How KFC’s Original Recipe is Like the Photos used in Your Portrait
I recently saw the Original Recipe of Kentucky Fried Chicken was mistakenly revealed during an interview.
Apparently, a relative of the Colonel himself gave a reporter from the Chicago Tribune a photo album to flip through, which also contained the secret recipe.
Can you imagine what would happen if we all knew the Original Recipe for KFC’s famous fried chicken?
As a Dallas Portrait Photographer who specializes in One-of-a-Kind Portraits, releasing the rights to my images would be a lot like posting KFC’s Original Recipe online.
Ok, not exactly like it, but similar.
In some ways?
Oh, Alright! Not really like it at all mostly.
Who Owns the Rights?
Clearly KFC owns the Original Recipe and it is legally forbidden for any other chicken restaurant to duplicate the Original Recipe for their gain.
In this way, the images I use in your Portrait are very similar.
In the world of Advertising Photography, the term “Usage” is well known nomenclature, and is accepted business practice.
In other words, unless stated otherwise in contract, image ownership always stays with the Photographer.
And like KFC’s Original Recipe, it’s for good reason.
When you hire a Professional Photographer, you hire them to capture and create images for a specific purpose.
Whether it be to advertise your product, promote your brand, capture your wedding, or for a family portrait, the image you’re having created is for a specific purpose.
And you pay for that specific purpose.
If KFC gave away their Original Recipe, you would no longer need to go to KFC for “Finger Licking Good Chicken”.
And, Yes… It is finger licking good.
If I just gave away all the images from every portrait I create, their would be no reason for you to order additional sizes or products.
Both KFC and Photillustrator would eventually go out of business because we are giving away the magic that makes us so special.
Are Personal Portraits Different than Portraits for Advertising?
You may be thinking, “Ok, but aren’t my Personal Portraits different than Portraits made to Advertise a product or brand?”
No, there really is no difference.
When you hire Photillustrator to create your One-of-a-Kind Portrait, you’re hiring me to create a Portrait to display on your wall, and we agree that’s how my images will be used.
We’ve agreed upon the “Usage” of my photography.
The only reason you could want my equivalent of KFC’s Original Recipe, is if you didn’t want to purchase additional images from me, and that’s just not good business.
Can I Buy the Rights to my Images?
So, I own all the images used to create your Photillustrator Portrait… Forever.
But, you may be wondering if you can purchase the images for yourself?
The simple answer to purchasing my images is… Not Really!
However, if having the images is that important to you, you can purchase what’s called “Usage Rights”, which means you buy the right to use the photos for whatever purpose you and the photographer agree upon.
Think of it like you’re “Leasing” the rights to the images.
That’s a Wrap
Ok, to summarize, like KFC doesn’t give away it’s Original Recipe, Photillustrator doesn’t give away the images used in your Portrait.
Unlike KFC, however, you can buy the Right to Use your images from Photillustrator.
I know this may sound a confusing, even after this amazingly easy to read article, so if you have any additional questions about purchasing the Rights to Use your images, don’t hesitate to Contact Me.
