question about photography and copyrights

The photographer owns the copyright in the image. Your girlfriend has the right to approve of the commercial use of her likeness, if it's at all recognizable. Each one needs permission from the other to use the photo for commercial reasons.

each must get some kind of licence/waiver from the other

mileage varies on how this negotiated (also it's probbly difft in difft countries)

believe me it is a NIGHTMARE when you are a magazine publishing photos of artworks owned by third parties and supplied by agencies

The interior design firm I work for has its work photographed all the time, but if we want these photos published in a magazine, we have to go through the photorgrapher, even though these are pictures of OUR interiors and WE commissioned the photographer to take these pictures for us.

Many a time have the name and likeness laws come back to haunt a photographer or photo agency that grabbed the copyright in a photo, but forgot to get permission from the (human) subject, as mark s seems to have experienced.

There is a newsworthiness exception for public figures photographed in public places, like the sidewalk. Public figures aren't supposed to expect privacy when they are out in public areas. "Commercial" use means endorsements, advertisements, things like that, not reportage. But even then, celebrities can get restraining orders if it crosses over into stalkerazzi-ism, i.s, where the photog is actually getting into the physical space/face of the subject or trespassing on the private property of another.

eg she is pricing herself out of the market: if she is comfortable w.this then there's not much you can do

(photographers who behave like complete abusive dicks or try and charge absurd fees simply stop getting work from us: photographers who are friendly and professional and willing to negotiate sensibly are never a problem, the more the merrier)

You could probably get by with your own version of the image done with whatever camera happens to be around. I doubt many of the entries are going to be semi-pro or professional.

I assume, too, that if your story gets chosen for print publication, they'll send someone on the staff to do a photograph.

Why not just cover their eyes with black bars?

Also, consider Lesbian Or German Lady.