Photographers Rights

Hi my name is Pietro Zuco and I’m the programmer behind the iPhone app called Photographers Rights. The app is free and you can download the current version here.

Photographers Rights is an application that helps photographers to have an idea about the laws related with photography in different countries. Every country has different regulations and laws about photography, not only about where it is allowed or prohibited to take pictures, but also about copyright.

The idea to create this app was born back in 2011, in a coffee shop in Akihabara, Japan. I was talking with my friend Steve Nagata about technology and photography. I wanted to create a photography related app and he gave me the idea and inspiration to create an app to help photographers with their legal rights around the world. I’m not a lawyer, so I then contacted a legal advisor, Pepi Valderrama to create the content of this application.

Current App Description

Photographers Rights has 5 sections.

1. Countries

This section covers laws and regulations for: USA, Australia, Canada, UK, Japan, Spain, Italy and France. For example you can find information about what kind of laws apply for taking photos of free passengers in UK or taking a photo to a public place in France.

2. Legal

This section covers general legal content that is compatible internationally with almost all countries. Your rights as a photographer, Copyright and Privacy.

3. Contracts

In this section there are sample contracts, ready to use in English, Spanish, Italian and French. You can print them, send by email or save them in other apps, like Good Reader or Dropbox. 

4. Questions

In this section you can play common phrases pronounced by native speakers. Questions like "May I take you a picture?" or "Ar you a police officer?" Supported languages are French, Japanese, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, German and even an Austrian dialect. You don't have to read them, the iPhone will play them for you using a native speaker voice for each language.

5. Shop

What We Need & What You Get!

I want to improve this app and that costs money and time. That's why I need your help. These are the main improvements:

1. English proof reading of the content.

The application was written by a legal advisor, which is also a language warrior but English wasn't her native language. So we need to improve the grammar and the form of the content of this app.

2. Android version!

A lot of people asked about an Android version. I'm not an Android developer, I'm a photographer and an iOS developer. So I need to hire an Android developer to create a working version of Photographers Rights for Android users as well.

3. iPad version

Many people asked for an iPad version. The current app is only for the iPhone.

4. Increase the languages in the Question section.

A lot of people asked for Russian, Portuguese, Chinese and Cantonese. These new languages will be added but I will try to add more.

* You can be listed in the app as a contributor, only if you wish so :) *

Other Ways You Can Help

Some people just can’t contribute, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help.

Share this campaign with your friends, in your social networks, like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and so forth. Even if you are not a photographer, maybe you have a photographer friend that will be interested in this project.

Use the Indiegogo social buttons at the end of this text to share among your friends.

Thank you for helping in this campaign!!

To keep updated about the changes and improvements of Photographers Rights during the time, also check:

My Blog: http://zuco.org

Twitter: @pietrozuco

Google+ community

Facebook page

* This is a flexible founding. It means that if we reach the goal, I will be able to implement all the promised functionalities. However, if we don't reach the goal, I will only be able to implement some functions, depending on the received amount. For example, maybe I won't be able to pay for the English proof reading, which is quite expensive. In that case,  the perks that include the content of the app in PDF, will be delivered as they are in the current version.  Or maybe I will be able to pay the English proof reading, and sacrifice the Android version.

If we surpass the goal, of course I will do my best to try to implement even more features. 

So please spread the word, so we can reach the goal!! Thanks!! :)