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What websites have photos that I can use for a local advertising campaign?

Is it illegal to use stock photos from other websites?

  • Can I copy and paste photos from other websites into my website? Also, my friend lend me a cd with stock photos that he purchased from a supplier online. Can I used them if the owner "my friend" has given me the o.k to use?

  • Answer:

    An image is copyrighted the moment a photographer snaps the original. The copyright holder can license his/her agent(s) to sell or use the image. Stock agencies are an example of one type of agent. People who pay stock agencies for image usually need to read and agree to a contract about the usage rights that are transferred for each image. Your friend is NOT the owner of all rights to that images, just the owner of rights that he/she agreed to with the stock agency. For example, when you buy pets, you are given some legal rights (to train, to play with) but not others (to be cruel to them). If you use stock images to which you don't have the right, both you and your friend are subject to legal action. Not a nice thing to do to friend. People who publish photos (to which they have all rights) on the web are NOT giving anyone the right to use the photos (beyond just looking at them). So, generally, you are opening up yourself to a lawsuit if you use an image without written permission. Some people include, with their posted image, a list of rights that users have. For example: http://creativecommons.org/ It is not ethical to use images without paying a licensing fee to the copyright owner. For example, when I post an image online, I am only granting the right to view the image free of charge. If you post my image on your website, or in print or video, I have a basis for suing you for unauthorized use. It is up to the court to determine if I am owed damages. What budget have you put aside for defending your use? Don't forget that you also may have to pay a licensing fee to people shown in the image, and they have a right to sue you to get that fee or for damages. The quality, content, and producer of an image might suggest to you how likely you are to be sued, and for what amount. Also, using other people's image on your website tells users that you are unethical or immature or ignorant.

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Yes of course you can use someone else's work as if it was your own! That's why when I was making my child's book I just cut out all the pictures from Dr. Seuss' "Oh the places you will go" and glued them into my book.

You can use others' photos as long as you don't claim that they're your photos. However, it's up to the author/photographer/creator whether you can use them without permission. Unless they state specifically that you must obtain permission from them before using, go ahead - just don't tell people they're your pictures. As for the CD, since it's purchased material, you're able to use the photos. However - just like with mp3s and DVDs - you can't take them and then sell them. Personal use is fine; as long as you don't make a profit off others' work, you're good. And once again, don't claim them as yours. Stay away from those things, and you're perfectly fine.

Legally you cannot use a photo you find on the web with out the photographer's permission. Stock photography websites contain thousands of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses. A customer who uses stock photography instead of hiring a photographer can save time, effort and money. Typically publishers can either purchase exclusive rights to a single image or they can purchase a subscription of sorts. The subscriptions allow publishers to download a limited number of photos over a specified period of time. Stock photo websites allow webmasters, marketers and publishers to locate pictures for their marketing and promotional materials without the hassle of organizing a photo shoot. With copyright laws businesses must be very careful in using unlicensed photos. There are also risks to using "free" photographs. Many of the free websites contain collaborative works from multiple photographers and artists. While the websites attempt to monitor the images in their collections in violation of copyright laws, there are no guarantees. If you opt to use photographs or images from a free portal, it is important to keep this in mind. My favorite stock photo website is http://www.photo-wizard.net Here is where you can find some other inexpensive stock photo directories: http://www.small-business-software.net/stock-photography.htm Another site list can be found here: http://www.webmaster-elements.com/webmaster-graphics/photos.htm Goodluck

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