Building on top of the great post from Ben Cook, A call to Internet Marketers: Stop Stealing Content, I would like to take this momentum and opportunity to point about a recent case where I got approach the right way with a question if a certain image of mine could be used.
I share Ben’s sentiment, where I have had multiple pictures lifted from search results. I even went as far to fill out a DMCA take down request just very recently, to take down an image from a Picasa album. Googla has made that process easy enough to go through it quickly. On a regular basis I get people to reach out to me where they saw my image somewhere used, or even where somebody acted like they took the image. Sometimes you get people to add a link as you requested, most people don’t even respond to your email requesting to either add a link or take the picture down. A DMCA to a site owner takes considerably more time than through a simple Google form. So most of the stealing offenders are getting away with it.
The Proper Way to Ask for Permission to Use that Image you Found at Google
While it can go really easy and with a good result if you just ask, as Ben also indicated. Just recently, I received this simple request through my contact form on my picture site DPictures.com:
Hello! I found this image http://dpictures.com/san-
francisco-skyline-sunset/ online and I was wondering if I could buy this from you or would I be able to use it as a banner?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Its about this picture:
Now to understand more what kind of business I was dealing with, I responded quickly, and we went back and forth on the topic:
Me:
Can you explain more about how you would use the picture? Do you mean an online banner or a printed banner?
Request:
It would be for an author book signing I am planning for several authors in SF. The banner would be used on the website. Here is the site www.authorsonthebay.com. My graphics person found your SF image. Attached is the banner image I would like to get it changed to using your image but I won’t unless you give me permission. I also have the banner image with all the author names on there as they would use it on their pages. That is also attached for your review.
Please let me know if it’s ok to use and if there is a charge? I’m happy to pay you a fee like when I’ve purchased off a stock photo site.
I will grant you the right to use the picture under the following conditions:
– Picture can only be used as described in the previous email, for this event only
– Instead of paying me, I would like to ask you to make a donation to Lucile Packard Foundation of $25 (Feel free to add any amount if you would like to) in name of Deyan Goedegebuure (my son who is diagnosed as a pre-diabetic),
– Can you send the proof to me, as I would like to use it in a blogpost describing your way of asking for permission is the way to go on the internet. I will send the post before publication to you for approval, and will mask any identifiable information
If you would like, you can also add a link to your website to point out the picture is being used with permission, and link to the page where you have found it.
Stop stealing images, just ask permission from the right holder, its really simple!
The email conversations and the banner are published with permission of the person who requested the usage of the image.
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