Photographing Statues And Other Art Of A Similar Nature.

I'm curious about this too. I've seen a lot of these photographs here on FAA and elsewhere. I'm surprised that someone hasn't yet chimed in with an answer.

I would consider them copyrighted especially later work. A statue prior to copyright law is not under that protection.
Here is one article on the topic: http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0330/p15s01-usju.html In this article the galleries is ignoring the city. I wonder when the city gets hungry enough to go after them. I would not want to be in that spot.
Why would you want to sell someones art as your own? Artist should respect other artists work. If the artist and his family are alive hands off imho.

An image of their work properly cited is not selling someone else's work, and statues are usually not for sale...for public enjoyment :) :) :)

My understanding is that a photographer can put their own take on the image simply by positioning the camera in a certain way.. for example, an abstract taken from an unusual angle focusing on the shadows and light would be an original image belonging to the photographer.. also..if a certain combination of coloured lights was shone on the statue for a night shot, this is also a new, original work....So yes.. you can :-)

When a photographer makes an exceptional photo of a public statue, sculptors are happy to take credit and point out that the photo wouldn't be possible without their artistry. But they lay no claim to all the crappy photos taken of their statue. Hold on a second -- Don't they also share responsibility for the crap photos?

The moral: Photographs are not statues. They are completely separate and apart from statues.


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

statues are art, they are copyrighted to the original artist and should at least be credited for it. however if the statues is i think over a 100years old then its public domain, or at least much safer than just anything. if there is a main scene and there happens to be a sculpture in it, there isn't much anyone can say about you using it, because it was part of the scene. if you singled it out then they can get you on copyright infringement. in the end, is it really worth putting up a statue? since these are for sale, unless there is something you did that made it different, made it artistic, it won't be that interesting. and your selling it on the merit of someone else's hard work.

---Mike Savad

there is a troll statue under a bridge in england, many people shoot it. and then are sued by the owned of the statue, because its protected. any art can be enjoyed, but its still protected.

---Mike Savad