Web Use

[PHX Photo]

Hi Paul,
Thank you for your reply.  Yes, I know what I signed, and honestly, if I made a living in photography, and/or took the best photo of Air Force One ever, then I wouldn't give it away.  I was happy with the photos I took, but they are not the be all, end all photos; I can do better.  When I take the magnum opus of Air Force One photographs, it will not be posted on FlightAware (along with half a dozen other sites I can think of).

I was more interested in hearing from others who have used FlightAware in the past and if they have experienced some of the same frustrations I have, or if the Terms of Use like I highlighted were keeping others from posting photos there for the same reason.

[Jay Beckman]

You just have to be very careful and read the fine print on sites, contests, social media, etc...  One service's TOS that simply grants them permission to carry your images is another service's "rights grab."

There's a fine line between promoting yourself and giving up the ship entirely.  You'll notice that all of my posts bear a watermark that's not exactly subtle.  This serves to both promote and deter.  While I prefer to promote my own photography and will use my logo from time to time, I think it's only fair that if I'm going to use AzAP as a platform, I should help promote it as well so I usually use the AzAP graphic for a watermark.  Generally, some kind of watermark that bites off a little bit of the image (and is therefore harder to remove) is at least a slight deterrent to the casual "smash and grab" image lifter.  Size of image and jpeg quality also help keep images at a visually useful but reproductively useless quality.

I know it's been a bone of contention around here with some feeling very strongly about photographer's rights and others feeling that if it's on the web, it's essentially fair game and if you don't want an image used unfairly, don't post it.  The letter of the law is supposed to support those who feel that unauthorized use of an image is flat out theft.  The spirit of the law (or more accurately, how it is applied in the real world) is not so cut and dried.

What you choose to do is an entirely individual decision but I will say this, everything you do to facilitate your photography has an associated cost,  Gear, gas, parking garage fees (if you shoot at KPHX), lunch, tickets to airshows, your internet service and even the electricity to power your computer and charge your batteries creates a "bill" that will never be paid off or even the least bit paid down if you never make at least some effort to put a value on what you create.

To me the "Pro Vs Joe" argument really holds no water because gear, gas, food, electricity, etc costs the same for one as it does for the other so (IMO) there's no reason to not seek at least some compensation for yourself when potential windfall exists for anyone who wants to use the end results of your labor.

[Joe Copalman]

Where's the "like" button?

[Paul Dumm]

Yes, Mr. Web Guy where is a like button. 
It's a shame that theres some out there that seem like they whant to "help" you out by showing your photos only to take away your copyirghts. If you read Flightaware's terms of use it saids that they do not whant any water marks on the photos. I wonder why? You got great photos there PHX, keep it up.

[Bubak]

I have a  Flightaware portfolio.....   http://flightaware.com/user/bubak

[PHX Photo]

Jay, great summary.

Paul, thank you- I will.  I've been meaning to get back to KPHX, I want to get a shot of the British Airways 747-400.

Bubak- there's another FlightAware shortcoming; it's difficult (to me, at least) to figure out how to add someone to the 'flight crew'.

[jslugman]

"We do what we want and you agreed to it" is the way I read it.

[BillOz]

Kaspar,

I see you have at least 2 photos that are FlightAware Staff Picks right now, and probably many more previously.

Congrats.

[Bubak]

Thank You Bill!

To me the "Pro Vs Joe" argument really holds water because, there's no reason to seek at least some compensation for myself.  I shut pictures anyway, its my hobby.  One day, when I have a "name" I will ask for money.  Now I am happy when somebody ask for my pictures and give me credit.  (My individual decision)

[Brian Lockett]

hellokansascity.com is using my photo of Super Constellation N6937C to illustrate their article about the National Airline History Museum in Kansas.

[Bubak]

Congrats. Nice!

[Brian Lockett]

Congrats. Nice!

Thanks a lot!

[jslugman]

Couple of photos up at J.J.'s Warthog News site from the recent Friendship Festival in Japan:

http://warthognews.blogspot.com/2011/08/two-25th-fighter-squadron-10cs-caught.html

[Bubak]

Congrats!!!

[wingsnstuff]

Very nice photo.  Congratulations.