Stealing Photos

[bededog]

Is it normal and acceptable for online coral retail stores to take photos out of people's galleries and put them up on their site as photos of corals they have for sale?

Just wondering if it is something RC members think is acceptable. I imagine it is legal. You would think however that they would put credit on the photo at least.

Matt

[Desert Fox]

It is not acceptable, nor is it legal to use the photograph in any way without the creator's permission.

[astrogazer]

I second the fox's sentiment!

[jwedehase]

Third. Copyright doesn't need to be documented on paper. It exists per the photographer once the shutter release is pressed.

[VoidRaven]

Fourth. Especially since I am now starting to get more serious about my photography. Illegal, Immoral, and a one-way ticket to a whole lot of trouble.

[newhere]

Agreed also I would find the store to be very questionable if they are going to steal peoples pics for their use.

[Desert Fox]

This will always be a topic that will resurface time and time again. Matt, if this is regarding something of your own, see my post here (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=4531693#post4531693) for legal information.

[Desert Fox]

Here's another thread with the same kind of information as your question:

Clicky linky (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=647392)

[astrogazer]

Here's the official copyright info site

http://copyright.gov/

[Sk8r]

Just send them a registered letter stating that they are using a copyrighted picture and requesting they cease and desist. Get a printout from their website showing that picture, and save that and a copy of your letter. Check later to see that they remove it. This is probably ignorance on the part of their webmaster. He should learn.

[bededog]

I just sent them an email stating that it was illegal and how I found their web site. I will wait for their reply before flaming them here. I don't want to make a major issue of it and was even a little flattered that they would want one of my photos. It is one of the better ones that I have taken. I don't want paid for it or anything. I don't even mind that they use it. It was just starting to dig at me that they were going to be making money by using it. The other reason it bothered me was because the coral in the photo is gone now because of an equipment malfunction. That is how I found it in the first place, I was looking for a replacement.

Thanks for all of the replies.

[gregr]

Ask them for the coral in return for using your pic- what have you got to lose? You may not feel like a confrontation- I can relate to that, but the fact is, what they did was illegal and if they are able to get away with it there's nothing to stop them from stealing more pictures. I'd sure like to know the website so I can see if any of my pics are being used :p

[bededog]

I sent them an email this afternoon and within an hour or so the photo was removed. The page is still there when I go to it (I had it bookmarked) but there is nothing on the page anymore. I didn't even get as much as an appology from them or anything. I will give them 24 hours to reply and then I will post the name of the site here tomorrow.

[melev]

Well, I'm not pleased to see two images of my reef tanks on this site. I emailed them two nights ago, and haven't heard back from them yet.

http://fintasticviews.com/id86.html

[gregr]

Aside from actually going after them through legal channels, one of the best things you can do is contact their isp and tell them that the site is using stolen copyrighted images. It's my understanding that isp's don't put up with that and will cancel their account, or maybe contact them with the threat of cancelling their account if the stolen property isn't removed. Can't say I've gone that route but it sounds like a good alternative.

[Frisco]

I found a car parts vendor using a pic of my car for advertisement on his site once, and he didn't seem to think it was an issue and responded by saying something to the effect that 'at least I only used one pic'. The best part is that he was a member of this site too; pehaps he also runs these fish sites. :) :lol:

[Frisco]

well I just checked and he is still using my pic - I just followed up ;)

[Reefski's]

i have never used others photos for personal gain. however i do save fantastic pictures in threads that i enjoy. i then play them as my screensaver. what do people think about that? it is very inspirational and gives me design ideas and something to strive for.

Carl

[gregr]

what do people think about that?
I think it's a great compliment- when someone uses a picture of mine as wallpaper I think it's ok- when they try to make money off my picture... I think not ok.
Greg

[Sk8r]

Legally, what you do for your own private consumption [like a screensaver you DON"T pass on to friends] within your household or what you write or quote or include in a physical letter or a single email to a friend---all fair use. Posting a picture or a poem on your website, however, is not fair use, since that is given to be "publishing," because it then goes into the possession of multiple other people who can download it or take it without recompense to the author/artist. It's basically the dividing line between the use you'd make of a book or painting if you had purchased a copy of it---fair use---or the use you make if you're illegally multiplying it for the use of multiple people.

If you'd like to prevent this sort of thing, make up a little 'stamp' you include on your online photos that says "[copyright symbol] [year] [your professional name or studio.] If you overlay it onto the corner of the photo and they remove that, it's pretty clear evidence of bad intent with knowledge of what they're doing. If they just use it, you've got proof, and they've got no permission. If you're selling your photos elsewhere, you've got provable damages, and can sue them.

[jstuedle]

As a new member of this forum and a photographer, I was pleased to see such responsible advice concerning copywrite of images. As an FYI, to get the © symbol, hold down the alt key and on the numeric keypad enter 0169. Release the alt key and you have the © icon. I generally add my name, ©, and year of capture to any image I want to protect. Often I add "all rights reserved" on a separate line at the bottom.

[melev]

Hi jstuedle,

[welcome]

So, I gave it a try. Your code worked perfectly in Photoshop 7
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/08/copyright.jpg

However, RC may have issues with the website name on my images. I may have to use my real name instead.

[jstuedle]

Glad it worked for you, this will most likely be the last advice I can offer here. When it comes to salt, I'm dumber than the preverbal doornail. <LOL>

[melev]

With enough interaction, we'll rub off on you and soon you'll be an "old salt" too. :)

[astrogazer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7925012#post7925012 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Well, I'm not pleased to see two images of my reef tanks on this site. I emailed them two nights ago, and haven't heard back from them yet.

http://fintasticviews.com/id86.html

How did you run across that obscure link, Mark?

[melev]

Some nice person contacted me a few days ago via PM to let me know. We hobbyists tend to watch out for each other.

[melev]

I called the company today, and had to leave a message. I was contacted this afternoon by the manager of the company that is using two of my images, and had to send him an email with the details. He wanted proof that I had the copyright to those images. :rolleyes:

Hopefully this will be resolved in the next few days.

[jwedehase]

Marc, looking at the photographer's gallery, he's not a professional. He doesn't even understand how to use the camera, let alone understand the legal side of what he's doing. I'm actually surprised such an amatuer wasn't simply intimidated by your contact.

Personally, I'd probably nail him with the intent of getting him out of the profession. Clean up the trash before it stinks.

[melev]

I could use some free legal counsel based on the reply I got in email tonight. Any takers?

[Desert Fox]

Marc, i'll do what i can. If i can't help specifically, i have contacts who surely can.

[melev]

Okay, I'll email you now.

[marcsmith73]

The sad fact about all of this is: These people are trying to pass as a Tank business by useing pics of tanks they simply did not create. To bad for thier customers =(

If you didn't 86 Tucker Marc...he could have sued the company for useing his face for profit....Don't know if Tucker would be willing to help now. =)

[melev]

Exactly, the implication is this is one of their tanks, not "some picture we found on the web that gives you an idea of what you could have some day."

[maroun.c]

He wanted proof that I had the copyright to those images.

Sorry for the basic question but how would you prove you have the copyright to the images? If you send him the original non processed images, wonn't he have the copyright for himself?

[melev]

I have the original pictures. I don't have to provide them to anyone other than a judge.

In the meantime, I've been told the images will be removed, but was asked to be patient (as much as 30 days). I'm going to keep checking on it until they have been removed. I did download the page to my harddrive as well as make a hard copy for my records.

[gregr]

I don't have to provide them to anyone other than a judge Exactly. His request shows how ignorant he is.

[astrogazer]

Give 'em hell Marc! You have every right to protect your images.

[Blazer88]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7928017#post7928017 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jstuedle
As an FYI, to get the © symbol, hold down the alt key and on the numeric keypad enter 0169. Release the alt key and you have the © icon. I generally add my name, ©, and year of capture to any image I want to protect. Often I add "all rights reserved" on a separate line at the bottom.

Awesome! I've been wondering how to do that for a while now. I'll be adding that to all of my images. Thanks for the post.

[Ryanqk]

Wow thats some nerve, i even recognized those images as yours and ive only been on RC for a little while....
I'd sue them just to be spitefull!
Ryan

[Arndog]

Photo copyrights are a very hard thing to try to prove legally. A lot of factors go into determining if you truly indeed hold the copyright to an image.

By far the largest thing they look at is if you do that professionally and have a body of work to show is yours. This does not mean you have a bunch of pictures on your computer you can show them. It means having imbedded data in your images that detail who owns the image and signed releases by previous customers. Copyrights are not explicit nor implied when one snaps a picture. A non-professional can copyright images as long as information exists that can prove the image is thiers.

Where the image is shot can also determine whether you can even hold copyright to the image. Public places such as zoos, malls are fine... A private fish store would be very questionable unless you were there specifically to take pictures of thier stuff.

Now taken that this picture was posted on a public board and did not have anything visually or digitally to signifiy that it was a copyrighted image the only thing you can hope for is they cave when asked to remove or compensate you for your image.

I am a professional photographer and I belong to a professional organization that helps in copyright cases. Even with that organization backing me and tons of contracts and work for over 3 years I still would have a hard time getting anything from a person or small organization for stealing my work. I can become a nuisance :) Large companies are the only ones I could get recompense from but they are usually very careful about what they use.

To the person that said it was ok to download copyright photos to your local machine and use in screen savers and such I would like to let you know that a copyright is a copyright and as such unless you are given explicit rights to use that image for that purpose you are in violation of copyright laws. Images that have copyrights can't be scanned, copied, displayed (outside your home) or manipulated without getting the express consent of the copyright holder to do exactly what you wanted to do to an image.

I hope this helps in the least bit

[Chappy]

"To the person that said it was ok to download copyright photos to your local machine and use in screen savers and such I would like to let you know that a copyright is a copyright and as such unless you are given explicit rights to use that image for that purpose you are in violation of copyright laws. Images that have copyrights can't be scanned, copied, displayed (outside your home) or manipulated without getting the express consent of the copyright holder to do exactly what you wanted to do to an image."
--------------------------------------

That sounds a bit extreme.

[Arndog]

Extreme or not that is how the photo copyright laws read. I am not telling you that you will get into trouble if you do it because as I stated it is very hard to get anything done with copyright infringement.

I personally wouldn't ever go after one of my customers for something so petty even if they told me they did it but when they lift or scan my images to make additional copies that is where it affects me professionally. Even though small prints may not cost me or anyone else but a few bucks I have over 75k worth of equipment, computer hardware, rent and utilities on 1000 sq feet not to mention all the advertisement costs. Heh and I am a 1 man shop :eek1:

[melev]

Today is Day 30, and I received an email stating they'd not forgotten about me. :rolleyes:

The way I see it, I've put up with this long enough. I may have to start a few threads to get some online help to remind the manager that using my images is not appropriate or appreciated. I don't like strong arming anyone, but how hard is it to delete four images from the website? (rhetorical question)

[astrogazer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8152372#post8152372 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Today is Day 30, and I received an email stating they'd not forgotten about me. :rolleyes:

The way I see it, I've put up with this long enough. I may have to start a few threads to get some online help to remind the manager that using my images is not appropriate or appreciated. I don't like strong arming anyone, but how hard is it to delete four images from the website? (rhetorical question)


This might get you started ... good luck!




Make sure you check out the fair use link too, personally I don't see how they have a leg to stand on. But ultimately it would require you to bring forth a lawsuit, perhaps you have an attorney friend that could write a cease and desist letter.

[melev]

I think tomorrow I'll just post all of my email discussions publicly so that others can read and decide for themselves what is what. :mad:

Today, they warned me that if I slandered them, they'd resort to legal action. Nice. Guess the games are about to begin.

[astrogazer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8152631#post8152631 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
I think tomorrow I'll just post all of my email discussions publicly so that others can read and decide for themselves what is what. :mad:

Today, they warned me that if I slandered them, they'd resort to legal action. Nice. Guess the games are about to begin.


Publicly stating a truth is NOT slander, make sure you download and keep the source html code from the page your images reside on so you have something to back you up.

Their statement would be enough to get me going! :)

[melev]

I wrote my reply, but didn't send it. Well, I didn't send it to them, anyway. ;)

In the meantime, I got another email from them and the situation has been corrected. Talk about waiting until the last minute. :rolleyes:

I guess they can cancel that slander suit they were working on.

(I did save the source code from their page, weeks ago.)

[astrogazer]

Good for you ... it's about time!

[melev]

Agreed.

[scothew]

I sorta followed along with this thread. Congrats on them finnaly getting thier act together. 30 days to take them down is insane for any type of website.

I think im going to start researching how to automatically embed my info into my shots either from photoshop or in the camera. Not that my stuff is good, just as a precaution anyway.

[astrogazer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8152841#post8152841 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scothew
I sorta followed along with this thread. Congrats on them finnaly getting thier act together. 30 days to take them down is insane for any type of website.

I think im going to start researching how to automatically embed my info into my shots either from photoshop or in the camera. Not that my stuff is good, just as a precaution anyway.


Even if you do that you still have to police it, that's the hard part, there's a company called digimarc that will do it for you, for a price of course.

[downset]

In for action?

[scothew]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8152862#post8152862 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by astrogazer
Even if you do that you still have to police it, that's the hard part, there's a company called digimarc that will do it for you, for a price of course.

I have no problems with that (doing it myself that is), i just want to embed something so that I can show proof very easily if it ever came up as a problem.

I didnt know about digimarc though, interesting.

[astrogazer]

Photoshop will allow you to create and embed a watermark into your images, as well as editing the exif file with pertinent image information for indexing and retrieval later.

And remember you always have the original file to back you up, usually the person that steals it won't.

[concept3]

wow, finally we see some closure on this.

I went through something rather similar, someone had used one of my pictures (without asking so I thought), but rather was presented as their "own picture" taken by "their own" camera. The pic was of their fish, sure, but claiming they took it? Ahhhh....I let that one go, it's their fish anyways.

here's the site anyhoos
http://www.resifbolgesi.com/tangler.htm

the case has been closed, i could care less at this point.

[melev]

Today a nice hobbyist emailed me to let me a link to an Ebay auction advertising a bright blue clam. The seller was using images from my site as if it were <b>their</b> sellable item.

Since his phone number was included in the ad, I called him up and asked him if he had any pictures <i>of his own</i> of the clam, since he was using mine. He was taken aback, and when I asked him to remove my images, he said he would. 6 hours later, they were still there. I reported the ad to Ebay's Fraud division, and just now when I checked, the listing was removed.

Score: Melev - 1 | Thief - 0

:)

[gregr]

Sweet revenge!

[Scythanith]

I'm glad I did a search on "watermarks" before starting a new post. I have many pictures on the net and am quite worried about them being used for someone else's personal gain. I don't want to make money off my pictures, but I do want credit for taking them. Can anyone do a quick walk through on how to add a watermark in photoshop. All I have done for a couple pictures is create a new layer and increased the opacity (is that a real word?). Is there something more I can do?

My ghetto watermark (these were my friend from his store so I didn't want someone else claiming they were theres):

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Scythanith/Tank%20Pics/Assie-acan-1watermark.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Scythanith/Tank%20Pics/Assie-acan-2watermark.jpg


Also, I know with school it was quite easy to catch plagerizations in a google search engine simply by adding a short piece of a sentence and searching it. Can someone do the same with the picture address or some kind of information from the original exif data?


Thanks,

Scott

[KurtsReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7977008#post7977008 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Arndog
Photo copyrights are a very hard thing to try to prove legally. A lot of factors go into determining if you truly indeed hold the copyright to an image.

By far the largest thing they look at is if you do that professionally and have a body of work to show is yours. This does not mean you have a bunch of pictures on your computer you can show them. It means having imbedded data in your images that detail who owns the image and signed releases by previous customers. Copyrights are not explicit nor implied when one snaps a picture. A non-professional can copyright images as long as information exists that can prove the image is thiers.

Where the image is shot can also determine whether you can even hold copyright to the image. Public places such as zoos, malls are fine... A private fish store would be very questionable unless you were there specifically to take pictures of thier stuff.

Now taken that this picture was posted on a public board and did not have anything visually or digitally to signifiy that it was a copyrighted image the only thing you can hope for is they cave when asked to remove or compensate you for your image.

I am a professional photographer and I belong to a professional organization that helps in copyright cases. Even with that organization backing me and tons of contracts and work for over 3 years I still would have a hard time getting anything from a person or small organization for stealing my work. I can become a nuisance :) Large companies are the only ones I could get recompense from but they are usually very careful about what they use.

To the person that said it was ok to download copyright photos to your local machine and use in screen savers and such I would like to let you know that a copyright is a copyright and as such unless you are given explicit rights to use that image for that purpose you are in violation of copyright laws. Images that have copyrights can't be scanned, copied, displayed (outside your home) or manipulated without getting the express consent of the copyright holder to do exactly what you wanted to do to an image.

I hope this helps in the least bit

I disagree with pretty much everything you state except for the final paragraph in that it is against copyright laws to use the image even as a screensaver. But then again, I am a photographer and not a lawyer much like yourself.

The only way the website could get by with using his image is if they were using it for some form of educational purpose.

Where the image was taken has no bearing, unless he did not have the legal right to take images there.

Copyrights are not explicit nor implied when one snaps a picture.
Yes, actually they are.

While using DAM software and having your copyright embedded as well as sending in DVD/CD's to be legally copywritten does help your case anyone professional or not has a copyright on images they have taken. Whether or not they are willing to proceed with the legal process to uphold those rights may be a different story, and again having the image properly copywritten is the best course of action.

[KurtsReef]

This (http://www.photolaw.net/faq.html) site has some information on the law in regards to photo copyrights.

This link (http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html) has information on "Fair use" which is what I was refering to with the comment on educational purposes.


It should be pointed out that copyright laws are country to country and what is true for those of us in the USA may not be true for those in other countries.

This link (http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html) has several answers to questions such as the following directly from the U.S. Copyright office.

"How to Secure a Copyright
Copyright Secured Automatically upon Creation
The way in which copyright protection is secured is frequently misunderstood. No publication or registration or other action in the Copyright Office is required to secure copyright. (See following note.) There are, however, certain definite advantages to registration. See “Copyright Registration.”

Copyright is secured automatically when the work is created, and a work is “created” when it is fixed in a copy or phonorecord for the first time. “Copies” are material objects from which a work can be read or visually perceived either directly or with the aid of a machine or device, such as books, manuscripts, sheet music, film, videotape, or microfilm. “Phonorecords” are material objects embodying fixations of sounds (excluding, by statutory definition, motion picture soundtracks), such as cassette tapes, CDs, or LPs. Thus, for example, a song (the “work”) can be fixed in sheet music (“copies”) or in phonograph disks (“phonorecords”), or both. If a work is prepared over a period of time, the part of the work that is fixed on a particular date constitutes the created work as of that date.
"

[ahuxman58]

I have posted pics on here, and some guy had responded saying that "I hope you dont mind but I put your photo on my screensaver". I was kinda confused since i have my pics copyrighted and watermarked. dunno what his name is or what pic he took I will have to find it .

[ahuxman58]

Ok here it is I found it.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10439703#post10439703 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TriGa22
Awsome pics. Ones you took before I used as my background if you dont mind. Now I guess its time to update! Im really into flying and contemplating joining the USAF. To see these great pics brings a smile to my face. Great job!
Tyler

[melev]

If it bothered you and you didn't want him to use it on his computer, tell him. He said "if you don't mind." However, in that case I don't really see a problem as he liked it enough to want to see it daily. :)

There's a Wallpaper thread in this forum that is full of great pictures, and it is an unspoken expectation that any images posted in that thread are specifically there so others can use them as backgrounds.

[ahuxman58]

Oh I know it , it didnt bother, me I know hes not out there selling it or anything like that so it didnt bother me plus my watermark is on it .

[kl3377]

I can't seem to get the symbol to work, I am guessing you need a full keyboard (laptop doesn't have a numeric key pad). Thanks for the tip.

[Husky_1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7977008#post7977008 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Arndog


To the person that said it was ok to download copyright photos to your local machine and use in screen savers and such I would like to let you know that a copyright is a copyright and as such unless you are given explicit rights to use that image for that purpose you are in violation of copyright laws. Images that have copyrights can't be scanned, copied, displayed (outside your home) or manipulated without getting the express consent of the copyright holder to do exactly what you wanted to do to an image.

I hope this helps in the least bit

I would have to say that by posting an image on any website you have invited me to download this to my computer for personal use. I am sure that you are aware of this but if you look in your local profile you will find that every picture you view online is downloaded to your machine. My only point is, that I feel that if you are posting a picture online, you give the website viewers the inherent right to copy and use for personal use on their machine.

Of course using these same pictures for any other purpose, most importantly commercial, is not acceptable.

["Umm, fish?"]

My only point is, that I feel that if you are posting a picture online, you give the website viewers the inherent right to copy and use for personal use on their machine.

And yet this is absolutely wrong. Since you do not hold the copyright to the image, you have no right to do anything _at all_ with the image unless you receive explicit permission for whatever you want to do from the person who does own the copyright.

I'm sure that you have implicit permission to download and view the image in the context in which the copyright holder has posted it. I am also sure that you have no permission to use them in any other way unless you have asked and been given permission to do so.

Now, is anyone ever going to do anything to you for making a slide show out of images that you've downloaded? I seriously doubt it. But they could.

Is it so very hard to ask for permission? Especially if you just ask for personal use it's pretty likely that most of the people you ask will have no problem with what you are doing. But, you should really give them a chance to say no. And you should respect their decision if they say no.

[Husky_1]

Andy,
Maybe you are correct, I am not sure but this is my opinion. I know my chances of ever seeing what a judge would say are highly unlikely as I am not in the habit of using other peoples pictures for my amusement.

I just find the possibility of this interesting: that someone would "allow" me to download a picture to my computer, then ***** if I decide to use it on that same computer for personal use.

["Umm, fish?"]

I'm just telling you what the law is. I'm a typesetter and I used to have all kinds of trouble when authors (or publishers) would send me their photos and tell me to typeset their books. When I'd take the photos to be scanned they would refuse. Despite the fact that the author sent me the photos and gave me permission to typeset their book, the author hadn't given me explicit permission to scan the photos and I would have to wait until a signed letter giving me explicit permission showed up.

Like I say, I'm not sure anyone would do anything to you for the slide show, but they could.

[melev]

And here we go again. A nice person in Mexico brought this alternate version of Ebay to my attention. The pictures in the ad include one of my sumps.

http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-18361582-pecera-sump-y-buckheads-para-tu-acuario-marino-nv7-_JM

More specifically:
http://www.mercadolibre.com.mx/jm/img?s=MLM&f=18361582_5726.jpg&v=O

By now, many people know my site and recognize my red deck. :lol:
http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/e/sump_model_e.html

I just have to figure out how to translate that page via babblefish or similar to figure out whom to complain to. Since this is obviously a commercial venture on that person's part, he's crossed the ethical line.

[Phyl]

Why people like that don't just take pictures of their own work, I'll never understand. *sigh*

[Devtech]

i can help u translate that melev.. let me look at it ill come back to ya

[Devtech]

the vendors name MTY_OCEAN ... but the auction is done, he sold that sump for 900$ *** lol umm trying to find some sort of email for him but theres nothing, its just like ebay, ill see if i can get u the send email to vendor link.

[Devtech]

he actually says on the bottom of the auction:

"ALGUNAS FOTOS FUERON TOMADAS DE SITES Y FOROS"

otherwise translates to "SOME PICTURES WERE TAKEN FROM OTHER WEBSITES AND SOEM FORUMS"

[melev]

Thanks DevTech.

I think I'll start selling sumps in Mexico if they go for $900. ;) :rolleyes:

[maroun.c]

As long as we are discussing copyright issues,
How does it go when you take a picture in a Zoo or a Public Exposition, Public Aquarium...
Is one expected to get a release to use these pictures or not?

[melev]

Today I went to the Japanese Botanical Gardens. They know people will take pictures, but they don't allow you to use a tripod. Guess they don't want you making postcards out of your pictures of their beautiful gardens. ;)

["Umm, fish?"]

I think a lot of it has to do with the "public" in the name. But, facilities can certainly impose restrictions on where, what, and how they allow you to shoot. But the copyright resides in the person who pushes the buttons.

I used to work with a dance choreographer and she could never get that concept. "But it's my dance, I should get the copyright." But the copyright for the _video_ is the videographer's. You need to work out a contract with the videographer that stipulates the conditions under which he is allowed to shoot. Such as, not being allowed to sell or distribute the work.

They know people will take pictures, but they don't allow you to use a tripod.

They've probably had people trip over them. Where are the Japanese Botanical Gardens in DFW?

BTW, Marc, I used to do some stripping in DFW myself. Paid my way through college. Basketball courts, racketball courts.... :)

[melev]

Yep, that's the place Andy. Off topic, but here's my favorite shot from yesterday.

http://melevsreef.com/non_reef/japanese_garden/phil_centered.jpg

[Devtech]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11321996#post11321996 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev


I think I'll start selling sumps in Mexico if they go for $900. ;) :rolleyes:

lol i think so too.. i just think their saying $900 pesos but i dont know...

[Dyepes]

I really do not understand why yall would not want to make money off of your photos. If your spending time to make sure others are not making money off of your work, then you should at least be making money off of your own work.

I have donated a little bit to a member here for a beautiful picture from the Great Barrier reef he took underwater. I had it blown up to a 16X20 poster with his permission. It is a nice addition to my wall.

there may be a market for posters yall do not even realize is available.

["Umm, fish?"]

Nice photo, Marc! BTW, I just noticed that you're coming up to speak to the Colorado club early next year. Any preview on the topic?

[melev]

Hi Andy. Yep, I'm coming up for your conference in February. I've been asked to talk about sumps, refugiums and working with acrylic.

["Umm, fish?"]

Nice! Looking forward to it.