A philosophical question - image use

[AntZ]

So, I am browsing the forum the other day on my Asus Tablet and I come across an image I thought was fantastic. It was too easy for me to select "Save as Wallpaper", which I did. It got me thinking whether or not the poster would be bothered or not.

Personally, I wouldn't care(or rather would be quite chuffed) for non-commercial use. If I was, I wouldn't post my pictures to the web. I change my wallpaper every couple of days(usually with an image of my own), and the image in question has already been replaced, so it was more like borrowing.

There are some forum members that I have a feeling would be not happy and had it been one of theirs, I'd not even have considered it.

Anyway just something I'd be interested in getting everyone's opinion on.

[Iguanasan]

I post 99% of my images as Creative Commons licensing - specifically - Creative Commons — Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic — CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/)

As long as someone doesn't use it for commercial purposes I'm quite happy if someone finds a use for my images. Mind you, my photography is my passion, not my business. I might feel different if I had to survive on what I earn through photography.

[belliveau]

almost all my stuff is creative commons. if its not just ask and ill change it. lol. i agree with Iguanasan 100% but if you want to print my stuff ask first and i will not say no to you giving me $.

[Marko]

Even though 'everyone' does it, etiquette-wise it just makes sense to ask first.

[vyeko]

My images can be used with no limitation. Images which I sell I not upload on forum.It is something between customer and me.But will be nice to know if somebody use it.

[celksy]

When I first joined this forum I felt exposed or something to post my photos- now I am used to it and no, it wouldn't bother me if you - or anyone used any for your desktop. Not that mine are desktop worthy, but I wouldn't mind. Heck, if you ever do, tell me which one :)

I love building my vocabulary and now I have a new word: chuffed. Never 'eard of it before.

[Runmonty]

I would have no problems with them being used in this manner (I would actually be flattered), provided it is non-commercial, nor used to promote a "cause". Ideally I would like to know if someone liked it and used it, but that would be more to satisfy my own vanity:) .

[AntZ]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Some interesting responses.

[AcadieLibre]

I was the one hold out. It depends on the image and what my mood is, today I may have voted a bit differently.

[Andrew]

I think the use of someone elses photo depends entirely on the poster and the conditions they set for the photos use. Some knowingly put it on sites where that type of use is promoted as long as proper credit is given. At the other extreme some people watermark the hell out of their shots so the average person stays away from it. The digital world has created a society in which relative anonymity has changed the norms of behaviour. (just look at some facebook pages) Would you take that same photo if it was a print on the persons refrigerator? It seems to me that the polite (and ethical) thing to do is if you're unsure, ask. Or am I old-fashioned?

[edG]

If someone was going to make a buck from my efforts, I would like to get a piece of it - with that said, I'm not sure my work is at that level yet and most likely not in danger of being ripped off.

[belliveau]

Just found my photo on some asian website linked to my flickr account. I was wondering why I got so many hits lately. Lol.

[Michaelaw]

Even though 'everyone' does it, etiquette-wise it just makes sense to ask first.

And that to me really is the nut of the thing Marko but it seems the attitude has become "Just do it!" If in the future it should become a problem, we'll negotiate or simply retract it with a sheepish "Sorry, won't do it again...It was emailed buy a friend, didn't know somebody owned it!" And what's to be done? I can download a Blu-ray movie straight to my hard drive if I so choose whilst running a minimal risk of consequence. It used to make sense to ask (with the exception of outright piracy) but today it seems people just seem to think, "If it's online, you're sharing" If someone decided to use one of my images for their desktop I'd snap....Hunt them down like the dogs they are. I'd use all my "Bourne" training! Then, when I caught them I'd cut their........Sorry, takes a while for the pills to kick in sometimes :laughing: I'm thinking though, If, out of all the freakin images I've taken to date and put online, if someone isn't using at least ONE as their desktop...I'll SNAP...Hunt them down like the dogs they are......:laughing:

[Matt K.]

With Google Chrome you can find out if any of your images are used in other places on the net. This is how we found out that one of the members of our local photoclub came to show his winning images. He downloaded images and then showed them in competitions, and won many awards and trophies. Then, during a particular competition, someone said: "I think I know this image". The hunt began, and lo and behold, the guy used a lot of internet images as "his". Needless to say he is no longer member of our club, he had the decency to resign. If someone makes money from any images I produce, then I would be upset, but if people just like them and want to keep them for their personal use: go right ahead ....

[AntZ]

With Google Chrome you can find out if any of your images are used in other places on the net. This is how we found out that one of the members of our local photoclub came to show his winning images. He downloaded images and then showed them in competitions, and won many awards and trophies. Then, during a particular competition, someone said: "I think I know this image". The hunt began, and lo and behold, the guy used a lot of internet images as "his". Needless to say he is no longer member of our club, he had the decency to resign.

Wow!! The extents some people will go to....

[ericmark]

I have had a huge problem over acknowledging images. I help a guy out who has a private woodland and he wants to promote his ideas. He invited the local camera club to take pictures of his woodland and asked for copies to publish on his website. However some members want acknowledgement and some want to remain anonymous and the guy has sorted the pictures into folders according what they show and most have not included anything in the meta data. Now I ask for water marks so much easier.

[Bambi]

With Google Chrome you can find out if any of your images are used in other places on the net. This is how we found out that one of the members of our local photoclub came to show his winning images. He downloaded images and then showed them in competitions, and won many awards and trophies. Then, during a particular competition, someone said: "I think I know this image". The hunt began, and lo and behold, the guy used a lot of internet images as "his". Needless to say he is no longer member of our club, he had the decency to resign. If someone makes money from any images I produce, then I would be upset, but if people just like them and want to keep them for their personal use: go right ahead ....

so does this work with Google chrome exactly?

As for my images, I like to be asked.

I'm also happy that I'm on the east coast so that MAW can't find out how I've used his photos...:evil2:

[Iguanasan]

Just surf to Google Images (http://images.google.com/) and drag and drop an image into the search bar.... here's a video: Searching for similar images - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0kGEP-0Ttw)

[GreenleafJason]

Below is a link to another reverse image search. I don't know how well it finds an image as I don't have many uploaded around the web.

TinEye Reverse Image Search (http://tineye.com/)

[Marko]

Just surf to Google Images (http://images.google.com/) and drag and drop an image into the search bar.... here's a video: Searching for similar images - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0kGEP-0Ttw)


Below is a link to another reverse image search. I don't know how well it finds an image as I don't have many uploaded around the web.

TinEye Reverse Image Search (http://tineye.com/)

This is fabulous info guys so i have copied these 2 posts and put them in their own thread here. many Thx! http://www.photography.ca/Forums/digital-photography/19311-my-images-being-stolen.html

[AntZ]

First image I checked is being used without permission! All sizes | Magic River | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtb_antz/4240479616/sizes/o/in/photostream/) used here River Counseling Center | River Counseling Center (http://www.rivercounselingcenter.com/) and here Arnika: Ochrana (http://www.enviport.cz/arnika-ochrana-rek-a-zdrav-202122.aspx) and as the Profile Pic of at least 6 people on facebook.

A lot of my images are used on blogs or other sites which use the flickr api for curtion.

PS. My laptop is totally unreliable and reboots whenever it gets hot, so that's why I have,t been around as much lately. Using my tablet to read, but commenting is not so easy.

[Marko]

Hmmm - I'd probably forget about the Polish one and contact the Californian one......Telling them to pay, remove, or credit you - depending on what u want them to do.