The Cordwainer uses real photos of residents and staff throughout its website and social media. During the [1] onboarding call, a review of existing photo release practices revealed that resident releases are well-established but employee releases have gaps — particularly around post-departure usage rights.
This article documents the current state of photo release agreements and the action items needed to close the gaps before expanding content marketing efforts.
Status: Covered (perpetual)
Resident photo releases are embedded in the standard residency agreement — one of the forms signed at move-in. Per Bodo Liesenfeld:
"I think with the residents, if we take a quick look at it, it's in the residency agreement, one of the forms they sign. I think it says that we forever own it."
Action Required:
- [ ] Erica to review the residency agreement and confirm the photo release language covers perpetual use for marketing purposes. (@Erica Lathrop)
Status: Incomplete — Needs Update
Employee photo releases were rolled out at some point but are inconsistently applied and lack clear post-departure usage terms. One specific case was cited where an employee explicitly declined to consent to a photo release.
A separate issue arose regarding two CNAs who no longer work at The Cordwainer but appear in a video currently on the website:
"These two CNAs don't even work for us anymore, but we love the shot and they agreed to be part of the video for the website."
This highlights the need for release language that explicitly covers continued use after an employee leaves.
Action Required:
- [ ] Erica to review existing employee photo release forms and confirm current scope. (@Erica Lathrop)
- [ ] Update employee release language to include explicit post-departure usage rights (i.e., photos/video may continue to be used in marketing after employment ends). (@Erica Lathrop)
When sourcing photos and video for website or social media use, verify the following before publishing:
| Subject Type | Release Required | Current Status |
|---|---|---|
| Current residents | Yes — residency agreement | Covered (perpetual) |
| Former residents | Yes — residency agreement | Covered (perpetual, confirm language) |
| Current employees | Yes — employee release form | Partially covered; gaps exist |
| Former employees | Yes — must include post-departure clause | Not currently covered — update needed |
The Cordwainer maintains a substantial library of real photos:
Action Required:
- [ ] Erica to send available photo gallery assets to Melissa/Sebastian for use in the website redesign. (@Erica Lathrop)