This hasn't hit all the forums yet but Google has a new image search engine that's very accurate in finding out if any of your images are appearing on other peoples web sites:
http://fairtradephotographer.blogspot.com/2011/06/googles-new-search-by-image-tineye-on.html
Understand your rights if you use it. It may be a rights grab.
"11. Content license from you
11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.
11.2 You agree that this license includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services.
11.3 You understand that Google, in performing the required technical steps to provide the Services to our users, may (a) transmit or distribute your Content over various public networks and in various media; and (b) make such changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to the technical requirements of connecting networks, devices, services or media. You agree that this license shall permit Google to take these actions.
11.4 You confirm and warrant to Google that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the above license."
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
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Replies
Wow! I just found one of my paintings used on a blog last year.
Larry, your post prompted me to do a search to see where my art is. To my consternation, I saw one of my pieces, "Toe Shoes" used on a scrapbooker's site, available in a slightly altered form, for free download.
While I appreciate that she likes the image, I wrote and asked her to remove it. She responded with an abject apology and wanted to know what I wanted her to do. I suggested she make it unavailable for download and create a new post:
"How about you do a post, using my art as an example, of do's and don'ts of using images found on the web. Explain that you've been informed that the image is copyright by the artist, Barbara Berney (http://barbara-berney.artistwebsites.com/), and then say that it's important to make sure that they try to find the original source and ask for permission. If they are unable to get permission, don't use it as you may be stealing someone else's intellectual property without realizing it. You could make it a "teachable moment" for your readers by giving them the goods on copyright laws and intellectual property."
She has agreed to do it, but I can't say I'd expect very many people to be so compliant.
So Larry, if we don't add out content to our images people won't find our work right? So basically we don't have a choice? So if we don't agree with Google, What can we do? Most of the time clients look for us by our name so is it a better choice just add our name to Google's search engine?
Thank you for your post, very informative
The Tineye software has been in beta for years but combined with Google's image database it's become a more powerful tool. Yesterday, on my forum there was discussion on whether it's considered a rights grab but on the advertising photography forum, they are keeping away from using it.
Images can be indexed from the web four ways, by file name, by alt tags, by EXIF data, and by words on the web page close to your images.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100