AI can extend creativity, but it shouldn’t replace it. Ethical AI use means starting from your own ideas and assets, not from scraping others’ work.
Photographers, filmmakers, and visual artists can think of AI as an assistant—a digital collaborator that expands imagination while keeping creative direction and authorship human.
Disney recently filed a lawsuit claiming that Midjourney’s AI image-generation system unlawfully reproduces Disney-owned characters and imagery.
The suit argues that AI models trained on copyrighted works violate intellectual property rights when they generate “derivative” or “lookalike” images.
Every creative professional eventually faces a moment when reporting harassment as a photography assistant feels risky. You depend on referrals and repeat clients; one complaint can make you worry…
If you work as a photography assistant, you’ve probably filled out a W-9 and received a 1099, meaning you’re classified as an independent contractor. That’s standard in the photo industry, but it also changes how you’re paid, taxed..
What do we mean by “AI” here?
Generative image models (e.g., Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, Firefly) create or transform pictures from prompts, image-to-image, or in-painting.
LLMs (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude) are text systems—great for briefs, treatments, estimates, captions, keywording, and research, but they don’t create photos; they plan and describe.
Your photos aren’t just pretty pixels… they’re your intellectual property and, frankly, your paycheck. The difference between giving them away and building a sustainable business
Protect your work, your clients, and your subjects — every time you press the shutter.
In Colorado, a model release isn’t optional if you plan to use or license images of people for commercial purposes.
Protecting your work starts before you pick up the camera.
In Colorado, a handshake and a smile won’t protect you when a client disputes a bill, uses your images without permission, or cancels a shoot last minute.
Your photos are your intellectual property but only if you know how to protect them. In Colorado, as in the rest of the United States, copyright protection starts the moment you create an image.
