Using stock photos in hubs

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   TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years ago

   Twice now I have received letters from moderators indicating that they don't want me to use "so many" stock photos.  This is the first time this has ever happened in almost 7 years on this site, and concerns me greatly.  I am not a photographer.  I have always used stock photos which I carefully edit.  If this team is now going to require us to use our own photos, my days here will be numbered because I simply am not good enough with a camera to create good photos, don't have the time to do so and am far too old (75) to start learning. Is anybody else getting letters like this?  If so, are they only for HealDove consideration or for other niche sites.  I have written an email to the team asking for clarification on this matter but am curious to know if anybody else is having this issue, especially on Heal Dove, because that is where I'm seeing the problem right now.

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      theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      It was mentioned but it was only in a form email, not a remark made by an individual editor. I think if the image does the job and is good quality and legal, it's fine.
      
      At least for now

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         TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Actually, it was a form letter with notes from the moderator at the bottom telling me specifically to "use fewer stock photos".  This was not a generalized comment but was meant specifically  regarding photos.  This is the second time in as many weeks that I have gotten one like this.

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Here is the response I got from Robin:
      
      I understand that it's difficult to take your own photos.  I have a couple of suggestions for you:
      
      Here are a few sites that we use for creative commons images.  Our favorite is unsplash for professional-looking images. 
      I suggest not adding a border around your images; I think it will look more professional without one. 
      If possible, choose stock photos without faces of people—for some reason these tend to look less professional. 
      Lastly, if photos are not needed, perhaps just use one really good photo rather than multiple images that aren't adding to the content. 
      
      Here is the site that lists the favored photo websites...note that Morguefile is not among them
      
      https://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=810 … ca9540d715
      
      Bottom line:
      
      use their favored sites,
      avoid borders,
      don't use photos with people's faces
      use one good photo rather than several not so good or that don't add to content.
      
      Personally, I find this disheartening and limiting and feel I'll have a hard time going forward finding photos that meet these requirements.  Very distressing when you've been using a tried and true method for 7 years.

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         lobobrandonposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for the update.

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         theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         That all sounds pretty good to me. Robin says 'suggest, 'if possible' and 'perhaps'. They are recommendations, not rules.
         
         Therefore, if an editor queries a certain photo, or batch of photos, adjustments can be made. It's a case of using images wisely and not just slapping any old thing on.
         
         If you are using RV images from stock sites, you can always crop them so that the focus is on whatever you are discussing in the article. Download the highest quality version, then crop till it looks right. It'll then be a unique version of that image.

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            TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

            I think you're missing the point here.  When Robin makes "suggestions" she is reinforcing what has happened the past few times with articles being rejected because of the images...which were edited stock photos of people that had borders.  These are not just suggestions, she is telling me (and us) that this is what the team wants and if they don't get it we can expect to have the types of issues I've recently encountered.  I've been around for a long time and well know what I need to do with images, but this is something new...something they should have made clear to the writers here...and this is not about any one person's work...it's about all of our work.  What's done is done, but going forward expect to see those "your article is eligible" emails that will hold your articles back from being moved to niche sites.  Yes, eventually they get there, but the longer they wait, the more money we lose.  It's pretty clear to me and trying to skirt the issues with assumptions is a mistake.

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   lobobrandonposted 6 years ago

   Oh. Let us know what the team says please. I would like to agree with Bev though .

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Will do

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   theraggededgeposted 6 years ago

   Especially as they upload new ones constantly. It's true you sometimes see the sames ones around the web, but what does it matter if it illustrates the point you are trying to make.
   
   Sometimes, when I'm writing for my client's blogs I spend ages looking because I want the exact right expression on a person's face (for example). I couldn't photograph that myself in a million years.

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      lobobrandonposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Agreed. Finding pictures that convey the message is all you need. Also, I spend hours trying to find the right video to convey my message. I used to love growing tomatoes back when I was younger, it's been a few years. So I definitely cannot get new pictures as I have no garden right now. So I look for images that seem to do what I did or videos that explain the stuff the way I used to do it.
      
      I doubt HP will go against using stock photos as long as they are not simple vector graphics. I remember Christy saying something about using vector graphics. Most people use vector graphics wrong and don't convey the right message through them.

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      kenneth averyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      @ raggededge -- when I do publish on HP, I only use two or three stock photos and I also do my best to credit the photos--even the ones that are free. I hope that I am not in any danger.

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         theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Of course not, Kenneth. You're fine. There is no problem using stock photos

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            kenneth averyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            raggededge -- thank you, kindly.

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            TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

            If you read Robin's response that I just posted, apparently there ARE some problems.

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               theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

               TT2, Kenneth is fine using whatever photos. He doesn't need to worry about all that now. If there's a problem with his hubs, the editors will let him know.
               
               All's well, Kenneth

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                  kenneth averyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                  "Thanks." for you.

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                  TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

                  The editors already DID let me know...don't you get it?  If they're saying this to me, they are saying this to everybody.  You may not think this is a big deal or that people don't need to pay attention "right now", but you are incorrect.  If it wasn't an issue, they would not be sending out the warnings.

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                     lobobrandonposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                     I think Bev is just trying to tell Kenneth that he does not have to worry about his hubs right now. He can take his time off to recover. This is not an emergency where he has to update his hubs.
                     
                     I took your advice and updated one of my hubs and requested a move to a niche site. This one is a hub that I tried to submit over a year ago and it was not accepted. I asked on the forums and Marisa and many others could not find any issue with it. It had borders on all the images in the hub and the titles were not APA formatted. Some things which are taken for granted today (APA) were not realized by anyone on the forums who tried to help. Some things change slowly, others are more drastic.

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                     theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                     They aren't saying it to everyone. I'm using stock images and my hubs are fine. If changes need to be made, well, we'll make them. Meanwhile, why don't we just calm down about this? Stress is the last thing Ken needs right now, yes?
                     
                     Edit: I just got round to looking at the link Robin provided, and Pixabay and Pexels are already on there. So that's good for Kenneth, and all of us who use those sites.

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                        TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

                        Depends on what stock images you're using and how you're presenting them..  I use many with people in them and all of them with borders.  You might not be doing this.
                        
                        I'm not suggesting that we go back and redo all of our images, just that we need to pay closer attention in the future with how we handle images.
                        
                        Furthermore, this is fairly recent, which is probably why all writers aren't getting those messages.  However, I suspect they will moving forward.
                        
                        I am sorry that Kenneth is ill, but this is about more than one person.  This is about all of us.  He really should be resting now until he is fully recovered before trying to come onto the forums because we all know that sometimes things here can be stressful.
                        
                        This forum is a perfect example.  You keep saying "don't worry, don't worry", and I am sharing info directly from the team that clearly is reason, not for worrying, but for making changes.  Big difference.

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   Polly Cposted 6 years ago

   I have not had a message though I usually use stock photos.. That's concerning as it is not always possible to obtain a photo of what you want - or what I want, anyway - without invading the personal space of random people.

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   Sam Montanaposted 6 years ago

   I have not had that message yet. I do know that it is harder and harder to find royalty free photos, most have been bought up by iStock, Geddes, etc.
   
   On top of that, there are many lawsuits now due to people using photos that were not paid for. These companies and lawyers are called copyright trolls. That is why you are seeing so many stock photos from Pixabay on articles. And I even saw Pixabay articles being used on sites like CNBC.

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

      That's interesting.  I have been warning writers here for some time to be careful about using photos without permission and accreditation because there have already been some lawsuits filed against writers here.  Those who ignore the warning could be in for some nasty surprises!

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   kenneth averyposted 6 years ago

   I forgot to mention that I use Pixabay or WikiMedia Commons which have attribution for their photos--am I still okay?

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      theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Yeppers
      
      How are you feeling, by the way?

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         kenneth averyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         theraggededge -- thank you for asking. I feel so tired and drained from all of the tests and procedures I had to take while in the hospital that I feel if I am doing good if I can walk to the living room to my kitchen for coffee. I am to meet with a heart specialist on May 3 to see what "he" is going to prescribe. I hope to be back on HP as soon as I can. I miss you and everyone.
         Take care and keep those great hubs coming and have a fun weekend.

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   psycheskinnerposted 6 years ago

   That phrase seems to me to say you just have too many photos, not to complain about their source.

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

      That wasn't what I got out of it.  What I got was "use more of your own photos".  I don't think there's any such thing as using too many photos as long as they are well done and relevant.

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   psycheskinnerposted 6 years ago

   I don't see anything to worry about.  Don't overload the pics, use good ones, no frames--probably what most people are already doing.

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