co-worker--destroying pictures

[dwreath]

Okay... You guys have such good feedback/advice on different ways to handle co-workers that I have to throw my situation in the air and see what you guys think.  I should probably be the bigger person and just shrug it off... but it bothers me.

Here's the situation.  When I started at this place 3 years ago, my office had a lot of "junk" in it.  I found all the company photos going back all the way to the grand opening.  I took all the photos and organized them all into photo albums complete with labels of the event and dates.  We now keep these albums in our lunch room and I notice people are always looking at them and getting a kick out of various shots.  Since I have started here, I also take all the pictures of current events.  Customer party's, Holiday party's, summer picnics, and a lot of other occasions (we like to have a lot of get-togethers).  Everyone seems to love the fact that I am documenting all of this and keeping the photo albums up-to-date. The boss has even had me go to events that normally I would have no need to be at, except to just take pictures.  Keep in mind, I do get reimbursed for the film and the albums.  I also put these together on company time.

My problem lies with one particular employee.  There are spots in the photo albums that are missing pictures.  Basically what is going on is that any picture with her in she takes and destroys or cuts it in a way that she isn't in it.  She has admitted that she takes them.  She says she doesn't like the shots of her.  I know this is very trivial, but this is getting very annoying to me.  I take the time to take all these pictures, get them developed and organize them.  Not to mention the fact that technically it is company property.  Also.. Most people seem to complain about pictures of themselves generally speaking.  I don't like some of the ones in there of me, but I leave them in.  

Part of me doesn't even want to take the pictures anymore just because of her.   Am I blowing this way out of proportion?  Feel free to  say so.  Otherwise, what are some ways I could handle this situation.

Thanks
Debb

[countrigal]

Simplest solution is to just not take any more pics of her.  Manage to shoot the shot so that she is either not in it, or that you can't tell it's her.  That then makes it so she has nothing to take and nothing to destroy.  Then I would go another step and put a lable on the photo albums stating that them, and all the pics in them, are property of Company X.  Any removal or destroying of property will be addressed appropriately.  What's appropriate for pics?? Who knows, but maybe just the label/warning will help stop her.  And again, if there are no pics of her to begin with, then she'll have nothing to want to remove anyway.

CountriGal
Deskdemon Editorial Board Member

[bethalize]

It's theft. You took the pictures, so you own the copyright. The company paid for the prints so they own the prints. You can, of course, be nice about it and try not to take pictures with her in them, but she wouldn't get away with destroying meeting minutes when she didn't like what she said! Point out to her that however negatively she sees herself, others don't see her that way - and take copies!

Bethalize
Deskdemon Forum Board Staff

[fireproof]

Ah - you both have valid points.  What if her religious beliefs forbade her from allowing her image to be captured?  What would you do then?  Why, you'd just not take her picture, of course.

Acutally, this is an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.  Since you, my dear, are taking all the pictures, I presume this means that you are in few of the shots yourself!  Give Miss Photo-Shy the darned camera and tell her to start snapping!  You needn't explain to her that the best way to keep from being in front of the camera is to be behind it, but you could.

[ozbound]

I also have a coworker who doesn't like pictures of herself. Whether it's shyness or what I do not know. However, I'll never forget the first company Christmas party I went to--someone handed my hubby the camera and he snapped a picture of her. She turned beet red and said "Nobody takes my picture!" in a tone of voice that clearly indicated how upset she was. I felt like spending the rest of the party under the table! (Yes, she did forgive us!) Since then, in respect of her wishes, when I'm taking pictures I just avoid taking any of her. That doesn't put a damper on my fun, although some people take great pleasure in "sneaking" in a picture of her when she's not looking (and I think she's actually lightened up a little on the subject!)

I think Fireproof had a good idea though; maybe you should just hand her the camera!

[raindance]

Some people are just very touchy on the subject of company photographs, or any photographs (myself include  - I would sooner do fifty pressups than be photographed ).  Whilst your co-worker's behaviour is a little unusual, to say the least, I agree with the suggestion that you hand the camera to her.  Seems like a sensible way out of a sticky situation.  

Raindance

[superninjaadmin]

Some people are very weird about getting their picture taken.  I've even encountered the same thing with someone at work (remember me complaining about Ms. Poly Urethane?)  Well, that's the chick!  I tell you she's something else...  She's just weird.

SNA

[andream]

While I agree wth Liz' post about theft, there is another issue to consider and that is a release.  

IF During the course of the employee paperwork, the employee signs a release in essence stating, " you have the right to use my image" then the line is very clear, those photos physically belong to the company her destruction of them is inappropriate.

IF there is no such release, THEN the matter becomes very grey.  The employee, has no right to destroy company property, however the company has no right to display photos of the employee in any way shape or form without her express permission. A release is OFTEN part of employee paperwork in organizations who use lots of promotional photos, and certainly should be in such cases.

For instance in my Career I was once a paid employee of the American Red Cross.  Amongst my initial paperwork, buried in some small print was their right to reproduce my image when taking part in company activities. At one point a photograph of me was featured in a campagin that went national.  Obviously I no longer work for them.  Too bad, so sad.  I signed.

Additionally, this is really a matter of company policy.  It's seldom our job to set company policy, therefore I suggest that you take this situation to a supervisor, and have someone at an appropriate level define what company policy actually IS in this case and then adhere to it.

Suppose someone in marketing wants to use those photos in a brochure later on? Or a client sees one and because he's in it as well as your people, decides he would like to send it to CNN? Releases are simple. And company policy regarding photos and materieal should be clearly defined.

For our upcoming secretarial presentation, which includes many photographs, the simple email statement giving permission for this use is more than adequate. (Acutally in our case the submission itself is a release, but that won't apply in your case)

So put the onus where it belongs, on the company.   Determine what policy is, and if there is no policy in place my opinion is that you should inform the appropriate parties and then step back and allow policy to take shape.

In the meantime, remove the books from the breakroom until the line is made more clear and don't use it as an opportunity to make a point about the photos being missing.  It's only going to cause a battle that is needless in the scheme of things. Without policy to back you up, all you have is your opinion and that's surely going to be different from the person's opinion who is removing the photos.  It's a no win situation.

My tuppence.

[dwreath]

Thank you all for your words.   Just a small note, it is my personal camera, and I am not going to let her use it.  I know her a little too well to trust her.  

I was all set to tell you guys I liked the idea of putting a note in the books stating how these are company property and all and I was going to do that....but after reading Andrea's post I think I will check with my boss (the owner of the company) first.  Our company is a type where customers rarely come to our office and we don't do any advertising or create any brocures, so I don't think we would have a problem with the right to take their picture or who has rights to the image, but I am still going to check with him to be on the safe side.

Thanks again for everyones input.  

[Jackie G]

As ever, Andrea has offered some sound sensible advice - must be the lack of sleep that's helping!  

Seriously, for my tuppence worth:

If you don't want to give her the camera to get snapping, that's your perogative if it's your personal property.  (Or you could get the company to buy a camera for use and leave your own at home which would get round that!)

Must be fun on nights out when everybody has a little too much to drink (never, surely!) and someone produces a throwaway camera or the like!  Och well, you can just ask her to stand aside when you're taking group shots etc and if she or anyone else objects you can state that she doesn't like her pic being used.  Agree, though, that your boss should decide about policy - be interesting to hear what he decides - do let us know.  My curiousity is killing me already!

And is she married?  Does she have a wedding album?  That must be fun to see!  And family photograph albums - don't tell me she's done the same to those!  She sounds quite a killjoy but without knowing the full background, she may very well have justified reasons!

Here's an example of not liking pix:  in our Scotland Branch scrapbook, there is a pic of me and ex hubby right in the centre page of a whole set of pix taken in 1992 when we hosted our first National Conference here in Edinburgh.  I was branch chairman at the time, and everything in the garden was ok.  Now I hate the pic, obviously (there are none of us together left in my house!) but much as I would like it to be removed, it's a part of the branch history and mine too I guess, so I just thole it!

Jackie
www.iqps.org
DeskDemon Forum Board Staff

[laundryhater]

I agree with those who recommended avoiding taking her picture, but maybe take it a step further?

If you are taking a picture and she is in the way of a good shot, make sure to ask her to please step out of the way - especailly if it's a picture of award recipiants or some other honor. She will soon realize that she is being silly because now she is being excluded from award and honor photos too.

I do not agree with giving her your camera to take photos because:

1. It's your personal camera

2. YOU were asked by your company to take the photos not her.

Just my 2 cents.

[vegasadmin]

This employee has made it very clear to you that she doesn't want her picture to be taken and displayed to the public or even to other employees.  By not respecting her wishes you're being terribly disrespectful of her.  Do you have a personal issue with her that doesn't permit you to be respectful of her?  Think about it - her not wanting her picture taken has nothing to do with her job or her ability to do it or with your job or your ability to do it (company photographer is not your official job that you're paid for, is it?).  So why do you keep pushing the issue by taking her photograph?  I don't mean to sound harsh, but this is something I feel very strongly about.  Sometimes I don't mind having my picture taken, sometimes I do.  And when I say I don't want my picture taken, I'm not making a joke, I'm being serious about it and expect the photographer to respect my wishes.  I particularly don't like candid shots taken at work events and displayed on company bulletin boards and in company albums.  I believe that everyone has the right to decide who can and cannot take their photograph and display it and to do so without permission is an invasion of privacy.  As someone else has mentioned, if she's signed a release, that's one thing - but it doesn't sound like she has.

[phoenix55]

I have to agree with Vegasadmin here.  I HATE having my picture taken.  And no, I don't like it any better when they're family photos.  There are very, very few photos of me around.  It's a matter of respecting someone's wishes.  You may think this odd, but I consider this behavior somewhat of an invasion of my privacy.  However, I do think her behavior is odd.  I personally would not have taken or cut the pictures.  I would, however, have requested that my picture not be taken without my permission in the future.

[dwreath]

I do want to make a side note here... about this particular employee... She does pose for shots...especially at our summer picnics where it is just employees and spouses.  There are a few left in the albums that she left in.  When she has admitted to taking some of them (almost all), her words were that she just didn't like how it turned out.  She does do this with her personal pictures at well.  When she brings in vacation pictures from her vacations, we always get to hear how many of them she threw out cuz she didn't like them.

[phoenix55]

That certainly does put a different spin on it.  I'd say, then, just don't take any pictures of her.  Sounds like instead of being extremely camera-shy (like me), she's just plain vain.