Blogs are phenomenal stay-in-touch tools.
My blog, like for many other bloggers, is my journal. But, instead of the little locked book I had as a young girl, I publish this one for the entire world to see. Mostly the world isn't interested, but friends and family are reading it, keeping me on my edit toes. By publishing I also know I could become a common criminal if I broke copyright laws. As William Feather said, "If we don't discipline ourselves, the world will do it for us."
When I post a quote I give credit. Likewise, I try to respect copyright laws in regard to images, however, I've been guilty of small offenses. I'm now in image stealing recovery, thanks to a good friend, author and blogger, Dan Petersen.
Many artists will mark their images with a watermark to protect them. I've always respected the watermarked images, but unmarked images I've "borrowed" on occasion. Now I know better. I will share only images I've cleared as "free to use or share." Want more information? See webIntegrity.
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| Photo protected with watermark |
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| Photo selected from Google's Advance Search and labeled "free to use or share" |
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| Photo by Ed Anderson |
Ed and I are often asked if we'll travel with our computer gear. Our answer is, yes! First, we want to stay closely connected with family and friends so by using a combination of e-mail, blogging, texting, Skype, Facebook and our phones we should be thoroughly covered. We'll want to research weather, bike paths, and current news. We'll need maps, GPS and campground apps. And, the most amazing part of all this is my i-phone will become our "personal hotspot", also known as tethering. Wherever we have phone reception we will have internet.
I'm still stumbling and fumbling around using my i-pad and i-phone independently from their "mother ship", my desktop. It's yet to be seen if I'll need a laptop too, but hoping not. Unfortunately, this family of two is not in sync on computers so Ed will be using Microsoft and I will be using Apple. We'll be packing lots of electronic gear. Shoes, not so much.
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"What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we have ever come up with. It's the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds."
~ Steve Jobs, Memory and Imagination: New Pathways to the
Library of Congress
"What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we have ever come up with. It's the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds."
~ Steve Jobs, Memory and Imagination: New Pathways to the
Library of Congress
Fran, thank you for writing about this issue of just "taking" images from the Internet. It's pretty much impossible for photographers to maintain control of their images online, though many do try by adding watermarks. I was shocked the other day when I saw another blogger (not you) in the community freely disregarding copyright. Amateur photographers such as myself often are happy to let others use our images if they will only give the courtesy of asking. It's a gesture of respect as much as anything, good neighborliness, and a sign of a good-faith effort to publicly give the photographer credit. An acquaintance in our town often wants to republish images I've taken. She always drops me a Facebook note to ask and I always say yes. Very classy of her.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dan, for your comment. I know this is a sensitive subject for artists struggling to make a living.
ReplyDelete