'Money-saving hack' for school photos is illegal, photographer warns

A photographer has warned against a "money-saving" tip for school photos that parents are sharing on social media.

Victoria Welton says parents are using AI to remove photographers' watermarks from school pictures rather than pay for the images.

"It's quite obvious now that people have started to feed these through the AI engines," she told Sky News.

"Not only are they stealing from the photographers but also, and probably more importantly, they're putting these children at risk because who knows where these platforms are going to use these pictures."

Welton says she uses a photo hosting site that protects photographers against picture theft, but many platforms don't.

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Some parents also sent the watermarked school photos into Facebook groups, asking hobby picture editors to remove the watermarks instead of AI, she says.

"The posts are seen by photographers, who report the parents and threaten them with legal action, because it is theft, at the end of the day," she adds.

"These pictures are protected under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988."

Big companies in particular "might be more inclined to go after people for copyright if they've stolen the photo", whether they removed the watermark with AI or with help from hobbyist editors.

Asked whether she can sympathise with parents who want to fight back against high prices from big firms amid the cost of living crisis, Welton urges parents to use independent photographers instead and says:

"I do understand from the parents' perspective and just how much things can cost and that it is a lot of money, which is why I haven't raised my prices in five years, despite rising costs."

She charges £20 per photo and gives a discount if parents purchase multiple pictures.

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'Is saving £20 worth putting your child in danger?'

"Parents have got to remember the danger they could be putting their children in by uploading it to an AI platform just to save £20. Goodness know where the pictures go on to," the photographer from Somerset says.

"People are very happy to go and spend six or seven pounds on takeaway coffee that lasts them 10 minutes; these pictures will last them for years."

Welton, who is self-employed, says a lot more goes into a school photo than just sitting a child down and taking a picture.

"Let's just put it straight here: a lot of [parents who steal pictures] say it doesn't matter, all you do is turn up 60 seconds and you're taking a picture and you are going again, but they don't see the other stuff that goes on behind the scenes," she says.

Welton says she invested thousands of pounds into professional photography equipment and lighting and spends hours not just taking the pictures, but also editing them.

To get a good picture, she takes her time with children, who often don't want their picture taken or smile for the camera.

"It's the things like that the parents don't see, the time and care I take and the attention I give for the children. And make sure they feel comfortable with me," she says.

"I'm not going to get a good photograph if I put them on a production line. They're all individuals; they've all got personalities and that's what I'm trying to bring out in the pictures."

(c) Sky News 2026: 'Money-saving hack' for school photos is illegal, photographer warns