You know that post I mentioned in my last post that was coming… this isn’t it. Rather this is because I apparently should share more of my incidental photography.. at least until I get around to building a picture site.. so here is some…
I confess I have increasing doubts about sharing anything as the frequency with which I find my pictures being used without permission by individuals and organisations for their own gain – profit and self-promotion in particular, seems to be escalating to a great degree. Copyright aside, it’s rude, and as a self-employed individual, picture sales are a small part of my income stream. I used to be nice about it but nice is all used up, it becomes wearing. Now I’m just blunt. I could include a dirty great watermark right across the pictures instead of the small copyright.. I don’t want to do that, there’d be no point.. it makes a picture look shit, so instead I think I’ll continue to accept the reality of the internet… but if I do find you helping yourself and without asking, and particularly if you are a commercial exercise, I’m just going to invoice you directly. It’s in the T’s and C’s :-)
Love these Mike. We had a photo used – they did ask. It ended up as a billboard in the USA. I would love to visit it.
hey, cheers. That would be cool to visit your billboard! My pics have appeared all over the place, particularly sea kayaking since there seems to be a dearth of decent photography in that vein. When folk do get in touch.. if it’s commercial then the fees are on a par with the usual photo libraries, depending on context, if it’s not for gain/profit then usually all it takes is a ‘please’ and the offer of a picture credit. However it’s many times a year now that I find people using them, mostly for profit, without asking.
Hi Mike I love your pictures! How does one buy them from you?
hey, I’ve emailed you :-)
There are a couple of things you can do to prevent misuse of your work (and property) and still share with others that appreciate it.
For starters disable the “right click” but that only stops the ignorant. Ultimately it’s a matter or display: go small.
Your readers will still appreciate your image at let’s say 1024px across while that resolution is only acceptable for desperate folk that might repost it in basic websites, but never good enough for print.
The little watermark at the bottom can be quickly erased in PS while a repeated one but thinly veiled across the whole image is a real bitch to get rid off, and for most low-life editors not worth it.
There are a couple of options, maybe there are more.
hey, yeah the right click thing I have wrestled with frequently over the years.. it does stop the ignorant but ultimately it’s no real barrier at all at the risk of pissing off some visitors.. but having said that, I think I will. the others, yes I agree with both and I used to be of a mind re the max size thing but ultimately some pics need to be a reasonable size to appreciate. Might explore the very subtle but all over watermark option in future,