Placebo Can Go F...otograph Themselves

I take photos at rock shows. At small rock shows, the bands fall all over themselves thanking me for taking photos, they throw free drinks my way, let me give them hints on how to place the lights and pose patiently. Some of them even offered to pay me, which I usually refuse since I know that essentially they're still paying to play.

At medium-sized shows, the lights are usually better, there are no free drinks, 3 songs only, but lots of great posing. Except for those medium-sized shows where the artist hates photographers - there, the lights tend to suck.

At big shows, the lights and stage are usually friggin' awesome. Sometimes it's 2 songs only, and sometimes they only let you take photos from the kingdom of far, far, far away. Sometimes the musicians are so scared someone might want to screw them over by selling whatnot with their face on it (God forbid someone promote them or their music) that they make me sign some chit that essentially says any and all the rights to the photos taken at the event are theirs.

There is quite some discussion going on about this (read the post in the link - it reflects my opinion pretty well). Photographers hate these contracts, and with reason. Why should I not be allowed to cover my expenses (for example the $6000 camera and the $2500 lens I'm shooting with) by selling a photo to a newspaper two months later? But oh well. We lack leverage - no signature, no photo, no fame.

Today I got a contract that takes the biscuit. Not only do they ask for any and all right to reproduce the photo in anywhichway they want (for example on their next album cover), I am also required to send them to management within 2 weeks, and they are entitled to make money off of my photos.

Read the contract for yourself, here. Thoughts?

In my opinion, that's like a studio owner making a musician signing a contract that says "by using my studio, you sign over all rights to the music you record here to me, and I am free to make tons of money by selling it".

Seriously, what the @#?!. Under these circumstances, me, my copyright, and all of my contact sheets and "j.peg" files will stay home next Tuesday and enjoy a pizza. For all I care, Placebo and their management can collectively go F-otograph themselves.

For the record: As of now, I do not get paid even if my photos are online at 20 Minuten Online. But yeah, I feel I'm really ripping off artists by promoting their shows </sarcasm>.