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man, imagine trying to explain this one..

Photo shoot disasters hardly get any worse than an incident last year involving a privately owned terra cotta figurine, which was appraised at $300,000 after it was smashed to bits at a photo shoot in the owner's home. With a lawsuit and much finger pointing now under way, a timely question is: What happens when you're on assignment and something really valuable gets destroyed? How do you protect yourself against such disasters?

http://www.pdnonline.com/news/What-If-You-Break-a--5562.shtml

And there was a story on this morning's news about a Stradivarius cello being placed on a table - again during a reported photo shoot - from which it fell, causing its neck to break.

The Strad was valued at over US$20 million.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wir ... 6m8tr82W1s

I would run like the hare and bury my head in the sand

gstark wrote:And there was a story on this morning's news about a Stradivarius cello being placed on a table - again during a reported photo shoot - from which it fell, causing its neck to break.

The Strad was valued at over US$20 million.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wir ... 6m8tr82W1s

oh faaaarrrrrrrkkk..

Insurance?

Oops, sorry my Sony. I forgot is insurance is when we pay the companies.

You cry - very softly...

Yeah, if you're working on expensive stuff like that, best to make sure you're covered, or at least a legal document firming up an "all care but no responsibility" clause.
While I don't have accidental damage to other goods insurance, I do have public liability insurance which I need for my exhibitions and for the work I do on public land (for which I have a filming permit & needed liability certificate to get).
I also have all gear insured for pretty much anything. Expensive, but worth it. Here's hoping I never need it.

a privately owned terra cotta figurine, which was appraised at $300,000 after it was smashed to bits

Wow, imagine how much it must have been worth intact!

Cheers
Steffen.

This happened to my partner with a sculpture which following photography in the studio was carefully wrapped and placed on top of a built-in cupboard awaiting collection. The next morning the sculpture was on the floor in pieces - HOW?? We never found out and can only think an earthquake happened during the night that no-one felt. Luckily the wonderful artist was very kind (and we do have public liability though I don't think this would have covered us) but we had to do a lot of grovelling and some complimentary photography. Nightmare ... But it happens!

With the $300,000 figurine from 400BC which is really irreplaceable and beyond pricing, I can't help wonder whether the owners should really be liable for not having donated it to a museum in exchange for a commissioned replica.

The cello is not so bad because it was a non-original 19th century part that broke, so that it might even be better after a repair and it is only a question of the repair cost.

sirhc55 wrote:I would run like the hare and bury my head in the sand

That sounds like a better strategy than burying your head in the sand and running like a hare.