Using web images without getting into trouble!

EmptyPockets

Hi Everyone,

I was hoping somebody would be able to help me out with a couple of questions regarding putting images onto a website or web page...

1. How do you know if an image you view online is copyrighted or not?

2. I understand that if an image is copyrighted, you can't use it without permission, but if it isn't, can you still just use it?

3. What about if you take an image you found online, alter it (crop, change colour, etc) - can you use it then, without permission, as it's a 'different' image..?

I'm just a bit confused and would reeeaaally appreciate some pointers and advice. I've tried looking for articles that would answer my Q's but haven't really found much.

Many thanks

fitshase

You will normally find that all images are copyrighted. However, if an image is listed as "royalty free" then you are free to use it (although you are not free to sell it).

Even if you alter it by cropping, resizing, recolouring, etc., the image you have is based on a copyrighted image and therefore you cannot use it without permission from the original image's copyright holder.

EmptyPockets

... and how would I find out if an image was listed as 'Royalty Free'..? ... and how do I know who the original copyright holder is?

Thank you for replying, I appreciate it.

LULUBELLE_2

Try the site linked below for royalty free images.

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

EmptyPockets

Thanks, Lulubelle,

Right, I'll take a look at that now

JoeA81

The Wikimedia commons page is also somewhere where you can find images and other media which have been released into the public domain, and are allowed to be used for free by anyone.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

superscaper

...otherwise if it's an image you come across on a specific website/page you'll have to individually contact them to find out who own the copyright and what conditions they want to give permission. ALL images are copyrighted the moment they're created and then it is down to the owners to give away that copyright etc, such as explicitly making them royalty free etc.

Marty_J

It's best to assume everything you see on the internet is copyrighted, unless it explicitly says it isn't.

sra

A couple of places I've used:
http://www.everystockphoto.com/
http://www.sxc.hu/ (Have some paid images so check the licence)

You can also use Flickr's advanced search to find photos that the taker has given permission to use (Tick the creative commons box at the bottom and photos you find will have a licence listed telling you what you can and can't do with them)
e.g this photo has "some rights reserved" link that links to this licence

john_s_2

If you do get permission of the website owner then it's best to keep a copy of the email. I obtained permission from someone to use a photo from his site but a year later I got a rather indignant email from him. I replied apologising but pointed out that he had given me permission. Unfortunately I couldn't find the original email. No matter, he didn't get back to me either way.

Mind you, he had every right to be indignant. It was from a football fans' site, and I accidentally accredited it to the wrong team. The link to his site was correct (I wasn't hotlinking, I mean "picture courtesy of..."), but the name of the team wasn't :-\

EmptyPockets

Thanks so much for all the helpful replies. I will have a good look at all of the links provided, much appreciated