Gave away .CR2 RAW file

[Ryan_]

Hi all,

There is a photo contest with a large company. I entered, and found out I am a potential finalist. I read the rules before entering and if I remember correctly it mentioned they get a non exclusive license to use the photo you submit for anything for one year. Fine. But after them telling me I was a potential finalist I had to send them the high res unedited file. And I sent them the .CR2 RAW file without even thinking to send an unedited high res TIFF or even JPG. But this is one of the best photos I've ever taken, it was a freak moment in time and I just happen to be there. I've sold it as a print more than any of my photos.

Is it irrational for me to be freaking out about the fact that I sent them the .CR2 RAW file? Although they are a respectable company, I'm still totally regretting sending the RAW. I should have at least asked if TIFF or JPG was ok, because I'm not as freaked out about a high res TIFF or JPG being out there. I don't know. Like I said, is this totally irrational of me? Or should I be freaking out for good reason? Should I email them and send them a TIFF and ask them to delete the .CR2 file? Stupid idea?



TL;DR - I sent out the RAW file of one of my best selling photographs for a contest (although to a respectable company), is this an irrational fear I'm having? I feel like now that the .CR2 is out there in the world, anyone can claim it as their own.

 

[niels123]

I wouldn't be worried too much. If people want to misuse a photo, they can do it perfectly with a TIF.

Btw, I am curious to the photo. Can you post a 1000px or so jpg?

 

[awinphoto]

If you are concerned about the image, i would take the moment to go to http://copyrightregistry-online-form.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw57W9BRDM9_a-2vWJ68EBEiQAwPNFKww1oAkunIItzMt-dk3I2m0zbHvpkBA6u0DpOTapqHQaAqsn8P8HAQ and fill out a copyright claim for this image. You should be fine, but this will give you the trump card if you will to claim, if you have to, in court, that this is indeed your image.

 

[GuyF]

If they are a respectible company I'm sure if you contact them things will get sorted out, but if it's Getty Images....

The thing is, although you sell a number of prints of the image, think what exposure (no pun intended) perhaps winning the competition will do for you. Ask yourself, is the prize greater than the value of the image to you? You never know, your next image might be your best.

Good luck!

 

[sulla]

just for reference and illustration of the case, could you post the CR2 file here, please?

 

[IglooEater]

If you are concerned about the image, i would take the moment to go to http://copyrightregistry-online-form.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw57W9BRDM9_a-2vWJ68EBEiQAwPNFKww1oAkunIItzMt-dk3I2m0zbHvpkBA6u0DpOTapqHQaAqsn8P8HAQ and fill out a copyright claim for this image. You should be fine, but this will give you the trump card if you will to claim, if you have to, in court, that this is indeed your image.

That's the best advice you'll find, I think. Another trump card you have is the catalogue of images surrounding the image in question. Conserve those preciously. Date and file name are built into EXIF data with canon cameras, so it shouldn't be to difficult to demonstrate your ownership just using the other images you have surrounding this one.

As mentioned, a tiff or high red jpeg could just as easily be misused, so your only concern here is proving ownership. Preventing misuse completely however, would require never sharing the image or putting it online in any way, shape, or form.

 

[takesome1]

just for reference and illustration of the case, could you post the CR2 file here, please?

I do not think he made a mistake sending a CR2 over a tiff or jpg.

However assuming he did make a mistake. Now we test him to see if he is crazy enough post the file here so anyone in the world can steal it?

 

[sulla]

I didn't intend by any means to be that mean!

 

[privatebydesign]

It is common practice now for competitions to ask for unedited originals to verify the entry conforms to the rules regards alteration and manipulation. If this is the case only a .cr2 would do, a tiff or jpeg would not be acceptable.

If they are reputable I wouldn't worry too much, just so long as they didn't stipulate they had commercial rights over your image, just allowing them use is fine, it could well result i more sales for you!

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Contests want the original unmodified CR2 file to verify that you have not edited the file you sent them beyond the amount allowed in the contest.

You did the right thing, they would not accept anything else.

 

[sulla]

Ryan, did you input copyright information into the camera, like your name? In this case the CR2 file will carry this information. Also, it will carry the camera's serial number, which you may have registered with Canon.

 

[Ryan_]

I wouldn't be worried too much. If people want to misuse a photo, they can do it perfectly with a TIF.

Btw, I am curious to the photo. Can you post a 1000px or so jpg?

I get that, but I feel like you almost give away ownership when giving out a raw file.
I'm not gonna post it yet because I don't want to violate the rules.

Contests want the original unmodified CR2 file to verify that you have not edited the file you sent them beyond the amount allowed in the contest.

You did the right thing, they would not accept anything else.

Thanks, I hope so

It is common practice now for competitions to ask for unedited originals to verify the entry conforms to the rules regards alteration and manipulation. If this is the case only a .cr2 would do, a tiff or jpeg would not be acceptable.

If they are reputable I wouldn't worry too much, just so long as they didn't stipulate they had commercial rights over your image, just allowing them use is fine, it could well result i more sales for you!

Thats what I thought, because I guess if I sent a tiff or jpeg, then perhaps the camera exif data wouldn't be in there to prove it wasn't photoshopped.

If you are concerned about the image, i would take the moment to go to http://copyrightregistry-online-form.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw57W9BRDM9_a-2vWJ68EBEiQAwPNFKww1oAkunIItzMt-dk3I2m0zbHvpkBA6u0DpOTapqHQaAqsn8P8HAQ and fill out a copyright claim for this image. You should be fine, but this will give you the trump card if you will to claim, if you have to, in court, that this is indeed your image.

Thank you very much for this. I will look into it for sure.

If they are a respectible company I'm sure if you contact them things will get sorted out, but if it's Getty Images....

The thing is, although you sell a number of prints of the image, think what exposure (no pun intended) perhaps winning the competition will do for you. Ask yourself, is the prize greater than the value of the image to you? You never know, your next image might be your best.

Good luck!

Well its not Getty!
Reading your post made me think about it like this. If I had sent a jpeg and they said I need to send the .CR2 file, I would have done it, because the prize and exposure are definitely worth it. Would I totally give away the rights to the image for the prize? Probably not, but kind of tough decision.

just for reference and illustration of the case, could you post the CR2 file here, please?

I do not think he made a mistake sending a CR2 over a tiff or jpg.

However assuming he did make a mistake. Now we test him to see if he is crazy enough post the file here so anyone in the world can steal it?

I didn't intend by any means to be that mean!

Now now

If you are concerned about the image, i would take the moment to go to http://copyrightregistry-online-form.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw57W9BRDM9_a-2vWJ68EBEiQAwPNFKww1oAkunIItzMt-dk3I2m0zbHvpkBA6u0DpOTapqHQaAqsn8P8HAQ and fill out a copyright claim for this image. You should be fine, but this will give you the trump card if you will to claim, if you have to, in court, that this is indeed your image.

That's the best advice you'll find, I think. Another trump card you have is the catalogue of images surrounding the image in question. Conserve those preciously. Date and file name are built into EXIF data with canon cameras, so it shouldn't be to difficult to demonstrate your ownership just using the other images you have surrounding this one.

As mentioned, a tiff or high red jpeg could just as easily be misused, so your only concern here is proving ownership. Preventing misuse completely however, would require never sharing the image or putting it online in any way, shape, or form.

Very true!! The image in question is part of a sequence, and its pretty obvious when you look at the sequence. The other photos were out of focus which is a bummer but was so happy to nail this one, which was the best one from the sequence IMO anyways. Thank you for that input, I didn't even think of that.

Contests want the original unmodified CR2 file to verify that you have not edited the file you sent them beyond the amount allowed in the contest.

You did the right thing, they would not accept anything else.

Thank you for the reassurance.

Ryan, did you input copyright information into the camera, like your name? In this case the CR2 file will carry this information. Also, it will carry the camera's serial number, which you may have registered with Canon.

I did not I didn't even know you could do that in camera (I will look into this), I always do it in Lightroom, but then there is an .XMP file if sending a raw file, and I only sent the raw, no .xmp.