[kwlug-disc] Public photo taking / posting - experiences & gotchas?

[Chris Frey]

On Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 02:03:42PM -0400, unsolicited wrote:
> I'm considering uploading photos somewhere, such as flickr. I see 
> flickr will maintain copyright. They even comprehend Creative Commons, 
> and so on. But they don't maintain Exif data. I could probably write 
> on the KWHS facebook wall with a link to wherever, once posted.
> 
> Anyone have pros / cons, suggestions, suggested sites, for this photo 
> posting? Is there value in myspace, instead, in case some blog or 
> other inane material makes sense?

Flickr knows about EXIF data.  An example:

	http://www.flickr.com/photos/94704762@N00/3899821087/meta/

Is that not what you're after?

Your question seems concerned about copyright.  You should keep in mind
that anything you put on the internet is out of your control.  Copyright
is more of a hammer that is costly to use and has often unintended effects
when used online.

I listened to a good podcast on this recently, an interview with Lou Lesko
on The Candid Frame.  You can download the MP3 here:

      http://thecandidframe.blogspot.com/2008/09/candid-frame-58-lou-lesko.html

I'm not as organized with my photography as I need to be, so I haven't
uploaded anything to Flickr or even Wikipedia yet.  But I like some
of the features available on Flickr.  Putting your pictures on Flickr
does let people use your photos more freely, and I've seen people use
CC licensed photos on their websites, with nice easy links back to the
photographer's Flickr account.  I think this is the best of both worlds.
You get credit and promotion, and the public gets free photos.


> It's been a while since I've looked into or thought about taking 
> pictures in public places. Hadn't even thought about the private / 
> commercial aspects of taking pictures, let alone getting releases signed.
> 
> Did come across 
> http://ambientlight.ca/laws.php#You_are_guaranteed_the_right_to_take_photographs.
> 
> How much more / deeply need I think about or consider such?

That's a great page.

I'm not a lawyer, but I think for non-commercial art photography, you
don't need a release.  But if your work is going to be promoting anything,
whether for money or not, it is better to get a release.

Also, if you do any photography in Quebec, the rules are inverted in
some cases.  Get a release for everything, even street photography.

	http://photocritic.org/street-photography-in-montreal/

- Chris