why not just link to the images on the other blogs and make sure they have index follow attribute on there site. You are just creating an index of pictures just like Google does.
Cause' he ain't Google. last I heard, hot linking is bad man...real bad. People don't like that. I don't understand why you just don't contact modeling agencies, and celebrity management and ask them for pictures ? If you post up a little information, bio and a link to their main site, they will give you more pictures than you can post...provided they like your blog. People like positive publicity, they make up press packs, and releases all the time just looking to the right vehicles to get them on. Make sure your site is bad assed, and you have all your ducks in a row, and just ask them.
Google is only showing thumbnails - and even that has resulted in them being sued - in fact, google just lost a lawsuit. Hot linking is something you certainly don't want to do.
I beg to differ on that. It is extremely lucrative for such stock photo companies nowadays to pursue litigation and show the world they care for their copyrights. Devil may care attitude may work in the past, but definitely not now.
If you really want to, have people upload their "own" pictures. Then you have the argument youtube etc. uses.
It's important to remember that Google spends millions on legal costs. They are being sued for over a billion dollars for user upload material on youtube.