blog talk: crediting photos

This is different than what I normally post and I will not be posting this sort of thing ever again but I feel so strongly about the issue of online photo usage, I felt compelled to share. Since blogging is part of my job and I often get inquiries about how a person can get a job blogging or what the "rules" are about blogging, I thought I would post my ideas about crediting photos on blogs. I don't claim to be a legal expert, these are my personal opinions. I am also a photo stylist, so part of my job is to create pretty pictures with photographers. People pay us to create images and that is how we earn our living. In this post, I've added images I've styled with Portland photographer, Lisa Warninger. 

It is so exciting how quickly word can spread about a photographer or artist with just a few blog posts. This is why it's so disheartening when their work is not credited. Maybe it's because I know how much effort goes into making an image, but when I see a blog without proper credits to photos, I consider it theft and I discontinue reading the blog. Not properly crediting photos is incredibly disrespectful to the photographers and the people who created the images. I've seen it on small blogs and big ones too. It doesn't matter whether you blog for fun or for your job, everyone has the responsibility to credit the images they use. I know most people aren't trying to be mean or disrespectful but just aren't aware. Blogging is still so new! Here are some clarifications in case anyone is confused about how to credit photos:

Always credit the original source. What does original source mean?

The photographer and/or the publication it was created for. Always, always try to find the photographer but if you can't find the photographer use the original publication who paid for the image to be created (i.e. House Beautiful, The New York Times, Food and Wine)

If it's a product, credit the shop. (i.e. J.Crew, Steven Alan, Built by Wendy)

If you don't have an original source and can't find it, then don't use the image.

These are NOT original sources:

Another blog (unless the image was specifically created by that blog author or for that blog i.e. The Sartorialist)

Pinterest

Tumblr

Google images

Flickr (credit the actual Flickr account)

We Heart It

Via

Re-blogging:

Let's say you saw a pretty J.Crew photo on Frolic and wanted to put it on your own blog. If you first saw it on Frolic!, you'd want to credit it like this:

Image: J.Crew via Frolic!. 

If Frolic! found the image through Cup of Jo. You would credit like this:

Image: J.Crew via Frolic! via Cup of Jo.

A few more personal opinions on the matter:

If you want to use an image as a blog banner or widget on your blog, ask permission from the original source and leave a credit on your blog.

It's especially nice if you can credit the original source in the text of your post and at the bottom of the post, rather than just using their images like stock photography with a tiny credit at the bottom.

It's nice to make the credit very clear, rather than crediting it in the tiniest font at the bottom of the post. You might as well not have a credit in my opinion.

Always use links! Not just text!

If the photo source asks that you seek permission to use the photos before posting them, always respect this and email them before using the photo.They almost always say yes!

If you have thoughts, questions or your own ideas on this subject, leave them in the comments! I don't mean to be on my high horse, I just figured I would share since I couldn't find all this information when I first started blogging. Thanks! Back to regularly scheduled programing! 

Photos: 1. Lisa Warninger for Elizabeth Dye. Set, Chelsea Fuss. Model, Anna Adams. Wardrobe, Elizabeth Dye. Hair: Madeline Roosevelt. 2,3. Photos, Lisa Warninger for Tokketok. Styling, Chelsea Fuss. 4-6, Photos, Lisa Warninger for Project Wedding, Styling Chelsea Fuss. Wardrobe, Elizabeth Dye. Hair, Madeline Roosevelt. Model (last photo) Hannah Osborn.

Comments

[Amanda]

You know all about my opinions on this, Chelsea.
Thank you for writing this post.
I agree with everything you have said.

[Kate]

Very good post! Thanks!

[Alice]

So now we can't even credit in a small font? Magazines don't always credit in body copy sized font, which is perfectly acceptable. In fact most publications credit in the gutter space. It's quite frustrating to see all these big bloggers making up their own rules and expecting everyone to follow. I agree photos should be credited obviously, but things like font size and wording is up to each blogger.

[chelsea]

I can see your point Alice and that particular thought was purposefully listed under "personal opinions".

A magazine has paid for that image to be created. They have compensated the photographer, the stylist, the art director, etc. The blog has generally not paid for the image so in my personal opinion the credit should be legible. I literally have to take a magnifying glass to my screen when I read some blogs. I can't tell if the content is borrowed or if it has been created original to their bog, because their credits are so tiny.

[chelsea]

P.S. When I see credits so tiny that I can't read them, I assume they are trying to pass it off as their own work.

[Jen]

Thanks so much for writing this, Chelsea. I've been so frustrated by 1. people reposting things they found on my own blog without giving me credit and 2. seeing posts on other blogs who can't be bothered to credit the people who created the amazing products and imagery.

As a relatively new face in our community it has been incredibly disheartening to watch other bloggers repost what I've spent hours researching and working on to properly credit everyone I can without even a nod to me and oftentimes not even a nod to the creatives I took the time to search out and link all the credits to. It especially sucks when it is a higher profile blogger--I mean, they got that way by people giving them credit for their work, so you'd think that they'd bother to pay it forward for other people that they are finding inspiration from! Right?? It's hard to see someone get 40+ comments and compliments on a blog post that isn't properly credited and knowing where they really found their content. Really, the Via Via Via is so very simple and will not take a blogger much extra time, so the "I'm too busy" line is a complete lazy cop out. If they are doing it to me, I assume they are doing it to a lot of other hardworking bloggers. I will stop following them and it's sad to lose that respect for someone in the blogging community.

Life is hard enough and most people will never get the credit they truly deserve, so why not share the love? ?

Thanks, Chelsea. This issue can't be vocalized enough--I appreciate your taking the time to write this post.

[Annie (Moxiee)]

This internet thingy has created a generation who don't know property boundaries.

I speak to my friend's TV & Film production class at the Art Institute every semester about Rights and Clearances and am greeted by a sea of confused faces when I tell them the rules. Some students don't understand that they must get the creator's permission and/or some sort of payment in order to use the creator's property. It's beyond them.

"But what if after I downloaded it from YouTube, I distort it so they don't recognize it."

Um, it's stealing.

I tell them, if you didn't personally create the original product (photos, music, film, video games, etc) then you must seek the owner and gain permission. It's not just the nice thing to do. It's the law.

Thanks for writing this, Chelsea!

[chelsea]

Oh and Alice! I was not trying to instruct on wording at all. Sorry if it looks that way! I merely used the re-blogging example to make it clear. I realize everyone will have different opinions regarding specifics. As I stated in the post, these are my personal opinions and you can take them or leave them! I think we can all agree photos should have links and credits to the original sources. We are lucky that photographers want to share their work with us for free.

[Nyla]

Hi!
I attended the Design Blog Conference in LA which wrapped up today. We touched on the topic of linking to sources and yet I found your post very interesting. We all know and understand the importance of linking, however I appreciated your explanation of going right to the original source and making sure that it is noted as well. I know I have not done that on my own blog, but will do that from now on as it makes complete sense!
Thank you for sharing this info :)

[Jen]

Oh! Also, yes--if you have a blog that has paid advertisers/sponsors and you are not properly crediting the other blogs that inspire you and the creatives who work on the images you post, then you ARE actually making money off of other people's work. Maybe that's why it always makes me personally feel like I just got mugged? So ridiculous!

[Gali]

This hits a very important point, I think. With today's Tumblr/WeHeartIt generation people don't understand that these things don't come out of thin air, someone somewhere took those photos, styled, etc. And yeah, just linking to WeHeartIt is not proper credit, I've been so frustrated sometimes falling on dead-end links... I'd love to see more of someone's work but I can't because somewhere along the linking chain people decided that the original creator was not important.

[the fabled needle (jen)]

I find this problem frustrating as well. I truly don't understand why people think anything online is fair game; just b/c it's not a physical thing you can touch and hold in your hand, doesn't mean it doesn't belong to someone. There have been times when I've considered not blogging anymore or not selling online - which is sad! It's funny, it seems like if you are so inspired to post an image, it would also seem like you'd want to credit the source!

This problem is similar to the illegal distribution of digital goods as well (i.e. pdf patterns, digital scrapbook kits). It's that intangible quality that seems to confuse people I guess (although I really think that's an excuse).

I'm glad you posted about this, I'm sure it'll open some eyes!

[the fabled needle (jen)]

Oh, but I would like to amend my comment but saying that I do handle credit differently when it comes to products - I usually just link the image and some text to the corresponding product page on the site (I may or may not specifically say the name of said product or shop). I think that's fair in this context but of course that is just my opinion!

[chelsea]

Jen, I think that's totally fair! I've done the same! I think I was extra meticulous with this post. when I first started blogging, I didn't know a lot of these things and that is one of the reasons, I share. I recently added an extra photo credit at the bottom of every post (inspired by Alyson at Unruly Things). I noticed sometimes the readers didn't pick up the credit in the post and I want to make sure it is very clear where each photo comes from.

Loving these comments!

[Amy Nieto]

These topics need to be repeated as often as possible so that people can instruct themselves. As I have become quite obsessed with Pinterest I go insane when I find a dead-link. I would appreciate it even more if Pinners would actually ALWAYS type out the sources of an image.

I am glad you have shared this with us!

[Hannah]

What I found really strange was when I came across pictures from my own wedding, uncredited on people's blogs. I don't particularly want publicity, but it's oddly hurtful seeing pictures from the most important day in your life just being used as part of someone's random post - without them saying whose wedding, or who shot it (or that it came via {Frolic!} most probably!)... That said, I am only just getting the hang of crediting things properly on my own blog - so thank you for your advice! x

[Urban Weeds]

I couldn't agree more. Well said Chelsea.

As a photographer when I run into my work online without credits it's incredibly jarring. It really takes me aback, its a little heartbreaking. It's stealing. Flat out. If the credits are too small to be read then it's not any better. Would you copy and paste someones paragraph without crediting? Of course not! Photography is legally protected in much the same way.

It doesn't matter if it's a big blog or a for fun blog that you create to share things with your friends. Blogging is a public forum and copyrights apply.

When I find my photos properly credited and linked (if it's online it should link back to the original source) I'm thrilled. I love it when people enjoy my work! I post a link to their site, I thank them, I tweet about it.

Credit everything. If you don't know who created it don't use it. If you didn't create it or purchase it, its not yours. Most photographers are happy with just their name and link. It's really not too much to ask now is it? It's also not too much to ask that their name be legible!

Most work is not created alone, credit everyone. If you find something on another blog... yes, by all means do the via via via route. Not only does it make you look professional, but you will earn the respect of your readers and fellow bloggers.

Thanks for the thoughtful post Chelsea.
Happy blogging everyone!

[Ray]

Thank you so much for this post - I've been (sporadically) blogging for two years and this is the best explanation I've seen by far - it can be so confusing. I've always tried to credit fairly but I can see from this post that there are more things I should be doing - and some things I shouldn't be doing!!

[Geri]

I work for a magazine and trust me if a photographer or a publication for that matter does not want their images to be misused, they just don´t upload it to the internet (in fact in doing so they are in breach of contract).

I think the responsibility lies in the first person that uploads the photo and I also think a discreet watermark that does not jeopardize the quality of the image is the best solution. There are also ways of embedding the right info into the file!

Although I do share your opinion on the fact that you should try at least to quote the source (blog) where you got it from, it is not always easy to trace it all the way back to the original author, because they did not care to label their image correctly in the first place.

Thanks for the advise! ... keep up the good and ethical work! :)

xx

[Ampersand Design]

This is a great post. I was just thinking about this last night as I perused some "big name" blogs who don't credit at all. I find it very frustrating as sometimes I want to find out more info behind a pic and I can't follow a trail back. I also find it disrespectful and just plain lazy. Sometimes I think it also comes down to a certain amount of "vanity" in that some bloggers don't want to share their resources with others.

I'm a relatively newish blogger, but one thing I have tried to do is credit my pics appropriately. I must admit I do give it a smaller font, but I didn't do this as a way of passing the pics off as my own. I guess I've done it the same way as magazines seem too.

I've had a quick look through my posts and am not happy about those pics that I haven't credited properly. I am endeavouring to rectify the situation although in some cases it may be difficult.

Funnily enough, on my Pinterest account, I will try and follow back a pin I want to repin in order to give it a better description than was given by the original pinner.

I have even commented on pins where the wrong artist has been credited for work. Most people have replied and are happy to acknowledge the error and rectify it. It's the ones that don't fix it after you have made them aware that get my goat the most.

This issue is important and you've done a great job in addressing it.

Sandy K

[Michaela at The Gardener's Eden]

It's so easy to give credit where credit is due, and it builds great relationships. Like Chelsea, I view use of images/words/art w/o credits and back links as theft. And, so do the courts.

Copyright law applies to everything online and in print. Public domain and Fair Use are legally defined terms. All of this can be researched here: http://www.copyright.gov/. If you are involved in any kind of media creation (online, print, audio, etc), it is your responsibility to know and follow the law.

Thanks for the great article. I hope people start taking this issue seriously.

Michaela

[jane]

i'm so on board with this. i don't link in the credits if i've clearly stated the source in the blog post's text (ie, for fashion week i don't link back to style.com in the credit, but it's evident in my wording where the photo came from + there are links.)

i am an obsessive rule follower and a "small" blog, but it bothers me that the industry is kind of like the wild wild west.

[erin]

bravo, chelsea.

[mary]

Excellent guidelines, Chelsea...this is a pet peeve of mine, too - and one reason why I'm leaving the Tumblr scene. I try to be as conscious as I can when applying credit but I know that I can do better myself, too - so this is a great reminder for everyone.

[Jane Flanagan]

Thanks for writing this post, Chelsea. One of my biggest pet peeves is people who don't have a credit and write something like "oh no, I forgot the source. If you know can you tell me?" They have the sponsors but readers are supposed to do their research for them?

However, (in response to Lisa's comment), I don't think this is limited to images. I've spent hours writing posts. As you know, I'm a writer. And I've seen people rip quotes verbatim out of my blog and not credit me. The worst (funniest) was when somebody broke one of my posts into segments of 140 characters and tweeted it. So weird.

I could also write a similar post about people who write advertorials without clearly labeling them.

You're leading by example Chelsea! Thank you.

[Vane]

amen x 1000000000!

[Alyssa]

Thank you! Can you comment on sourcing/crediting on Pinterest?

[Kristi Wright]

Great post. As a photographer, I really appreciate bringing this to light. Another source of irritation - bloggers who not only take photos without permission and offer no credit but also have the nerve to crop out the watermark/logo of the photographer. Really. It's unbelievable.

[Erika {Delphine}]

Great post! Improper crediting really irritates me, too.

Re: Pinterest, I've found that if you take a few extra steps you can almost always find the original source. All it takes is a few clicks.

Another thing that totally gets me: pay for play editorial content. I die a little inside each time someone asks me to participate in this scam. I have no problem with "sponsored" posts, but don't take $ and call it editorial! (Phew, I feel better getting that all out).

[Kim]

Great post, but it doesn't go far enough. By posting images on blogs without permission of the copyright holder, even with credit, you are taking a great risk. Most people in the U.S. think they're protected under Fair Use, but there are many components to Fair Use, and oftentimes posting a photo on a blog -- *especially* if it's a revenue-generating blog, does not pass the test. And for those not in the U.S., your country probably does not even have Fair Use.

Most artists are happy for you to post their work with credit, even if you didn't ask permission, but it only takes one litigious person to ruin your life. Believe me, I have learned the hard way. In my case I was am very likely protected by Fair Use, but dozens of other people being threatened with lawsuits by the same person were not so fortunate.

I encourage everyone reading this to read up on the latest trend of copyright predators -- there are actually organizations buying up copyrights from struggling publications solely to demand licensing fees from bloggers and websites using "their" material. See http://www.righthavenlawsuits.com/.

Getty Images is also very intolerant of unlicensed, unpaid use of their images: http://extortionletterinfo.com/

One last note, most of the time you will get a Cease and Desist letter from the copyright holder or their attorney, in which case simply taking down the image in question ends the dispute. But you might also be asked to pay a licensing fee, which can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. And if you don't pay, they will proceed with legal action, in which case you may end up being liable not only for the licensing fees but for the copyright holder's attorney fees as well.

The easiest way to prevent this is, as you suggest, to always ask permission before posting an image.

[Anne Burton]

This is a wonderful topic, and we have so much bad personal experience with this. My photographs have to be on the internet for me to sell my product. When photos are used without credit, it takes that work one step further from the source and makes it more likely the image will be misused. For example, our work was in a newspaper in the UK without a credit and a business there starting printing it on tshirts. We were able to straighten it out, but this type of thing is really damaging to artists and small businesses. Another business made one of our images their logo. It's such a headache (not to mention the heartbreak) to deal with this stuff. Obviously bloggers want us little guys trying to make a living selling handmade to still be around (so they have something to write about), so they should support those who they admire and help them to promote their work. I know how you feel about not wanting to be negative, but thanks so much for giving this issue a voice!

[Emily]

Thanks so much for your valuable insight. I'm always doing research on this subject and do my very best to always ask permission to use images and credit photographers, stylists, and designers. It's so important!

[EricaG]

I've only kept a blog since September 2009, and it is definitely "small." I feel proud to post a credit for a project that I've recreated in my own home. I've never used any photographs that weren't my own, but I often make crafts that I've seen elsewhere. Posting the credit and the link to another blog or shop makes me feel part of a thriving community. It's a pleasure, not a chore! Thanks for spreading the message. I teach college writing, and I'm often shocked by materials that students consider to be fair game.

[debbie]

Great post. I'm not a professional photographer by any means, but I still feel a little bothered when I see an image of mine tumbled over 300 times. My flickr account has image downloading disabled, so someone is obviously taking a screen cap of the image, then reposting to tumblr (with a credit) without my permission. still trying to decide how i feel about it (flattered? annoyed?)

[Bekka]

Worth mentioning: I like to run images through tineye.com if they aren't credited and I want to use them. About 50% of the time it can find an original source for you.

[Katie]

This makes me kind of sad. I credit all my images, but every time I post like this comes up I'm second-guessing myself. What is the point of sharing inspiration, creativity and wonderful photographs, when even with credits, it seems like we're always upsetting one person or another. It often has me considering not blogging at all anymore. I always feel like i'm walking on eggshells :(

[chelsea]

Bekka! Thanks! THat's a great source!

Loving this discussion. And thanks to the commenters who pointed out that it is actually illegal to use an image without permission. A lot of the usage of photos online is actually illegal and people can take action! Photographers always own the right to their images.

[chelsea]

Katie- If you are crediting the original source with a link and willing to take an image down if asked, then there's no need to worry!!Most people love their work to be used with a credit! Many photographers actually get business by the exposure they receive on blogs. The photo issue has gotten so out of hand, I felt compelled to post for people who don't understand how to credit. I don't think there's any need to stress if you are crediting and linking the original source. I've never actually been asked to take an image down. I've received emails from photographers thrilled that they were featured and linked to.

[Eric Kotara]

Thanks for writing this article and I agree that more bloggers should be doing the same so that we may educate the masses about what is true and just treatment of intellectual property.

As a photographer I know the issue first hand and have a tough time reconciling my desire for my art to be seen with my desire for my art to not be stolen and misappropriated. So what is more heartbreaking than seeing my work stolen and unjustly used? Well, probably having to make the terrible decision to not show that piece publicly due only to fear of its misuse. It royally sucks when some of my best work remains private and unseen. Yet until I have a gallery residence, that is how a great deal of my work will persist; publicly unseen.

[Cyd]

Loving this discussion, Chelsea! As a blogger, crediting is something I take incredibly seriously. If I can't find a source, I don't use the image. I also get really upset when someone credits an image back to my blog when what they should be doing is crediting the original source with a via link back to me. To make it easy - just copy the credits at the bottom of my post! I try to keep it simple for people to easily credit if they use something they find on my site, but it still doesn't always happen. I think that these kinds of discussions are eye opening for a lot of people and can hopefully lead to real change.

With that said - I find Pinterest and Tumblr tough. Oftentimes people are not pinning to a specific post so when you click over you land on a front page and, more than likely, the original post where that image was found is now buried. I try to always pin to a specific post so the credit can easily be found, but I'm wondering if there is further discussion we can all have on the best way to use Pinterest and other mediums without losing the original sources along the way. Perhaps we start putting URLs in as captions?

[chelsea]

Great comments and questions on Pinterest. I actually don't use it. I am apprehensive about it. I agree with Cyd, the original source should be in the caption!

[Amy]

This was definitely helpful. Thank you. I was definitely guilty of the smaller font crediting, so reading your post definitely made me think twice about that along with the crediting original source {rather than pinterest or weheartit}.

[joanna goddard]

i TOTALLY agree!!!!! i find it so frustrating to look on tumblr since i can never find credits!!! it's so, so important to credit photographers and sources.

one thing i sometimes find helpful: if i want to post a photo and don't know the photographer, i'll write (photo credit unknown) and then usually readers will tell me who it is, and i'll add in the credit right away.

GREAT post, chelsea!!!!

[jen]

great post, chelsea! hard to believe so many people don't understand this, so i am happy to see you clarify it here.

[joanna goddard]

and i agree that it's so odd/disconcerting to see your own personal photos (wedding photos, family photos, baby photos, etc.) on tumblr, blogs and even blog headers without any mention of you or your blog. feels so strange!

[Lindsay]

I have tried to write my comment for over half an hour now and I'm still not fully satisfied with it, but I'd like to say something, so here goes...

I have definitely been frustrated by bloggers who I know visit my site (because they leave comments...and p.s. they are much bigger bloggers than me) post something I had posted a few days ago and not saying that they saw it on my blog first. it was one of the many reasons I felt disheartened with blogging and have not put up anything in a few months (and also took a long break from reading most blogs).

I feel like there are a lot of people out there (myself included) who try their best to credit everything they can, but with the internet being what it is, and with things getting "re-blogged" and passed around so much, that can sometimes be impossible. i'm not saying this is an excuse to plagiarize others work... but that sometimes the person who says "I don't know who this is from, can you please let me know if this is yours" is not lazy, but just trying their best to give credit where it's due (and if nothing else, saying- this is not mine and has not been properly credited in the past) given that the trail to the original source is dead.

in the future I will try to used tineye.com- as mentioned above by Bekka- it sounds like just what the blog world needs.

lastly- I guess I'm wondering about credit in terms of product links. for example, I often posted about clothes and other things to buy. when I do, I link to the page where they are being sold (the product link on the seller's etsy page, the exact product link at j.crew or net-a-porter...). is this enough of a credit or should I be saying "by X designer, sold at X store" underneath, with links to all?

i think the biggest problem with all of this is that- there are no rules! unlike writing a paper in college, blogging doesn't come with a preferred "citation" method. what is the MLA/Chicago of blogging? i do think that there are many bloggers who think that they are crediting properly, because they follow the example of others around them, and have no malicious intent. as you said, blogging is still young, and maybe a formalized crediting method is something that we will have in the future.

[Jess]

It's so true about asking permission. If someone asks to use one of my photos on their blog, I almost always say yes. If I find it via Google Alerts or Flickr stats, and the blogger never asked permission, I demand that they take it down. It's hugely disrespectful, and I won't negotiate with anyone about it.

[chelsea]

Hey Lindsay! In my personal opinion, I think that is fine for product photography. The company has paid for that image to be created for them so as long as there is a link back to them, that should be good. I think the biggest issue I have is when I see a photo and it is credited to a blog or to tumblr. Those are not original sources and when everyone starts doing it, all credit is lost!

[chelsea]

And, I agree! I can't wait until blogging is not a wild west and there is a formal guide!

[julia]

GREAT post, chelsea! thank you for sharing this very honest and clear information. i do think that most people who don't credit photos are probably just uninformed/misinformed and don't mean to be malicious. this will be very helpful to so many people.