a good standard. They obviously misunderstood the contract that they would have to pay for additional copies rather than being able to copy them themselves. I am in the wrong business. Thank you for all the interesting replies I received. I normally would not condone trying to bypass the security on the disc to make illegal copies, but 拢800 seemed a bit of a rip off. Once again, apologies to all you photographers that were offended.

Yes, wedding photographers do own the copyrights to all images they take unless the contract you sign with them states other wise. I can not agree with you that you were ripped off without knowing the quality of the work, equipment used and time he spent after the shoot retouching the images. Like any professional, he had to spend a lot of time and money to get to the point where someone such as your son was impressed with his abilities. It is sad that your son and his bride did not understand what they were purchasing.

I'm sorry that you feel this is unfair, but when then wedding is over, the music a memory, the food on the thighs and the dress put away for safe keeping, the pictures are your most important investment.

A Birth Certificate shows that we were born
A Death Certificate shows that we died.

Pictures show that we lived!

You really do not understand how photographers work. It takes years and a lot of money to buy and maintain good equipment. Years of experience to be able to take great photos. Countless hours editing the photos after they have been taken. It's not just the one hour it takes to take the actual photos. This is standard for wedding photographers.

Yes they do BUT you do, as you do with any CD/DVD, have the right to make "Back-up" copies and also have the rights to copy them onto your PC. You can't however reproduce them for public viewings (Even if just to a few friends)

It's not just limited to wedding photographers. It applies to all photographers in all medias.

Yes they do!

It used to be the case that copyright in a photograph was vested in the person who commissioned it, and in the past that would have been whoever engaged the photographer to record the wedding.

That has since changed, and the copyright is now vested in the photographer, unless there is a prior agreement to the contrary.

In general, the photographer now automatically owns the copyright in the photographs he takes, and that includes amateurs as well as professionals, so you in turn are automatically the copyright holder in any photographs you take.

There will be some exceptions, such as those who take photographs as part of their regular employment by an employer.

I think the primary reason why many photographers were offended is simply because many of us just barely scrape by despite the prices we have to charge in order to maintain the high costs of our business's. If you look at the average salary of a photographer you will find it is typically below or just at a middle class income.
Even with the rates this photographer charges, this may have been one of his few if only job for the week, or maybe even month for that matter and with all the bills this guy probably has to pay, he probably is eating baked beans from a can right now. I agree with you though, I would feel fleeced as well especially if I wasnt in the business.