Allen Steinburg Wrote:
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> Jamey
>
> I'm sorry, but your whining is getting a bit
> much and redundant. You bitch and complain yet
> you have never contributed anything constructive
> to the site from what I can see. Everything that I
> have read of yours so far amounts to nothing more
> than verbal bullying or just wanting to hear
> yourself. Jolyon and others I feel have been very
> patient with these attacks. If you have issues as
> great as you seem to think they are, then move on
> and save yourself an ulser. For my part, if you
> want to use water marks and it makes you feel
> better, then by all means use them. If you don't
> want to use them, then don't. If you are overly
> worried about copyright, then don't post.
>
> I deal with copyright issues in another field of
> interest and depending upon your countries or
> international laws, there is copyright protection.
> It is up to the individual to look into it and not
> just run off at the mouth as you seem to do. Or,
> is your purpose just to stir things up?
Well, obviously you don't read the photo section often then as I have been helping here with questions for a little while now.
As for whining and attitude, all I see is your whining and your attitude and urgent need to cause a fight and argue and be belligerent. I merely corrected some misinformation to save some folks some possible future headaches and gave my opinion on the matter and am having a discussion/debate/whatever choose to call it, don't like it then don't read it, I am entitled to my opinion as much as you are yours.
As for running at the mouth, again, why don't you follow your own advice as you have contributed exactly jack to this thread except to stir the pot and troll and cause more arguments interrupting a discussion. Hmmm.. Pot calling the kettle black maybe!?
I didn't insult you, so why do you feel the need to come in and start attacking me!? Childish!
One does not have to contribute to the Gallery with images in order to be contributing to this website, I contribute in other ways with my expertise by helping others chose the proper equipment and with the proper techniques on how to get the shots so they can contribute if they so chose to the Gallery. If your intent was to do anything but troll and cause more arguing you would have already known this because you would have looked first before jumping.
As for not using an image for personal gain makes no difference as you are in violation of copyright regardless.
There are Fair Use laws in the USA, but they are NOT remotely as wide open as many seem to think they are. There are very strict guidelines and such to fall under fair use. I suggest reading up on them before jumping to conclusions as to what they do and do not cover.
To be legal, your best bet if you want to use an image is contact the poster, if it is his/her image then you should get their permission or if a professional ask them for a simple release for personal usage that way you are covered just in case down the road they forget or sell the rights to another party. If you can not find the owner, then you shouldn't use the image, plain and simple as it is not yours and you do not have permission. Unless the image is release under creative commons or some other free to use type licensing. Look at it this way, you wouldn't walk into someone's house and take their wallet off their kitchen table just because the front door was open, would you? No different then taking/using an image without permission.
As for protecting a Copyright after it has been violated, yes, one can do this, but I don't think you realize just how expensive it is to pursue a Copyright violation into court where most end up going, I do, and it is anything but cheap, sadly! It is far cheaper and causes less headaches for a little bit of preliminary precautions like watermarking and stenography. The few seconds it takes to add them is far cheaper then the few thousand dollars it costs just to pursue violations in court. You would also be surprised how many times a simple nice letter or a threatening follow up just does not work. Yes, it typically works on those who innocently didn't know better, but seldom ever works on those who knew or those using it for commercial reasons. A big trick many shady companies are using now is to use the image, if they get caught they sick their attorneys on the photog and settle out of court for next to nothing in comparison to what they would have had to spend to license the image from the start. This all came about with the advent of the cheap dSLR cameras that most everyone can now afford to go out and buy. An ounce of precaution is worth a pound of cure, as they say!
. I also help people in person if you ever make it to my neck of the woods! I used to have regular photographic meet & greets with combined members from various different forums, but had to stop those due to my RSD. 
will ban you - what i do not expect at all - you will see me interfere with my humble possibilities.
