When taking photographs or shooting video for stories, promotional materials, or other purposes, it is important to consider whether the subject of the photograph or film needs to complete a consent form prior to publication of their image.
Releases are not typically required for:
- Public events, particularly those in public spaces, such as Involvement Fest, Homecoming, or athletics games
- Crowd shots or other photos where subjects are not easily identifiable
- Group photos of faculty and staff
- Invited campus speakers
Releases are typically required for:
- Photographs taken in space that is presumed to be private, such as residence halls
- Photographs taken during a private event
- Photo shoots scheduled for promotional purposes
- Individual photos of faculty, staff, and students
- Minor subjects (under age 18, including university students)
- Students who are identifiable and who are in a location for a purpose other than to be photographed (e.g., practicing for a dance performance)
Release Form
Please use this UMBC Photographic, Video, and Audio Consent and Release Form as needed. If you are uncertain if a form is necessary in a particular situation, it is best to err on the side of caution and complete the form.
We are currently working to streamline an electronic signing process and the digital storage of signed forms, campus-wide. That information will be posted here when available. In the meantime, we recommend using the printable form above or a Docusign version of the form. NOTE: If you would like to use the Docusign form for a department specific need, please email Marlayna Demond at mdemond1@umbc.edu to receive instructions about sharing and receiving a copy of your completed forms.
You should store any of your department’s signed forms in Box, either in a folder designated solely for this purpose or ideally in the same folder as the image, audio, or video files connected with the releases. For printed and scanned forms, we recommend using the consistent file naming convention “Year-Month-Date-Firstname-lastname-photoshoot” so you can retrieve signed forms if necessary in the future (example: “2021-02-01-Sarah-Smith-orientation“).
While the release form allows the university to use, reproduce, exhibit, alter, and distribute the released material in any medium and for any purpose, it is important to be sensitive to the perspectives and wishes of community members who complete release forms. If an intended use of released material varies notably from initial expectations of use, or involves sensitive topics or formats, confirming permission is advised.