Where do most bloggers get there images from? Is it ok to do a Google search and use the images you find, or is that illegal? I just don't see bloggers paying to place pictures on every post...
I would not use images you snag on Google. If you use part of one to create your own maybe. I make some in Photoshop, use a digital camera. Take it from someone who's gotten a cease and desist from the Whitehouse.
I usually check www.sxc.hu first, and if what I want isn't there with rights letting me use it, I just buy it from www.stockxpert.com for a dollar or whatever it is there.
If you do use an image that you find from Google, and you don't have rights to it......isn't it slim to none that A) the person who owns the rights will find out? B) they will actually take any action against you?
Every digital photo has a digital stamp on it. If you will look at its properties, you will see who is the owner, date and time the image was taken and the make of the camera. Professional photographers use this stamp to protect their works as it will help them track usage of their photos (and as a proof when dispute arises). If you use any photo you found from Google, there's a possibility that the owner may find it because of this stamp. They can take legal action against you, if the question here is merely "can." But would they? It depends to the person who has copyright over these photos. Some photographers allow bloggers to use their photos, since most blogs can still be categorized under 'personal use.' However, when there's a money involved already or reselling of the photo is the issue, any photographer would definitely take action. From now on, just to be on the safe side, create a Credits page on your website so you can site the names of photographers. Hope this helps
It's just not the right thing to do. Copyright should be taken very seriously. I try to carry a camera most of the time and take my own photos which I then watermark before posting to discourage someone snagging them. FYI, there are some photo libraries online with "public domain" photos available. I use these frequently.
There are several 'public domain images' websites, where you can find images that are legal to use for your blogs and websites. There is nice Wikipedia article for that which has many links to 'public domain images' websites. Here is Wiki link if you need it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain_image_resources
www.public-domain-photos.com If you search Google for more PD (public domain)sites, you'll be in hog-heaven.
Well I suppose if one looks at it like that it makes a bit of sense. I was just thinking that after 5 years the OP likely would have found the answers him/herself. Also I have received infractions in the past for "bumping threads". One needs to proceed here with caution when bringing up old threads that may have outlived their usefullness.
Another possible source of images are those whose authors make them available pursuant to the Creative Commons License. (If you haven't heard of it before, check it out at the Creative Commons website, which as a newbie, I'm not allowed to link to yet.) Generally, these images are free for personal use as long as you indicate who the author is. As a photographer (and a former intellectual property lawyer), it's my humble opinion that this is a good middle ground between unrealistic enforcement of copyright ownership and theft of artist property.