If you follow the APOD threads, you may have noticed I have a new hobby
I’m confused about copyright issues, though. I’m trying to read about it, but it always helps to have it explained several times.
I got this image from Wiki commons
If I understand it right, the people who submit pictures there are donating them so that people can use them.
What kinds of uses would be OK? Could I use that Wiki Commons picture on my website (if I had one)?
And what about the APOD pictures? some are NASA pictures (and those are in the public domain?) Others, like today’s, have the photographer’s name on them.
It seems clear to me that it’s OK to make a collage like the above for my own use. It also seems clear that to sell that collage is forbidden. But what about posting it here?
(I’m talking about the legality of it-- not whether it’s tacky or not )
If it’s actual NASA work, it is public domain. Work of the federal government cannot be subject to copyright. That means if you use it, your work cannot be copyrighted either, at least not that part of the work that uses a NASA image. I don’t think there’s anything to stop you from charging for it, though. (For example, federal scientists submit papers to journals; the journals can still charge for issues that have federal work, not only that, they can charge for copies of those individual articles.)
Contract work for the government can be copyrighted, so if there’s an image that has a name and a little c on it, that’s not PD.
I self-published my first book via Xlibris. (a print-on-demand company.)
I designed the cover by creating a collage from various images relevant to the story, including a photo of one of my daughters, standing in for the main character. The only image that concerned me was of a dog–a picture I scanned from a dog book I acquired in roughly 1970. I attempted to contact the author/photographer–a dog-show judge lady who, I discerned via internet search, lived somewhere in the UK. The publishing company was not in business. I wrote her, care of some organization that googling revealed her to be affiliated with. Never heard back, so I figured that of the 5 people who bought that book, she would probably not be one.
If you follow the APOD threads, you may have noticed I have a new hobby lol
And it looks like you are having a great time with it! Go to fredmiranda.com. It is a photo site, and they are constantly having discussions on copyright issues. If the search function is working, you can look up discussions about copyrights (more than you ever wanted to know). Intuous tablets are the best thing going, aren’t they?
Thanks-- that’s helpful-- you went in search of permission and did your best.
I’d love to see a copy of the cover, by the way!
Thanks, I hadn’t heard of them. Sounds like if I do some reading there I’ll get to hear it explained several times at least
Intuos tablets are the best thing going, aren’t they?
The only thing I have to compare it with was a HP tablet from 5 yrs ago. That felt very “clicky” and mechanical. This Intuos 3 tablet has a slightly rough surface that feels very similar to paper, and the pressure sensitivity means when I draw a line, it varies with pressure, and looks “alive” rather than uniform. The tablet I got came w/ 3 software packages, all for a very good price. I’m working on Corel Paint right now. It came with a series of 10 video lessons on DVD, which was very helpful (much better way to start than jumping in with the manual).
So, yeah, not that I have much to compare it with, but it’s waaaay exceeded my expectations
But I’m preaching to the choir, aren’t I?
I just go one for Christmas, and have been really enjoying it. I don’t do so much photo stuff, more just drawing/painting/whatever you want to call it so far, but it’s very cool for that! Sorry this is slightly biggish, but it’s a drawing I did of Harold Lloyd! Harold Lloyd is my hero. I just have to show him off. I used Seashore for this, in case anybody cares. I keep meaning to figure out the corel paint and photoshop elements that came with the tablet, but Seashore is what’s familiar, and it’s so simple… I like that.
You should go get a few of his films (check your local library). He had impeccable comedic timing, did great stunts, and was just generally brilliant. I admire anyone who does whatever they do really really well, and in my opinion he was just about as good as they get! Freakin’ genius, he was.
I used Seashore for this, in case anybody cares. I keep meaning to figure out the corel paint and photoshop elements that came with the tablet, but Seashore is what’s familiar, and it’s so simple… I like that.
He had impeccable comedic timing, did great stunts, and was just generally brilliant. I admire anyone who does whatever they do really really well, and in my opinion he was just about as good as they get! Freakin’ genius, he was.