Monday, July 23, 2007

Why pay for an image when there are millions of free images on the web?

With all the availability of content on the web it’s important to know what you are getting and how the choices you make affect you and your customer. Today just downloading any image can get you and your client in BIG trouble. As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words”. Or, if you’re not careful, a picture may be worth thousands of dollars in legal fees.

Recently I attended a conference where the principle speaker was using PowerPoint to help convey his message. Several of the slides in the presentation included images that still carried the watermarks of the stock agencies that sold them. After the presentation I had time to ask the presenter where he acquired his images. He proudly explained to me that his designer found them during several photo searches on the web and that the images were available for free. I then took the time to explain to him that the images included in his presentation may be protected by a copyright and that the watermark displayed on the images is the owner’s or legal distributor’s way of protecting the images. I also pointed out that if he put them on his website, as he stated that he was planning to do, he may be liable for fees and damages.

Know your image source! Whether you use PhotoSpin or another royalty free image provider, the most important thing to know is where the images come from. Your customers are counting on you to not only provide a quality piece, but also a finished project without the possibility of negative repercussions that can damage both of your reputations.

Paying a little today may save you thousands tomorrow.

A Shameless Plug…
A few weeks ago in this blog I spoke with Glen Wexler about how to land a big account. He mentioned his newest project; a book entitled “The Secret Life of Cows”. Well it’s now available. If you want to see the true genius of Glen’s work check out his book: http://www.secretlifeofcows.com