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Okay, here we go with a little bit of a touchy issue.  Why is it touchy?  Because I know some of the parties involved and not some of the others.  It involves claims being made by photographers to be representing Metroline Magazine.  Let me start by laying out some of the relevant parts of Metroline’s official and ONLY policy regarding photography in Metroline Magazine.  

I, the Editor-in-Chief, Joseph DaBrow, and my business partner, our Publisher, John Crowley, are the only persons whom have the authority to choose what picture goes on the cover.  If anyone else tells you that they make that determination, leave because they absolutely do not.  I have used photographers to take theme related photos based on the needs of the contents of any particular issue as we have planned it.  I have a couple of photographers that I will ask to do this work for the magazine but I never relinquish the final say as to which photo will ultimately be used either for the cover or any position inside of the issue.  As of this date, Metroline has NOT done any type of modeling call for blanket photo shoots.  We have made specific requests for specific pictures and most of them have been used. If you were promised to be on the cover in order to do a photo session and did not get used I want to know about it, and in one area I can assure you, so do the authorities.

While we have worked at bringing you the cover photos you like, Metroline will not publish any photo that you would not see on a beach.  We do not in any way shape or form print any type of pornography.  From time to time you may see provocative images, and even nudity in a non-porn art form, but never gratuitously vulgar nudity.  There evidently are a couple of photographers out there claiming to do photo shoots for our cover and promising that the pictures taken will be used for the cover. Refer to paragraph two; no one makes that promise besides John or myself.  And by the way, while I do, John does not do photography work in any form for the magazine anymore.  If someone asks you to pose in the nude, and you have not signed a release with my office directly under my signature, leave.  It is NOT a sanctioned photo shoot for Metroline Magazine.  Under no circumstance will Metroline use an individual photographer’s release form for any photo that requires record keeping under Title 18 of the United States Code, sub section 2257.  So you can be 100 percent sure that if you are asked to have your picture taken nude and have not spoken with me and signed a release in my presence, it is not a legitimate photo shoot being done for Metroline.

As for where your photos may be used.  If you are used for an article specific image, it will be published in print and on our web site with the posting of that issue. These photos will usually involve signing a release with the photographer or the magazine.  If your photo is taken in a club, you need to be aware of the following.  If the photographer is present representing Metroline Magazine, or any other magazine, and identifies himself as such, Metroline, or whatever magazine, retains the copyrights to that photo and may use it in our Out And About section, as well as possibly in the on-line archives for that club.  If the photographer is hired by the club to take photos, and the club releases the copyrights to that photographer, as most all of them do, the copyrights belong to that photographer to do with as he wants.  If the pictures are taken by an employee of any particular club then the copyrights belong to that club and can actually be used for their advertising.  Being in a public environment for the most part is concidered being in “public domain” and unless you specifically indicaqte or notify the photographer of your desire not to be photographed, it can be used without your informed consent as to where. Now I don’t want anyone to run off scared because for the most part this has not been an issue and we, Metroline make every effort to keep everyone happy. The only place you will see your picture if it is taken by us is in our publication or in our on-line archives for that night at that club or event.

Don’t think this is a big problem. It is not. But I am really tired of having people come up to me complaining about how they had their pictures taken for our magazine and they never were used.  And in one case it involves a complaint made to the authorities that involves a photographer I have never heard of and not affiliated with Metroline Magazine in any way.  So I want all of you to be informed about your rights as well as Metroline’s policy from here forward.  Thanks and if you have any questions please feel free to send them to editor@metroline-online.com.  So, keep on mugging for us, we love seeing you smile.
 

Tags: 2010, 37-08, LATE APRIL