I’m not a lawyer (though the rest of my family is), so this advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

While it is possible that your friend is the owner of the copyright of the images he created, there are some other legal issues that may be involved in using those pictures commercially. Here’s a link to some information about copyright and photographs:

http://www.asmp-nj.org/asmpnjcopy.html

That doesn’t cover “right to privacy” and “right to publicity” issues that might arise from use of the images in a book or in posters. A release is often needed in instances where someone might be trying to commercially use someone else’s image.

There may possibly also be a related problem concerning the use of a camera during a concert. Often, the terms of entry into a concert include a prohibition on the recording of images from that concert. This thread from the lessig blog on cameras at concerts is interesting:

http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/002072.shtml

It might be possible, with a release from the performers, that he could use the images.

Of course, the best place for him to get legal advice that he can act upon would be in a lawyer’s office.

Bill Slawski - http://www.cre8asiteforums.com