Download Our Artist Licensing Agreement. It iss Free. Art Law Journal

By Steve Schlackman

It may be surprising to receive a free licensing agreement from an attorney but we think it is so important that we had to do it. Let�s start with a hypothetical scenario.

A Story About Latte Art

Janet recently opened a local coffee shop, called �The Grind,�. She then hires you as a photographer to shoot the new store and the unique Latte Art that has been drawing customers throughout the area. The photos will be used strictly for the Grind�s website. You complete the shoot, invoice Janet and are paid for the work. Six months pass. You are reading Wired magazine and see an article on a new coffee machine called �CoffeeArt�, which creates cool foam patterns automatically. On the product packaging, you see your unmistakable photographs from The Grind, with their telltale signature Latte Foam Art. You call Janet immediately.

Janet says, �Yeah, pretty cool right? That company was started by a friend of mine and I gave him those pictures for the product packaging.� You tell her she had no right to do that but she says that she bought the photos so they are hers to do with what she wants. You then contact CoffeeArt and tell them they are using your photos without permission and ask them to pay you for the use of the photos. CoffeeArt asks you to contact their attorney.