Who has the legal right to decide what is done with a photo of an electronic device? Is it the photographer or is it the manufacturer of the device?
I’m designing a print ad that features an Apple iPhone, Sony Vaio laptop, and an HP desktop computer. If I took those photos or bought someone’s stock photos, can I do whatever I want with those images or do I have to adhere to Apple, Sony, and HP’s rules. Apple’s guidelines, has some very strict requirements, such as not placing the iPhone next to another computing device - a rule I have already broken in my print ad. But I see these rules broken all the time. For example, here’s the iPhone placed next to two other phones on [url=http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/12/22/the-designer-s-cross-training-toolkit/]Smashing Magazine.
Engadget also violates a ton of rules from various manufacturers. How do they get around these rules? Is it because they are the photographer of the device?
Stock Photos
Also, a question about stock photos: why are people allowed to sell photos that are blatantly name brand items. Take a look at this so called “generic silver laptop”, which is obviously an Apple Macbook Pro? If I buy this stock photo and use it to my liking, will Apple sue me or the photographer? iStockPhoto only gaurantees protection up to $10,000. Apple will surely sue for more than that!
