Photographer sues Minneapolis studio over Prince photos

MINNEAPOLIS – A man who photographed Prince during the late music superstar’s early years is suing a Minneapolis studio to recover about 3,000 original pictures.

Allen Beaulieu’s federal lawsuit is against Studio 1124 and its owner, Clint Stockwell.

The lawsuit says Beaulieu photographed Prince as early as 1978. Some of his work was used on album covers and liner artwork for “Dirty Mind,” ”Controversy” and “1999.”

Beaulieu says he also shot behind-the-scenes photos while travelling with Prince.

Beaulieu says he owns the copyrights and only gave Stockwell pictures to scan to help produce a photo book. Beaulieu says Stockwell is refusing to return the photos and copies.

Prince died April 21 of a drug overdose.

Stockwell tells KSTP-TV there’s no copyright infringement. He says he’s been helping Beaulieu and hasn’t been paid.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.

Leave a Reply

The Associated Press

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.