I've been having fun doing strange things with my PS Elements for a few months and someone turned me onto this site. Looks like a whole lot of fun goin' on around here.

As I've been doing my experiments up until this point, what ever I needed to piece my works together, I would just do a Google image search for. When ever it was obvious that an image was copyrighted, like with a watermark or if it came from a stock photo site, photographers site or artists site, I would not use the image without permission. For anything else though, I really didn't feel it was necessary to contact anyone.

So, my question is, other than the special situations mentioned above, is it really necessary to get permission for your run of the mill photo, found on a Google image search? If so, that sure would slow things down.

Along the same idea, are there any free sources of copyright free images that many of you folks use and could lead me too.

After reading the rules of this place, I've just all of the sudden gotten a little weirded out about the copyright issue. I'm I being a little too paranoid?

What's the general feel about this particular issue amongst the majority of users?

Thanks a head of time for any ideas on this matter.

Hello?
Is there anybody IN there?
Just nod if you can hear me
Is there anyone home?

I'm no authority on copyright, but I'm a big Pink Floyd fan, so here is my reply.

There is no profit involved in using google to search out bits of source images to chop onto contest entries. Nobody is printing a book of our entries and selling it, or winning cash prizes for chops. There's also no claim here that work is original. On the contrary, this is a contest of a person's ability to take a piece of found art and customize it.

The content here is clean, and for the most part, respectful, and the environment here is one of learning and friendly competition.

Again, I don't pretend to have a knowledge of the legal issues involved, but I don't feel uncomfortable sampling bits of photos I find on the web, to craft a PSC post.

I don't know of any good sources of free clipart photos, but clipart.com is not too bad. Also, you can often find CDs with several hundred stock photos, very cheaply.

if you're looking for a ton of great free stock photos I would recommend stock.xchng.

it's one of the best free stock photo sites I know of.

Cynn,
Thanks. Pretty much my opinion also, except when it's obvious that the photo came from a professional photographers site or has a watermark.

mr. visual,
Thanks for the link. I'll look into that one for sure.

Or try this site: http://www.imageafter.com/

Or try this site: http://www.imageafter.com/

Here are a few links i found on the subject while google searching the topic...

http://www.2learn.ca/copyright/images.html
Designed as a teacher's guide to help guide their students as far as what is/isnt legal to use. Good general guide lines.

http://www.timestream.com/stuff/neatstuff/mmlaw.html
Goes over the basis of the copyright stuff...pretty extensive actually.

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-fairuse.html
US Copyright Office

http://webclipart.about.com/od/msub67/
About.com

http://whatiscopyright.org/
Info about copyrighting stuff (ie: how to properly put the little copyright symbol in there and all that stuff)

http://whatiscopyright.org/
A site written by a lawyer who specializes in taxes but still good stuff

Hope this is usful for ya'll

hi I am new here...thanks alot txpinky for that link there...that really gonna help me!

i use this like a bible http://www.bluevertigo.com.ar/bluevertigo.htm