Can I post famous photographers photos onto my blog?

I wouldn't have thought it would be a problem if it was clear you where writing an article about the artist and not passing the work off as your own.

That's what my common sense head says anyway. Legally, I'm not sure.

Wikipedia display some of Ansel Adams works.
 
I'll answer a slightly different question!

I've put an Ansel Adams picture on my blog and no-one has yet told me to remove it, ditto for the Bill Brandt, Winston Link and Colin Gifford (railway photographer-you probably won't have heard of him) pictures on my blog also.
Am I breaching copyright? Probably.
I know that just because you can, doesn't mean you should, but my rationale is that I'm not profiting from it, and some are part of book reviews thus publicising their work.
 
I don't see any problem providing you make it absolutely clear to all readers that the shots are the work of other photographers and you give them due credit.
 
"Fair use" is a US concept. I believe in the UK we have a more restricted rule of "fair dealing".

In particular the law says:-

"Fair dealing with a work for the purpose of criticism or review, of that or another work or of a performance of a work, does not infringe any copyright in the work provided that it is accompanied by a sufficient acknowledgement. "

This would appear to cover your position however IANAL and I could be wrong !
 
You're allowed "fair use" reproduction of copyrighted works. This includes using the work for "comment" or "education", which sounds a bit like it would apply to your intended use. It's a bit more complicated than that but, generally, if your use is "fair" and you're not making any money directly from it, and you're not reproducing massive bodies of high resolution work, the chances of anyone caring are small.
 
As already discussed, fair use is sufficient so long as full attribution is given, and no commercial exploitation of the image takes place... meaning you're not selling other people work, or being paid for publishing them on someone else's behalf etc.. If it's an educational blog, or a photographic discussion blog... stuff like that, and you post up for argument's sake, a Nan Golding image, so long as you say it' a Nan Golding image you're probably OK.
 
Hi James. Suggest you put a small disclaimer on the foot of your blog something along the lines of "Copyright of all non-original images is acknowledged and respected as allowed under fair dealing legislation. Any problematic images will be removed on request of the copyright holder". Should cover it.

Rob
 
Hi James. Suggest you put a small disclaimer on the foot of your blog something along the lines of "Copyright of all non-original images is acknowledged and respected as allowed under fair dealing legislation. Any problematic images will be removed on request of the copyright holder". Should cover it.

Rob


No need. Just credit the author.
 
No need. Just credit the author.

I agree but if you don't have the proper attribution it could get problematical, equally if there are many images used it can be cumbersome. My suggestion was intended as a 'catch-all' solution.

Rob
 
I agree but if you don't have the proper attribution it could get problematical, equally if there are many images used it can be cumbersome. My suggestion was intended as a 'catch-all' solution.

Rob

if you don't have propper atribution it will be a problem anyway, as if you've not propperly atribbuted it you haven't acknowledged the copyright holder per your disclamer

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I spoke to a media solicitor a couple of years ago about this. According to them, fair dealing is there to enable discussion and debate of images or other content in educational institutions, where the discussion will be controlled and targeted. He did not seem to think that general commentary on forums for example would necessarily be covered in this, where the debate might be public, inappropriate, or even potentially damaging or irksome to the originator. I presume this is why the general protocol on forums is that a link is posted to the work rather than the content itself, and that the discussion is tempered to a degree.

I have had countless cases where entire articles, including images and wording, has been lifted from my Blogs and republished in their entirety on other photography blogs or chat rooms. I am always given attribution, but nevertheless I think the purpose of republishing my work is to draw more traffic and prominence to those places - and that may at times be at the expense of traffic going to the original article on my own website (particularly once the commentary gets going). On some occasions the blog owners do ask my consent but as an author I strongly feel that my permission should be gained from the outset and there needs to be a clear rationale behind the request. I'm not sure the mantle of fair dealing is as broad as some people seem to think.
 
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