OZARK COLLARD GREEN FESTIVAL
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY
Effective for the 2026 Festival Season
Purpose. To protect public safety, preserve an enjoyable guest experience, and maintain the integrity of the Ozark Collard Green Festival, professional photographers conducting client or commercial sessions during festival operating hours must comply with this policy.
1. DEFINITION AND SCOPE
- Professional photography means an organized photo or video session conducted for compensation, portfolio development, advertising, promotion, brand content, or another commercial purpose.
- Examples include paid family portraits, senior portraits, engagement sessions, business or brand promotions, influencer content, product photography, and commercial video production.
- Professional-grade equipment may include DSLR or mirrorless cameras, interchangeable lenses, external lighting, tripods, stands, reflectors, stabilizers, microphones, or similar production equipment. Equipment alone does not determine whether an activity is commercial; the purpose and manner of the session will also be considered.
- This policy does not prohibit ordinary personal photography by guests using phones or handheld cameras, provided it does not interfere with festival operations or violate another festival rule.
- Festival-authorized news media, official event photographers, and contracted production teams are governed by their separate credentials or agreements.
2. REGISTRATION AND WRITTEN APPROVAL
- Professional photographers must register with the Ozark Collard Green Festival Media Committee and receive written approval before conducting a session on festival grounds.
- Registration must include the photographer’s legal or business name, contact information, website or sample portfolio, requested date and time, session purpose, estimated group size, equipment list, and requested locations.
- Applicants must submit proof of required insurance and any other requested documentation before approval is issued.
- Approved photographers will receive a photography badge or credential, which must be displayed visibly while working. Credentials are nontransferable and do not provide exclusive use of any area.
- Approval is limited to the date, time, purpose, and locations authorized by the Media Committee. Any applicable registration or location fee must be paid before the session begins.
3. SCHEDULING, LOCATIONS, AND EQUIPMENT
- Sessions may occur only during approved times within festival operating hours unless separate written authorization is granted.
- Photographers and clients must not obstruct walkways, entrances, emergency lanes, vendor spaces, performances, parade activities, attractions, lines, or normal festival operations.
- Photography is prohibited in backstage areas, ticketing and cash-handling locations, command or first-aid areas, designated VIP spaces, private vendor interiors, and any area marked restricted unless specifically authorized.
- Props and equipment must be minimal, portable, attended at all times, and positioned to prevent trip hazards. Electrical connections, large backdrops, generators, drones, elevated platforms, large lighting arrays, and other staged production setups require separate written authorization.
- Festival staff may relocate, pause, or end a session when necessary for safety, crowd movement, weather, emergencies, programming, or operational needs.
4. ADMISSION, CONSENT, AND CONDUCT
- Photographers, assistants, and clients must hold valid admission tickets or credentials unless the Festival provides a written exemption.
- Photographers are responsible for the conduct of their employees, contractors, assistants, and clients and for ensuring compliance with all festival rules.
- The photographer is solely responsible for obtaining all model releases, parental or legal-guardian permissions for minors, property releases, and other consents required for the intended use of the images.
- Photographers must respect guests who decline to be photographed and must not direct, stage, or closely photograph unrelated minors without the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
- Sessions must remain respectful, family-friendly, and non-disruptive. Harassment, unsafe conduct, unauthorized solicitation, or interference with another guest’s enjoyment is prohibited.
5. BRANDING, PUBLICATION, AND IMAGE USE
- When session images are shared publicly or used for commercial or promotional purposes, the photographer must identify the location as the Ozark Collard Green Festival when reasonably practical.
- The Festival’s name, logo, artwork, marks, signs, and other brand elements may not be used in a manner that implies sponsorship, endorsement, partnership, or official status without prior written permission.
- Photographer approval does not authorize the sale of images bearing protected festival branding or the commercial exploitation of performances, artwork, vendor products, or other third-party intellectual property.
- The Festival may request copies of selected images for possible marketing, publicity, or archival use. Any such use will be subject to the photographer’s permission or a separate written license and will include photographer credit when reasonably possible.
- Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the photographer retains copyright in the photographer’s original work.
6. LIABILITY, INSURANCE, AND PROPERTY
- Each photographer must maintain commercial general liability insurance in limits required by the Festival and provide a certificate of insurance upon request. The Festival may require additional-insured status based on the nature or scale of the session.
- To the fullest extent permitted by law, the photographer is responsible for claims, injuries, losses, or property damage arising from the photographer’s operations, personnel, equipment, or clients and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Ozark Collard Green Festival, Joyful F.A.R.M.S., the City of Ozark, participating property owners, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, and volunteers, except to the extent caused by a protected party’s own negligence or willful misconduct.
- The Festival does not provide security, storage, power, or equipment protection and is not responsible for equipment or personal property that is lost, stolen, misplaced, or damaged, except as required by applicable law.
- Photographers are responsible for securing equipment and promptly correcting any condition created by their activity that may pose a hazard.
7. ENFORCEMENT AND POLICY ADMINISTRATION
- Failure to comply may result in a warning, suspension or revocation of photography privileges, removal from festival grounds, forfeiture of fees, or denial of future access, as determined by Festival management.
- A photographer whose privileges are revoked must immediately stop the session, remove equipment as directed, and leave festival grounds if requested. Admission or registration fees are nonrefundable when access is revoked for a policy violation.
- The Festival may deny or withdraw approval when necessary to protect safety, operations, programming, contractual rights, guest experience, or the Festival’s reputation.
- The Ozark Collard Green Festival reserves the right to interpret, update, or amend this policy at any time. Written instructions issued by Festival management or authorized public-safety personnel control if they conflict with an earlier approval.
- Questions and registration requests should be directed to the Ozark Collard Green Festival Media Committee through the Festival’s official contact channel.
PHOTOGRAPHER ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Keep a copy of the written approval with the photographer while on festival grounds.