How do you present your photo release forms at birthday parties?

I haven't used release forms at birthday parties yet, but now that I'm getting my business together and wanting to get more photos of kids for my website and ads (instead of having MY mug splashed all over everything, as it is now), I need to start using them.

So what do you do? Do you just hand parents the form, tell them what it is, and ask them to sign it? Do they ask a lot of questions or just go ahead and do it?

To me, it seems awkward asking them to fill out some form at a birthday party, but perhaps I'm just overthinking it.

I don't. I mean, I do carry copies but I do not take photos at birthday parties as a general rule, so no need to get forms signed.

At public events, if I have an assistant, we try to get working photos. She will scout the line for "cute" kids and get the parents to sign the form BEFORE they get to my chair, then she takes photos of me "at work" and then of the kids after they get out of the chair... I don't even know she's doing it.

I've had mom's send me photos after the parties. But... I don't bother.

I just ask the parent before I take any photo. They usually say yes.

I add it to my contract. I have something saying "may I take photos of event, all photos may be used on facebook, my website, etc... You will also receive a copy of all pics... Almost all parties say yes.

SuzySparkles wrote:I add it to my contract. I have something saying "may I take photos of event, all photos may be used on facebook, my website, etc... You will also receive a copy of all pics... Almost all parties say yes.

But what about the other kids, what if some of the other parents don't want pictures of their kids posted on the internet?

Thanks for your input, guys. I've decided that I'm simply not going to bother with pictures and forms at birthday parties for now, since I can't think of a way of asking parents to fill out a form that doesn't seem out of place at a birthday party.

Have the forms with you... then, if you do something WONDERFUL just ask the parent of that child to sign a form so you can take a photo as you would LOVE to have a picture of that design as their child looks soooo cute with it on... blah blah.

Stacia wrote:

SuzySparkles wrote:I add it to my contract. I have something saying "may I take photos of event, all photos may be used on facebook, my website, etc... You will also receive a copy of all pics... Almost all parties say yes.

But what about the other kids, what if some of the other parents don't want pictures of their kids posted on the internet?

I have never had this problem. I also give a stack of cards to the Birthday kids mom to pass out to each parent picking up their kids so that they may pick up their child's photo. If the problem arose of someone not comfortable with their kids photo up, I would just simply delete it.

Shannon Fennell wrote:Have the forms with you... then, if you do something WONDERFUL just ask the parent of that child to sign a form so you can take a photo as you would LOVE to have a picture of that design as their child looks soooo cute with it on... blah blah.

Totally what I do! They get so excited when you tell them their kid looks adorable, they will sign anything!