As many churches consider a return to in-person worship with livestreaming, it’s an appropriate time to plan for how you will tell people that you may video or photograph them. You will also need to let them know that you may use their images on social media, newsletters, and promotional materials.
We’ve put together a set of digital resources you can use, and we plan to send out a copy of the release poster to each church soon (though, please note that realistically, this will not happen until after Holy Week).
The downloadable resources include:
- Letter-sized poster in a couple of print formats
- Poster image file with QR Code
- Poster image file without the QR Code
- We Love Pictures image file
- Word document containing the key text, with both ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ language versions.
We recommend that you have the poster placed somewhere prominent, where it can be seen by people entering the church. It is also recommended that you include the text as ‘boilerplate’ text in all your service bulletins.
Resources
Notes regarding Photo Releases
You do not need a photo release for a photograph or video taken in a public space. Nor is there any reason why minors cannot be photographed or videoed.
The Episcopal Church states that the inside of a church is not a public space (I disagree, but that’s neither here nor there), which means that a photo release is required. So get those posters up.
While you can video and photograph people, if you are going to identify them, ensure you get their permission. In the case of minors, please make sure you have their parents’ or guardians’ approval before doing so.
You can also see the release text here.