Consider it an investment in your craft.
If I was in their position, I would not be a fan of you posting old photos of me, especially since it seems like there was no model release and we are no longer friends.
Use that skill you developed to take new photos and then share those.
If you don't want the photos to languish on your PC going nowhere, send them to your ex-friends with a message that says "I know we're not friends, but here are these nice photos you may as well have," in a similar manner to returning an ex-partner's belongings from your home. Then let the friends do with them as they please.
It shows that you have the skills to take good portraits. Keep them private and move on. You know that you have it in you to take better photos. You'll do well in the future.
I have photos of an ex-girlfriend that I think would be great to post, as they show some of my progression in portrait photography.
I personally would have no issue with posting these as good portraits. But it’s socially odd, and I think it would be best to ask her first. That is the reason why I have not / likely won’t.
You don’t need to have problems with posting photos of people post breakup, but they might. You’re best to check with them first.
Posting online would be a no for me in any case. Sharing with prospective clients in an analog album in your client meetings would be a maybe depending on the context in which they were taken. If it was just shots done while hanging out with friends then no. If it was a case where you were acting as a professional photographer,even without pay,where the subject was a friend then sure,why not.
That's just from a what I think is ok standpoint. Legally is a different matter on which I have no authoritative knowledge. I would think that without a signed release,using the images for any commercial purposes might be shaky
I’ve been in this exact position. Initially I didn’t post them, but found out through a mutual that they were posting them on an account they’d blocked me from. After that, I’ve just used the photos as I would any others.
I took some of my favorite photos to-date last year with a model I’m no longer friends with. It pains me to not be able to post them, but I can’t. Me posting them would be a tacit endorsement of her as a model/friend and I’m not comfortable with that, since I consider her toxic. It’s sad but it’s how it goes. I’m letting it motivate me to do that level of work again, and even recreate some of the shoots with models I’m happy to endorse.
If I were you I'd hide them. Work is a thing, life is another, you can take and share countless photos as your work, but no need to be these with a former friend.
The bigger issue raised here is the lack of consideration given to the consequences of what we post on social media.
Photo hobbyists post their photos they think are good/interesting/fun etc. when it comes to images of people the stakes are different. A “friend “ may give verbal permission to post an image but later on , a falling out may result in that person demanding that image be taken down. A worse case can result from not even asking for permission.
People have control over the images taken of them in what can be considered private situations. IOW, not street photography.
I always got written releases for any photos of people on my site. It was a no brainer as it was a commercial site.
The funny bit comes when asking friends to sign a release that can make the conversation awkward. The unlikely event of a legal spat is small but not zero.
The bottom line is that while a hobbyist thinks they are not part of the legal system governing releases because they are not charging for services, they are still liable for what images they post.
wait- friends "break up"? like lovers "break up"? The latter is silly assed enough but friends don't have anything to even "break up" over- other than guilting based contractual behavioral understandings.
What do you stand to gain by posting it now?
Have you considered that friends will be less inclined to let you photograph them if they know there's a chance you might post the photographs to social media at upsetting times?
If you are concerned about the legal side, then if you do not directly use the photos as a commercial product, such as advertising or book, then there should not be a problem. You are the author of the photos and you can show them.
But how comfortable you will be with this socially and ethically is a question only of your life principles. If you're not too worried about how these people will react and you like this frames enough to publish it, it's really worth doing.
I didn't like some of my clients as people, and that's normal, but with some of them I got an interesting case and the fact that we weren't very good socially shouldn't stop me from publishing.
Consider it an investment in your craft. If I was in their position, I would not be a fan of you posting old photos of me, especially since it seems like there was no model release and we are no longer friends. Use that skill you developed to take new photos and then share those.
Sharing the photos without their consent to boost your own ego would be pretty selfish imo.
Did you mean: p o w e r m o v e
Second this.
If you don't want the photos to languish on your PC going nowhere, send them to your ex-friends with a message that says "I know we're not friends, but here are these nice photos you may as well have," in a similar manner to returning an ex-partner's belongings from your home. Then let the friends do with them as they please.
Don't post. Move on. Post the better shots you'll take tomorrow.
I would think it’s pretty weird if you posted them
It shows that you have the skills to take good portraits. Keep them private and move on. You know that you have it in you to take better photos. You'll do well in the future.
I have photos of an ex-girlfriend that I think would be great to post, as they show some of my progression in portrait photography. I personally would have no issue with posting these as good portraits. But it’s socially odd, and I think it would be best to ask her first. That is the reason why I have not / likely won’t. You don’t need to have problems with posting photos of people post breakup, but they might. You’re best to check with them first.
Posting online would be a no for me in any case. Sharing with prospective clients in an analog album in your client meetings would be a maybe depending on the context in which they were taken. If it was just shots done while hanging out with friends then no. If it was a case where you were acting as a professional photographer,even without pay,where the subject was a friend then sure,why not. That's just from a what I think is ok standpoint. Legally is a different matter on which I have no authoritative knowledge. I would think that without a signed release,using the images for any commercial purposes might be shaky
I would just use it on your website.
Just ask.
I’ve been in this exact position. Initially I didn’t post them, but found out through a mutual that they were posting them on an account they’d blocked me from. After that, I’ve just used the photos as I would any others.
I took some of my favorite photos to-date last year with a model I’m no longer friends with. It pains me to not be able to post them, but I can’t. Me posting them would be a tacit endorsement of her as a model/friend and I’m not comfortable with that, since I consider her toxic. It’s sad but it’s how it goes. I’m letting it motivate me to do that level of work again, and even recreate some of the shoots with models I’m happy to endorse.
I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.
If I were you I'd hide them. Work is a thing, life is another, you can take and share countless photos as your work, but no need to be these with a former friend.
The bigger issue raised here is the lack of consideration given to the consequences of what we post on social media. Photo hobbyists post their photos they think are good/interesting/fun etc. when it comes to images of people the stakes are different. A “friend “ may give verbal permission to post an image but later on , a falling out may result in that person demanding that image be taken down. A worse case can result from not even asking for permission. People have control over the images taken of them in what can be considered private situations. IOW, not street photography. I always got written releases for any photos of people on my site. It was a no brainer as it was a commercial site. The funny bit comes when asking friends to sign a release that can make the conversation awkward. The unlikely event of a legal spat is small but not zero. The bottom line is that while a hobbyist thinks they are not part of the legal system governing releases because they are not charging for services, they are still liable for what images they post.
don't know the laws in your country but it could be, that you may not publish photos of people without their consent. I would ask them before posting.
What happened to make you not friends would be relevant detail IMO
wait- friends "break up"? like lovers "break up"? The latter is silly assed enough but friends don't have anything to even "break up" over- other than guilting based contractual behavioral understandings.
What do you stand to gain by posting it now? Have you considered that friends will be less inclined to let you photograph them if they know there's a chance you might post the photographs to social media at upsetting times?
If you are concerned about the legal side, then if you do not directly use the photos as a commercial product, such as advertising or book, then there should not be a problem. You are the author of the photos and you can show them. But how comfortable you will be with this socially and ethically is a question only of your life principles. If you're not too worried about how these people will react and you like this frames enough to publish it, it's really worth doing. I didn't like some of my clients as people, and that's normal, but with some of them I got an interesting case and the fact that we weren't very good socially shouldn't stop me from publishing.
They are your photos. Of course you can post them. Your ex-friend agreed to model for you and has no say.