I dealt with a photographer for years that had three generations working in the business, they went back over 50 years and owned their own building.

They had a climate controled fireproof vault, and a file system that never failed. If you gave them a catalogue number going back 20 years, you could have a same day print. I never knew them to lose or damage a negative. My negatives were way safer with them then they would have been with me.

I also knew that if I needed a print 10 years later the price of that print would be the same for me as anyone else, no mater what the subject mater, or reason for the need.

They were also scrupulously honest about rights. Essentially, they owned the physical negative, and you owned the rights the photograph.

I tried time after time to encourage them to publish a book of historical photographs of our city. They would not, because they said that the images belonged to their customers.

Several years ago they went out of business. In their case they arranged with a local university to take over the collection of negatives, and customers can still get a print. However, in most cases where photo business disappears, I suspect that the chances of getting a print from a customer?s negative is remote.

How many photographers that insist on keeping control of the negative, are not exercising due diligence in terms of their care and preservation? How many are not even financially capable of insuring that that negative will be available 10, 20 or 30 years from now?

How many young photographers realize how much responsibility that they take on when they keep a negative?

In today?s modern world where you can leave your shirts at the cleaners on Wednesday, and go back on Saturday to pick them up, and the cleaners is gone, there may not be one standard formula for photographer, customer relationships.