I have also seen this situation happen many times in our Walmart photo center, especially in the advent of easier, cheaper, better cameras coming out the last year or so. It is now possible for quite a few people to shoot ~professional looking~ photos by simply ‘pushing a button’ (no insult intended to the son taking the photos).

In our photo center, I am the oldest person there (50), with the most years of photographic background skills/training/knowledge behind me (19+ years in the photo business, about 25 years pursuing photography as a serious hobby, About a year in there as a professional wedding photographer) – thus, if we have a photo brought to me by one of my co-workers, in question ‘is this professionally taken… we can’t tell!’ – it has gotten harder & harder for me to even tell in many cases if it was professionally taken! I am now [and recommending to my fellow Photo associates] to take the policy ~if you can’t tell, as the person reproducing it If they say ‘no, it was not professionally taken’, then let them do it. If they say yes… then, they can’t do it.~

Thus, (and unfortunately this upsets many customers), we then have to return to Walmart’s policy [which is explained in literature available at any Walmart photo center, as well on Walmart's website (photo section)] that even it a photo ~appears~ to be professionally taken, we will not reproduce/print/copy it.

As much as this may anger customers and many people on this post, it is in effect to cover/protect Walmart legally, as well as us the Photo associate themselves.

IF (and yes, it is probably a 1 in 100,000 chance) we were to print a professional photo, and IF then the pro photographer were to find out it was done without his release, Walmart would be sued (and now days everybody is suing Walmart… successfully) as well as the associate would lose their job, and would also be legally responsible.

I am not going to put myself in that position.

I have looked several times, and I am not wearing a button on my lapel that states ‘I am mean, I am cruel and uncaring’. Walmart associates have a life beyond their job, and [most of them at least] do have a heart. I truly care about each customer, and do my best to serve their needs to the best of all my abilities.

The whole copying thing is relevant when a person tries to copy or print (or even scan to a CD) something that THEY did not take themselves, without (quoting from the Federal website again) written permission from the photographer or studio/business.

The reason why Walmart (and other places that try to follow the copyright law, like Riteaid, etc.) looks for and only pursues action on only professionally taken photos, is that even though aunt Aggie ~could~ sue if her nephew copied the cute photo of himself in that cute cowboy outfit, odds are that she wouldn’t. They use their best judgement (and follow company policy on making thus judgement to protect themselves and the company… what’s so wrong with that!) to determine if a photo was taken professionally, and if it was TAKEN within the last 100 years (again, Federal website), customer is refused.

Common though would be snatching that spectacular photo off of a website, and putting it onto a thumbdrive, and taking it in to a place [like Walmart] to get printed. Yes,you probably would get away with it, because it doesn’t ~look~ professional, but still, as by the copyright law, someone ELSE did create it, and thus is protected, and would be breaking the law if copied or printed. Anywhere.

Don’t think the Walmart employee is mean, not wanting to let a person copy a 50 year old [professional] photo someone brings in who needs it for a funeral tomorrow… I’ve lost both of my parents already! I have a heart! But I also have to follow the law and my job’s policy.

I thank God for the [rare] nice customers who understand the policy and even though are disappointed, are not mean to us in return.

Yes, I am a Walmart Photo Employee. Been one for 9+ years. Been in the photo retail business for 19+ years.

We see so many pictures coming through the lab, we can tell if something is professional. We also have professional photographers who come and get their photos done through the lab. Most pictures that come through the lab that we find copyrighted, we’ve seen the type of work before and pretty much know who took the pictures. All we ask, is if the photos are copyrighted, for you to give us a release. If you did take the pictures, by all means we will give you the pictures, after we have you sign a release form stating that you are the author of the photographs. This way if a customer isn’t telling the truth and just signing this because they want their photos, and the photographer comes after us for it, we have proof that the customer stated these things. But like I said, we see so many photos coming through the lab, we know whether or not they are professional or not.

If you have an issue with the policy, contact the federal government.

I for one am sick of the crap that customers give us for doing our job. Some of us like our jobs and intend to keep it.

Others are aware of the things going on in the Economy and want the stability and need the income.

It isn’t just walmart, try walgreens, rite aid, kinney’s and other stores. If they give you the photos, then someone needs to contact the federal government because it is once again FEDERAL LAW!

@Jane. Yes, that is crazy, when they are that old, unless they’re famous pics, you can really bet that the copyright has expired. Technically all photos are copyrighted (by the photographer) whether or not they’re registered, but that does expire.

Really, I haven’t used Walmart for printing anything in a LONG time. I use Walgreens now if I have to have it NOW otherwise I use my professional printers if I can wait a few days to get it. But yes, it is most irritating when they don’t give a consumer the chance to show and sign that they did take the photos themselves. I’m still burned up about a story I mentioned above where Walmart ripped up photos without giving the girl a chance to have her mother -the photographer – sign something or even state that she took them.