Re: Crediting the gardener (was photo releases)

**"Debra Lee Baldwin" S*@cox.net**

Perhaps my own recent experience may shed some light on the topic of taking
photos of public and private gardens, asking permission, getting photo
releases (or not bothering) and crediting the gardener or designer. I'm
working on Designing with Succulents for Timber Press (for release in the
spring of '07). I did most of the photography, even though I am primarily a
writer. (By and large, images I received from professionals didn't
illustrate my points adequately -- and if you have a good eye, digital
photography levels the playing field...but that's another topic.) Anyway,
here's what I learned:

    -- If there is a recognizable person in your photo, get a signed model
release. If the person is a child, ask a parent for permission. Carry a
simple release form with you; avoid legalese, which is off-putting and
unnecessary. 

    -- If you are shooting a garden from a public street or sidewalk (I call
this a "drive-by shooting") you do not need permission. However, record the
address, and if you end up using the photo, send a photo release with a
SASE. Seven out of ten homeowners will be thrilled; two out of ten won't
respond (have a clause in your letter saying "if I don't hear from you, I'll
assume this is OK with you, and you prefer anonymity") and the tenth will
have some unforeseen objection -- such as the woman who hotly responded,
"Don't you dare publish photos of my garden. I'm a professional landscape
designer, and plan someday to write my OWN book on designing with
succulents!"  

    -- Ask who should be credited for the landscape design. It would be a
shame to publish someone's artistry and not give them credit -- it may be
the accomplishment of a lifetime for them to be mentioned in a book or
article. Rule of thumb: The ritzier the estate, the less likely the owners
want their names mentioned, and the more likely they are to have a designer
who should get credit. 

    -- All public gardens are different, when it comes to photography. Find
out their rules, and respect them. Longwood was gracious; the Getty, rude
(they flatly refused). The San Diego Zoo wanted to be paid for the privilege
(I had a good laugh over that one). In general, public gardens are fine with
it, providing you assure them they'll be credited -- free publicity is a
strong motivator. They may ask to review your photos before giving
permission to publish them, to see if you've done the garden justice. The
Huntington wanted to see captions, too, to make sure plants were ID'd
correctly.

Debra Lee Baldwin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Debra Lee Baldwin 
Garden & Design Writer 
Escondido, CA 
www.debraleebaldwin.com 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

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