<p>We are working on Son’s Senior Ad for the yearbook. They say that we have to secure a written copyright release for any professional photographs we use. There is one from Sears that is just perfect, but I can’t imagine going into my local Sears photography department and being successful at obtaining a release. Has anyone done this? I filled out a form online asking Sears this question, but no response yet.</p>
<p>Ah the yearbook ad! We are doing exactly the same thing, right now. Not sure about Sears–if they don’t respond, could you argue tacit acknowledgement? (not likely, I guess!). Wow, your HS yearbook is strict. Just wondered–are you doing a fractional (1/4 page, 1/2 page)? They are so expensive ($95 for 1/4 page) that I’m thinking of doing an 1/8 page for $50 but it’s pretty tiny.</p>
<p>From <a href=“https://www.searsphotos.com/help_sps.asp:[/url]”>https://www.searsphotos.com/help_sps.asp:</a> </p>
<p>Q. How do I order portrait sheets if it’s been more than six months since my sitting date?</p>
<p>A. You’ll need a copyright release so that you can get the portrait sheets you need produced elsewhere. A copyright release is available at your local studio for $24.99.</p>
<p>I had never heard of senior ads until Son brought home his yearbook freshman year. Back then, they were all black and white unless you paid extra for color. Starting last year, all are in color (they probably just jacked up the price for everyone.) We paid $216 for a half page (it was $216 if you paid by August 1st; I think $250 after that.)</p>
<p>And from another website: Sears Portrait Studios. 1-866-292-4949. Sears Portrait Studios will charge $24.99 for the Copyright Release.</p>
<p>That will be really nice, missypie (1/2 page). I just want to do something for son (even if budget is tight). We sort of blew through his middle school graduation period (looking ahead to the future) but I want to try to make this as special for him as possible. I bet your son will enjoy it!
edit: Fred’s Mom-you are on the case! :-)</p>
<p>Such a sleuth, Fredsmom! I looked at the FAQ, but didn’t look at that question because the pictures were taken so many years before there was such a thing as “on line.”</p>
<p>I used the Senior Ad as an excuse to get a scanner and a copy of Photoshop.</p>
<p>I am patting myself on the back for putting together an ad with baby photos, text, background, etc.</p>
<p>^^^ I did similar years back. Already owned the scanner and the cheap-o version of Photoshop. I loved doing it.</p>
<p>Sears wants $24.99 for a “copyright release” on a photo of your own child?!? Due to their “creative input”, I presume? If that don’t beat all! </p>
<p>Now, I can’t imagine myself advocating anything unsavory, but… really. I’d just scan the dang photo and be done with it.</p>
<p>I did not do a senior ad because the parents who were in charge would not allow any personal design input. You supplied the pictures and the message, and they put them together as they pleased. Not exactly what I wanted for $180. :(</p>
<p>jmmom, I also have the cheapo Photoshop version.</p>
<p>For anyone who’s considering it, you will probably be able to do just about anything you want to do with the cheapo version…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yup, me too. I’d scan it, drop a copy of the JPEG file onto a disc, take it to my local Walgreens and drop that disc into the self-serve photo printer and print me a new one. If it is that old a photo, I just don’t get the need to pay $24.99 for a Sears photo. If the word Sears appears on the front, use the photo program on your computer (you don’t even need an expensive Adobe program) to crop it off or cover it up. </p>
<p>A local photographer, esp a small town one, would likely give you a release for free, as it would be some free advertising if his name/logo was on the picture. Ours did. I just don’t see where Sears gets off charging $24.99 for a picture that is 5-10 years old, even older, esp when the copy is going to be small, probably part of a collage of pics on a 1/2 or 1/4 page ad.</p>
<p>Aah, the senior yearbook ad…it brings back good memories of older D. She and our neighbor’s D have been best friends since age 2, so they put together a half page of photos of them together taken through the years. It was precious! Plus with two families paying for the half page, it was relatively acceptable in price.</p>
<p>Boy, I hope this thread doesn’t get wide exposure, because this is something that our yearbook hasn’t caught onto yet. Senior parents ARE asked to submit a baby/child photo with a message/sentiment to the Yearbook; but we aren’t charged for the input. The individual photos/message are 8 per page as I recall. For S1 we submitted a photo of him as a 4 yr. old fishing: his favorite movie was “Dead Poet’s Society” and we used an appropriate quote, playing off the “carpe diem” theme.</p>
<p>If you think the high school yearbook ad was expensive, I was absolutely SHOCKED at how expensive an ad was for the college yearbook! So expensive that we didn’t buy one…and being a full freight customer, I was used to spending gobs of money for college things.</p>
<p>I had totally planned to do an ad for my son - my neighbor and I were going to do it with a picture of the boys at age 5, and one in high school. But somehow I never saw the paper that came home about buying one! My neighbor saw it but misplaced it.</p>
<p>So 3 years later, if I do one for my D, am I playing favorites? ugh</p>
<p>just so you all know, the average salary of a photographer in the US is $24,000/yr. They deserve to make a living just like anyone else. If you want to steel their work go right ahead.</p>
<p>I asked my son’s photographer for her OK - she’s fine with it, especially since her name is stamped on the picture. She’s happy to get the advertising.</p>
<p>^^win win, that’s great!</p>
<p>The photographer who did Son’s senior pictures gives one image for free; the rest are $10. I understand that the photos are copyrighted, but I don’t think the poorly paid folks who operate the cameras at Sears get a cent of my $24.95. We’ll have to decide if we’re willing to pay that for something that, when included in the ad, will be about 1 1/2" high. </p>
<p>We are buying a half page ad. If it were up to Son, it could be a quarter. However, it was his younger sister who said she could* live *with a half page (instead of a full) when her time comes. It’s interesting doing these things for the first kid, knowing you’ll be doing them two more times.</p>