Congratulations to Debashish Basak from Cupertino, CA, who won our last month's book giveaway, and will receive a copy of Exposure Photo Workshop by author/photographer Jeff Wignall.

Up for grabs this month is a copy of A Digital Photographer's Guide to Model Releases, a Wiley publication, written by professional photographer and industry analyst, Dan Heller.

It's quick and easy to enter the random drawing, and all of our readers are eligible. Just click drawing@photoworkshop.com and fill out the short entry form before May 23, 2008.

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Looking to sell your photos? First, take this quiz!

• Do I need a release for a photo of someone I took in public?

• Should I get a release even if the person is unrecognizable?

• Is a release necessary if I make a profit selling a photo of a person?

• Do I need releases for photos of buildings?

• Are releases necessary for pictures of people from other countries?

• I took a lot of pictures as a hobby, and now I want to sell them. Do I need releases for all my people pictures?

• If I have no plans for a photo when I take it, should I get a release anyway?

• Does it make a difference if the subject was paid to be in a picture?

Give yourself one point for "Yes," and two points for "No." In fact, make it three points. If you scored higher than zero, you have a lot to learn about model releases, because you can't answer the questions without more information. How will the photo be used? By whom? Can the subject be associated with an idea, product, or service?

As the photographer, you need to understand your buyer's concerns in order to make savvy decisions about how you market your photos and to whom. Here's how to make money from all your photos, whether or not they have releases, by understanding the business aspects of the law.

About the Author
Dan Heller has been a freelance photographer and photo industry analyst for over 10 years—a career that started when he put his photos on his website, www.danheller.com. His work has been featured in publications from news and business media to fine-art books.

Let us know if you found this article useful, and tell us what kinds of articles you'd like to see in upcoming issues. Send your comments and ideas to Lynne Eodice.