Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Mosaic Monday: Simplicity in the D's



Lily  by DailyCoulors
Mexican Porch  by DanaLaymon
The Doorknob  by danaspin
Please give me a treat  by dancingtreestudio
Hot cookies  by Debbsga
Gift of a Child  by DeborahVoizin
Coney Island  by depuis
Roses in Silver Antique Cup  by dsigns
Skinny Sea Star  by dsbrennan

The holidays were a bit wild so this is a bit late....

Pat of photogenicgallery lives in the Northeast USA with her husband, 2 great dogs and "Rocky" the kitty.   Every day is an adventure and every capture with her cameras are happy moments. She'd love it if you stop by her images through an open window.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Focus On: Copyright (a cautionary tale)

Let me start out by saying, “I am not now, nor have I ever been, an attorney, lawyer, barrister, solicitor, Juris Doctor or a member of the legal profession in any form anywhere on this, or any other planet in or beyond the known universe.”  The closest I can come to that designation was that course in Business Law I took one semester all those years ago.  

If that is all a bit too subtle, let me further state that I am in no way qualified to render legal advice in any form, and any interpretation of the following as advice of any kind, legal or otherwise, is not only wrong, it’s wrong-headed and totally ill advised.  The following is offered for informational and entertainment purposes only.

“Are you not entertained?!”

Any reader that reads beyond this point right here… F E ... does so at their own risk and by so doing indemnifies the author, Photographers Of Etsy, Etsy and the publishers of this and any other blog against any damages, real or imaginary, incurred, or believed to have been incurred by taking any action or inaction inspired by having read or ignoring this article.

There, that should do it!

Some months back, I think it was March of this year, I was talking to Randy Roberts of rrobertsphoto via convo, and he brought up an interesting situation he found himself in.

Three Story House

Randy does quite a bit of work related traveling, and when he’s off the clock in these far flung climes, he takes out his camera and puts it to good use recording what he finds in his viewfinder.  On this one occasion he was in a place called Kincardine, Ontario where he captured an image of an old Victorian house and, well…I’ll let him tell it:

“…for the first time since I started taking photos, I was told that one of my photos violated someone's copyright and any attempts to display or sell the photo would result in legal action. The photo was taken in Kincardine, Ontario -- a historic old house that is locally famous for being haunted -- photographed from a public street. After posting the photo on my Etsy site, I received the two emails below:

" ‘you have been warned to cease any and all useage of the name regarding Madisons Haunted Inn Kincardine Ontario, as the owners of Madisons Haunted Inn...the name is a registered existing to date crown corporation. if you continue to use the name Madisons Haunted Inn or Madisons Inn in any manner, we will commence legal action against you
Regards
Christopher Campbell CEO Madisons Inn Kincardinne
Owner of Business Name of Madisons Haunted Inn Kincardine’

" ‘hello
this email is to advise you to cease selling any and all pictures of madison's haunted inn located in kincardine ontario, i have strict copyrights to that location as the previous owner...and if you continue to sell any further pics of the property i will commence with legal action against your sales..also i will ask the court to review any and all of your sales through the past years, and you will be liable to pay to us the owners any and all proceeds from those sales..we ask you to govern yourself accordingly’”

My response to Randy follows:

“I'm not a lawyer, and avoiding the issue may be the best/easiest course of action (it's probably what I would do), but I've been doing some research, and it's entirely possible that Mr. Campbell is blowing smoke up your skirt.

"I searched the Canadian Intellectual Propery Office website for any reference to copyrights, patents, trademarks or industrial designs for "Madisons Haunted Inn", "Madison's Haunted Inn" or any part thereof and came up empty. ( www.cipo.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/h_wr00003.html )

"I also found an interesting forum thread ( 
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/general-shop-talk/145723-building-architecture-copyright.html...  ) that seems to address your exact situation, and from what I'm gathering, while it is possible to copyright a building's image, that copyright only serves to prevent anyone from using that building's design to construct another building. As a photographer, you own not only the photograph, but the copyright to the photograph and can do with it what you will.

"Again, avoiding the conflict may be the best and easiest way to go, but it sounds to me that Mr. Campbell is full of beans. I would also question the validity of a "cease and desist e-mail". A letter from his solicitor would be more convincing.

Kincardine House

Randy subsequently removed any reference to “Madison’s Haunted Inn” from his shop.

The conversation that Randy and I had was geared toward the possibility of me addressing this issue on my own blog, but it turned out to be one of those things I didn’t get around to, and I didn’t think much more about it until...

A couple weeks ago I received a similar message from a fellow Etsian who apparently joined Etsy for the express purpose of sending me the following convo:

“Hi there,

I am writing on behalf of the Fremont Arts Council and Steve Badanes, Lead Artist/ copyright holder of the Fremont Troll. I came across this photo you are selling of the Troll and I wanted to let you know that under the terms of the copyright, the Troll's image can not be sold for any reason without express written consent of the Fremont Arts Council and Steve Badanes. Most people are unaware that this (and most public art) is copyrighted and has limitations on how the image may be used in a commercial capacity. At this point all we are requesting is that you please remove the this (sic) (and any other) Troll's images you are selling in any capacity.

Regards,
Corey"

Good Lord!  I’m not trying to filch someone else’s intellectual property!  I meant to do only two things: 1) Promote a Seattle landmark, and 2) Create a portrait of the Troll, and OK, maybe make a couple bucks in the process.  But the thing is, and I don’t know how your balance sheet balances out, but after printing expenses, shipping expenses, Etsy and PayPal fees, gas, equipment and anything else you can imagine, never mind my time, I’m losing money hand under fist on this endeavor.  Now, here I’ve got someone telling me I’m stealing from them and if I don’t change my ways, I’ll have some legal expenses to add to my balance sheet!

I removed the offending image and replied with a short apology.


Fremont Troll

Then I got to thinking and decided to do a bit of research.  I discovered some interesting things that have direct impact on my situation, Randy’s situation, and who knows, maybe your situation as well.

First of all, and any Intellectual Property lawyer worth their salt will tell you the same thing, the copyright laws are very complicated; and, why wouldn’t they be, they were written by lawyers!

As you might imagine, just what the copyright laws are depend on where you were standing when you were shooting whatever it was you were shooting.  For example, the copyright law regarding architectural structures is amazingly similar in both Canada and the U.S.  

Section 32.2(1) of the Canada Copyright Act states:

It is not an infringement of copyright

[ . . . ]

(b) for any person to reproduce, in a painting, drawing, engraving, photograph or cinematographic work

     (i) an architectural work, provided the copy is not in the nature of an architectural drawing or plan, or

     (ii) a sculpture or work of artistic craftsmanship or a cast or model of a sculpture or work of artistic craftsmanship, that is permanently situated in a public place or building;

In comparison, Title 17 Section 120 of the United States Code states "The copyright in an architectural work that has been constructed does not include the right to prevent the making, distributing, or public display of pictures, paintings, photographs, or other pictorial representations of the work, if the building in which the work is embodied is located in or ordinarily visible from a public place."

As you can see, it is not a copyright infringement in either Canada or the United States to photograph an architectural work.  But, while Canada specifically includes sculpture in their statute, the United States makes no mention of it, thus neither specifically allowing nor disallowing the making of photographs of sculpted works.  If that’s not confusing enough for you, there are court decisions coming down squarely on both sides of the issue!

As photographers, copyright law is something each and every one of us has a stake in.  But, few, if any, of us really understand it, and fewer still are experts in it.  It’s safe to say that the opposite is probably true. 

Other aspects of copyright law may get some coverage in future editions of this feature, but until that happens, here are some links with some information on the subject you may find interesting:













__________________________________________________

PhotoGrunt is Steve Raley, a photographic documentarian (NOT A LAWYER!) from Seattle, Washington.  He captures images wherever he goes, and he  frequently even uses a camera.  His work can be seen on his websiteblog and his Etsy shop.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Mosaic Monday: Ingenuity




St Johns Bridge Ceramic Coaster Set  by HouseofSixCats'
Western Longhorn Sepia Desk/Wall Clock  by ElmCreekCountry
Glass Photo Pendent Lavender Field  by MesmanToo
Bamboo Tile Collage Sheet  by moonangelnay
Photo Lamp How to Catch a Falling Star   by jerseymaid
Giant Tears for Giant Feelings Photo Pendant  by lightleaks
Calendar with Easel I Dreamed of a Day at the Beach  by jessicarogers
Buterfly Fields Forever Dry Erase Memo Board  by JWPhoto
Art Night Light Giraffe  by ANGELsTIME
The Butterflies Set of 3 Photo Blocks  by SusannahTucker
Jingle All the Way Wall Plaque  by firstlightphoto
Magnetic Photo Bookmarks Set of 4 Soft Pink Rose  by LDphotography

Pat of photogenicgallery lives in the Northeast USA with her husband, 2 great dogs and "Rocky" the kitty.   Every day is an adventure and every capture with her cameras are happy moments. 

Monday, December 13, 2010

Mosaic Monday: No Snow Here

It seems there has been snow almost everywhere in the US.  Not here in the northeast!  We've had buckets of rain so I had to go to go to the POE Team to get my snow fix.  Let it snow.....






Lookout  by JMcGuinness
Snow Berries  by KBuchananPhotography
Cat and Snow  by edrazphotography
Heading Home  by timkantphotography
Two for the Road  by rrobertsphoto
Snowy Fence  by JudiFitzPatrick
How Much Is That Doggie In the Window  by StephsShoes
The Wicked Snowman  by matchstickgirl

Pat of photogenicgallery lives in the Northeast USA with her husband, 2 great dogs and "Rocky" the kitty.   Every day is an adventure and every capture with her cameras are happy moments.  

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Mind's Eye - Natural Abstractions

Welcome to December’s Mind’s Eye post, a monthly post that focuses on abstract and manipulated photography.   For this month’s post I thought it would be nice to celebrate some abstract images of winter.   In the past few posts I have discussed composing and creating visual stories and using manipulation of the photograph as a means to convey the photographer’s imagination.  However for this post I wanted to show off some abstractions that were created naturally, with little manipulation if any at all.  These beautiful images were created through the lens.  The natural environment served as the inspiration for abstraction.  Sometimes the perfect abstract photo lies waiting to be discovered just like these fabulous POE photographs.

The high contrast and composition of both of these selections are just two examples of the skill and thoughtfulness of JK Photography’s work.  Below are “Reflection”  and “Winter Forest Diptych”.

Sometimes, simply adjusting the angle of a shot is enough to abstract an image.  These beautiful photos are “Weed in Snow No. 6” and "Weed in Snow No.7” by RRobertsPhoto.
















Another POE artist who photographs nature creatively is Barbraziemerphoto.   Here are “Midnight in Our Garden Three” and the painterly “Reflective Image No.3”.

Etsy's artists never cease to impress me.  If you are ever in need of some great inspiration or a gift for that special art lover in your life think of Etsy and the Photographers of Etsy.  Merry everything to you no matter what you may be celebrating.  I look forward to the next Mind's Eye post in 2011.  Happy new year!

"Mind's Eye"  is a monthly post by Anika Toro focusing on abstract and manipulated photography. Anika lives in TN with her baby, husband, and two naughty cats. She loves taking photos every moment of every day. 
Anika shares her photography in her shop, on her blog, and invites you to collaborate.
 If you would like to read any of the past Mind's Eye posts please click here.

 

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Focus On: Focus

This time out, instead of focusing on an individual, I've decided to focus on "Focus" itself.

Focus is one of those things we all use. It's a tool each of us has in our toolbox and we use it in different ways, depending on what we wish to accomplish. Using and manipulating focus we have the capacity to draw the viewer into our photograph and direct their attention in almost any way we wish, sometimes shooting for sharpness and clarity and other times intentionally blurring our subject.

The following are a number of images that celebrate the use of focus as both an element of the photograph and a means of enhancing the viewer's visual experience. I encourage you to view them with a critical eye. What was the artist trying to accomplish? Was the artist successful? How does the photograph make you feel? If you were to recreate the image what, if any focus changes would you make?

Enjoy!

Baseball - schugirl



Dreamy Ride - magnesina



By Hand - kclarkphotography



Magnificent Marshland - bbrunophotography



always let your conscience be your guide - saramontour



Lincoln - SolsticePhoto




Bein' Green - ArtfulMagpie



Ground Cherry - lbilbs14



A Pair of Lemons - JenniferAitchison



Lunch by the Sea - talis



Mystic Mountain Path - zMacPhotography



Knoxville - anikatoro



Wood Carver's Hands - PhotoGrunt



Horse - equinoxphoto



Monastic 03 - fiveonenine



Shipwreck - photographybymoni



Sense of Something Coming - ajawin



ABSTRACT ARCHITECTURE - photopia



Misunderstood - siriusimagery



All the Pretty Horses - LindseysPhotography



Pop - moonbuggs



Snowy Trees - rrobertsphoto



Park Guell Columns - thartzo



Smith Tower - Nakedeye17



No. 4862 - artinmind



Sepia Charlotte Anne - HouseofSixCats


__________________________________________________

PhotoGrunt is Steve Raley, a photographic documentarian from Seattle, Washington.  He captures images wherever he goes, and he  frequently even uses a camera.  His work can be seen on his websiteblog and his Etsy shop.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Mosaic Monday... Black And WhiteTalk

An extremely busy time of the year so for the second week in a row I am late.  I will try to do better...I promise!  I'm in a black and white kinda mood and these great works by the POE Team speak to me.
Without further adieu...





White Horse by Lhosphotography
Spoken of the Soul by AlteredAbbey
Plastic Windows by lightleaks
Vanilla Dream by jennifersquires
First Snow by StephsShoes
And no one was there by garyhellerphotograph
Love Will Tear Us Apart by studiocvh
Night In the Garden by bbrunophotography
Survival by HolgaJen

Pat of photogenicgallery lives in the Northeast USA with her husband, 2 great dogs and "Rocky" the kitty.   Every day is an adventure and every capture with her cameras are happy moments.