Friday, December 12, 2008

Friday Confession

A Blogging Confession...

I get some of the images that I post on my blog by searching the internet.

This one, for example:




I know, I know, I SHOULD have taken a quick snap of him the last time he was over for dinner... But we got to discussing world domination and alien species subjugation and it just slipped my mind... Of course, I thought of it about half an hour after he left! :(

I do try to take as many of my own pictures as possible AND I don't use any pictures if the web site says anywhere that they are copyright protected AND I don't collect any revenue from this blog (no ads or anything), but, still, I imagine that this practice is not fully "kosher".

I'm wondering if there is some better way to go...

What about you? Do you only use images that you yourself personally created or do you also sometimes get images from the web? Do you ask permission before using any image you find on the internet? Do you always post a link to the place where you found the image? Do you know the official rules? Do you have any advice?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

So far, most of the pictures are bad because I took them. The ones that aren't are linked back. I imagine there will come a day when I don't do either one, and I see it often on many blogs that credit what the picture is (patterns, fashion designs, etc.) with no link back. (Have the pattern co. name in the pattern, or part of a collection of Chanel).

All do a mixture of both.

I don't ask for permission, and didn't on some stuff I recently posted, but they are a business and I did link back to them. But then, I've posted pictures of patterns I own (Simplicity, I think) that was JUST the pattern pic, and didn't link to anything at all.

Donna Hodgson said...

I don't believe I've ever used any image on my blog that I got from the net. I think my photos are always shots I've taken myself.

Anonymous said...

I do use images from the Internet, and I do try to give credit and link back to the originating site.

Your post was hysterical, by the way. You have such a wonderful sense of humor. You must keep your family in stitches all the time!

Joanne said...

When I first started blogging, I used a few from the internet, but it just didn't feel right. So now all pics are mine, except when I do an interview and the guest provides a photo to use. It kind of worked out well b/c I've always liked photography, so I'm using my camera more actively again.

Vicki said...

Oh my goodness, that is a hard one. I have "used" pictures from the web, but these have been from tourism sites and the like. I think if they are out there then it is fair game. But I wouldn't use anyone's personal pictures if you know what I mean.

Becky said...

I use my own images pretty much exclusively. The only exceptions are when I'm posting things I'm inspired by, like, say, when I'm borrowing clothing ideas from Anthropologie, or posting pictures of patterns. But I always make sure to mention where I found it, if not link.

Meg said...

I tread very carefully when it comes to borrowing images. I ALWAYS credit where the photo originated and provide a link to it. I use iStockphoto.com for a lot of the generic images I use, like the construction one I just posted. You do have to pay a fee but you can get a lot of images for the low price.

I recently posted a photo that another blogger had borrowed from the original source, and I credited the original source. But the blogger [a non-sewist] came after me and said I should credit her site, as in "image via [her blog]." That was absurd, but I went ahead and changed the credit to make her happy.

When I want to use an image that belongs to an individual, and not a corporation that may be well served by my using their image, then I always ask permission first.

This all may not be enough legally, but it's still a gray area and this is what I'm doing to protect myself until somebody further instructs me.

Summerset said...

I very rarely use a photo that is not mine. Once in a while, I'll need a photo of pattern, and in yesterday's post I used a photo from another site. I do try to make sure that I give proper credit, link back to original site, etc., to be respectful of the work someone else put into the photo.