Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Question for which I am hoping someone here will be able to provide an answer ...
Let me preface my question by saying as a published author, I am VERY respectful of copyrights and making sure artists receiving compensation for their work. However, I recently decided to add some artwork to my office wall, and made some real nice scans of football cards for the 1960s. I went to my local Walmart, where I've had photos printed on numerous occasions (and they do nice work, btw), to have my prints made. When the prints came through, the clerk there confiscated the item, citing copyright infringement. I was under the belief that having purchased the cards myself, I could reproduce them for my own personal use. Anyone here know what the law states in a situation like this?
Thanks in advance ..
Jeff Miller

I can't speak to the law but the same thing happened to me at a Kinkos. I brought in a vintage team photo--think it was the 1945 Cleveland Rams but not sure; it was too big for my home scanner and I wanted it reduced to a smaller size--and the clerk looked at it and said they couldn't copy it, citing certain laws.

I worked at Kinkos for 4 or 5 years and they drilled into us copyright law. Apparently they were involved in a multi-million dollar lawsuit. Here's the deal... if it is a professional portrait, for example one that was taken for a football card, technically you are not allowed to make a copy of it since the photographer would own the rights to however many prints of that photo come into existence. For example, if you get a professional portrait done at Olan Mills or some other photography studio and pay $X to get X amount of photos, if you make color copies of the photos you are creating more photos which you didn't pay for = stealing. Now Jeff, back to your example, if you're making copies on your own for your own personal use, which it seems like you are, chances are no one is going to come after you for that. If you are having an employee at Walmart or Kinkos help you with that, or do them for you, they have to stand by the letter of the law and refuse to do it.

So thinking back to my Kinko's days, if someone came in with that 1945 Rams photo requesting copies of it, I'd politely explain the law and then show the customer our self serve area... and just between you and me, I have no idea what you're working on over there.

Thanks Chris ... unfortunately, the print was large sized and had to be printed behind the counter.

Thanks Chris ... unfortunately, the print was large sized and had to be printed behind the counter.

aha. That's why they wouldn't do it.

I managed to get a scan of a game program enlarged at Kinko's, but barely. I'd removed the date & price from the cover so it was more of a poster. The Kinko's crew closely scrutinized it and grudgingly approved of the job.