FeaturePics
Affairs
Top 10 tips - how to use images in your blog
(The title "
Top 10 tips" is just to let "White Hat SEOs" know -- we are
reading their endless articles on how to promote blogs. It would seem that
the SEO industry is sleepwalking towards disaster...)
"How to use images in your blog LEGALLY" and "how to use images
ETHICALLY" - these are the two points we want to cover here.
I would refer to a free downloadable PowerPoint presentation about
copyrighting image
licensing: (Copyright
and Digital Images).
"Fair Use" doctrine
allows limited copying of copyrighted works for educational and research
purposes.
The copyright law provides that reproduction "for purposes such as criticism,
news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use),
scholarship, or research" is not an infringement of copyright.
This is a defense to infringement and is limited in scope. If a use qualifies
as fair use is decided by the courts, which balance various factors, and is
decided on a case by case basis: Think GUIDELINES, not RULES.
-
the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a
commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
-
the nature of the copyrighted work; factual or more artistic
-
the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted
work as a whole; and
-
the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted
work.
http://www.pacaoffice.org/copyrightPresentation.shtml
What is clear, is that it is a grey area. The courts will decide... Most
likely the content of your blog refers to newsworthy or educational
publications - but if your service provider doesn't want to spend time and
money to find the truth - may be it would be safer to know for sure you are
using images legally, and there is no infringement of copyright.
Let's assume you found an image that really visually underlines your thoughts
and the risks of being sued are not great.
My question would be - did you think how much money and time the artist spends
to produce a good image?
Let's take a look:
-
Equipment - can last for 2 or more years. Digital camera/lensese,digital camera
accessories, lighting & studio equipment - just a short list.
-
Models - hourly rate?
-
Storage - original files are huge. 5MB - put it into the bank...
-
Software - have you priced Adobe PhotoShop(tm) lately?
-
Or, and I forgot to tell you: even it costs for you $5 dollars to buy an image
on a microstock site - the Author will make 20 to 30 cents, period.
(FeaturePics is not a microstock site. It pays 70% to their Contributors.)
-
One more thing - when finally the money is on it's way to an Author -
banks want to have their percentage as well.
-
Time to describe images: it takes time to describe images, add keywords, come
up with titles, and descriptions. For some Artists it is a very difficult part
of the process, due to the language differences.
-
Time and money to upload images: did you think that Internet connections in
some parts of the world is cheap? I remembered it when I lived in Russia,
and it was expensive. but I forgot about this when I moved to the US. Thanks to
an Author from Africa, who very politely reminded me about this problem.
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Time to manage portfolios
-
By the way, did I mention that sometimes it takes hours/days for an Author to
come up with a conceptual image?
-
And the list goes on........
So, when an Author says - "yes, you can use my image in your blog" - it is time
to return the favor, a small one - just a link to the Author's page.
Try this link
Images listed under "Blog Image License(™)" -- you will find
well-categorized images that you can use legally in your blog or news content.
- every time you see this icon - it means you can use the image in your blog.
Note: Blog Use License(tm), Blog Usage License(tm), Blog Image License(tm), Blog
User License(tm), Blog Publication License(tm) are unregistered trademarks of
FeaturePics some of which are pending USPTO registered trademark approval.
Related publications:
Images for Blogs
Copyright and Digital Images