for the first time the other day, i had someone ask me if they could use one of my photographs for something.
i've never thought about my pictures being anywhere but here on 365 or on my facebook...
should i watermark my pictures? or is it arrogant unless you're making money?
should i charge people to use them?
i'm obviously very naive when it comes to the world of photography use/sharing/networking.
someone who knows please let me know what proper etiquette and procedure is...
Any picture can be copied and cleaned of watermarks if you try hard enough, you've just got to hope for honesty. As for charging, if they make money from it, so should you I think. Otherwise, I guess it depends on what they use it for.
I don't think it's arrogant. I think watermarking is good practice. I'm often just too lazy to do it. xD I guess it depends what they're using your picture for. I've watermarked pictures that were taken for certain events (and the co-ordinators of these events wanted to use the photos to promote the event, which was fine - I just put a watermark on all the photos).
I don't watermark every photo but I do mark the photos that I really fall in love with. If anyone wants to use my photos and asks first, I find that very rewarding and of course I say yes! One of my photos is being used on a permanent monarch exhibit at a zoo here in Michigan. They asked, I said yes, they asked what copyright I would like to use next to my photo and I sent it. They also sent me free tickets to the zoo. I was also asked if someone could use one of my butterfly photos for a quilt and of course I said yes. She also said she is giving me credit when she displays her quilt at a quilt show. It turned out SO beautiful and I am honored that she wanted to use my picture. There have been lots of other photos that people have asked me if they could use but those are the two I'm most proud of.
I never use to bother with a watermark did not see the point , not that i thought it arrogant, but i just did not think it mattered that much for me personally.
Then one of my photos started to get hit after hit on flickr .. it actually reached over 43,000 in a couple of weeks. I was really chuffed (pleased) that it was being seen & liked ny so many people.
i arrived at work a couple of days later & a colleague said to me your picture is in the National press The Sun to be exact . The newspaper had printed my picture without asking me or even contacting me to let me know. I have not received any fee nor any credit for the picture which really peed me off as far as i am concerned they stole it!! , so it became a bitter sweet feeling that yes people liked the picture, but i had not received any acknowledgment for it..I took it of public view on my flickr account shortly after this & i can still see that the picture is still being used on websites all over the place, even found it on a Japanese website not long ago & it does pop up on facebook links occasionally
Since that day i have watermarked all my pictures. but its a little too late for just a crazy sneeze ..
Steve, that is such a great shot!! You are right though, they stole it and didn't have your permission to publish it. You could very well file charges of copyright theft, whether you marked it or not.
A. A copyright originates at the moment a work is created. For a written work, the copyright comes into existence as the words are typed, printed, or saved to a computer disk. For a photograph, the copyright is created at the moment the image is developed. If a photograph is taken with a modern digital camera, the copyright originates at the time the image is saved on a computer disk or on a hard drive. As long as the work exists in tangible form or can be understood or reproduced with the aid of a machine, it is copyrighted."
Some of my pictures I don't care if people use, but the ones I really love I want to be asked and have the fact that I took it acknowledged.
thank yall so much!!
i think for now i'm just going to leave off the watermark and take photo usage on a case by case basis...
steve!! that's SO bittersweet... i'm sure you're flattered that you photo has received so much attention, but i would be FURIOUS about it being stolen from me.
I most def would contact someone about trying to get some money off the many people who have use it without permission.
i don't think mine of of high enough quality or artistically good enough to be stolen like steves :) haha
I'm not surprised with that rag The Sun Steve! The gits! Did you say on Flickr that your pics can only be used with your consent? As Ivey says, it must be bittersweet that your pic is popular but used without your knowledge. Did you chase them? Did they respond?
I have just started adding my signature to pics. I don't think they're quite worthy to be stolen, but you never know. I think when you use the Web you have to be careful though and now I add my signature to all my photos.
I never really gave it much thought to be honest because i never thought for one minute anything that i had in my albums was ever going to be that good .. I have contacted The Sun twice now, once via email to ask how they came to get a hold of my picture (which i still have on my memory card by the way) I received one contact back saying the relevant dept would contact me ... (nothing arrived) .... I then sent them a bill stating copy right laws & asked them to settle the bill asap , I am still waiting it has now been 3mths .. so i suppose its ball back in my court do i take action via the small claims court or do i put it down to experience and use this to warn others, Not sure yet what to do ..
On a brighter note the image and one other from my album has been used with my blessing in another publication as a full back cover they asked & i was more than happy for HOT WIRES to use the shots which is great ... Just wish the newspaper had asked ..
I had a museum pick up one of my photos for their website. I didn't charge them of course, but they did ask me to add a signature to my photo. (Now, I add my signature just because!) But, that said, if someone really wants to steal your photo, there's probably ways to do that with or without a watermark/signature/or permission.
I've had people edit my images or use them as stock, some with permission, some without but its one of the reasons why I watermark now. It's basically a guarantee they go through me first to get permission and make sure strings are attached when you give permission.
I ask that credit for my image and a link to my work is necessary. In return I often send a full sized/high quality version of the image for the person to work with if I trust them enough.
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Then one of my photos started to get hit after hit on flickr .. it actually reached over 43,000 in a couple of weeks. I was really chuffed (pleased) that it was being seen & liked ny so many people.
i arrived at work a couple of days later & a colleague said to me your picture is in the National press The Sun to be exact . The newspaper had printed my picture without asking me or even contacting me to let me know. I have not received any fee nor any credit for the picture which really peed me off as far as i am concerned they stole it!! , so it became a bitter sweet feeling that yes people liked the picture, but i had not received any acknowledgment for it..I took it of public view on my flickr account shortly after this & i can still see that the picture is still being used on websites all over the place, even found it on a Japanese website not long ago & it does pop up on facebook links occasionally
Since that day i have watermarked all my pictures. but its a little too late for just a crazy sneeze ..
http://www.photolaw.net/faq.html
"Q. How do I copyright my works?
A. A copyright originates at the moment a work is created. For a written work, the copyright comes into existence as the words are typed, printed, or saved to a computer disk. For a photograph, the copyright is created at the moment the image is developed. If a photograph is taken with a modern digital camera, the copyright originates at the time the image is saved on a computer disk or on a hard drive. As long as the work exists in tangible form or can be understood or reproduced with the aid of a machine, it is copyrighted."
Some of my pictures I don't care if people use, but the ones I really love I want to be asked and have the fact that I took it acknowledged.
Sorry someone stole your photol
i think for now i'm just going to leave off the watermark and take photo usage on a case by case basis...
steve!! that's SO bittersweet... i'm sure you're flattered that you photo has received so much attention, but i would be FURIOUS about it being stolen from me.
I most def would contact someone about trying to get some money off the many people who have use it without permission.
i don't think mine of of high enough quality or artistically good enough to be stolen like steves :) haha
I have just started adding my signature to pics. I don't think they're quite worthy to be stolen, but you never know. I think when you use the Web you have to be careful though and now I add my signature to all my photos.
On a brighter note the image and one other from my album has been used with my blessing in another publication as a full back cover they asked & i was more than happy for HOT WIRES to use the shots which is great ... Just wish the newspaper had asked ..
i think i would take it to small claims court... the sun's a major publication and should know better
I ask that credit for my image and a link to my work is necessary. In return I often send a full sized/high quality version of the image for the person to work with if I trust them enough.