Attributions for photos

1. 77

   CatherineGiordanoposted 9 years ago

   Does HP need to see the link in order to know that the picture was legally obtained?They insist on it in boot camp, but what about afterwards?
   
   I know Pixabay and some other free-image sites don't require attribution. I do it anyway and include the link because I feel I should credit the artist/photographer.  Is this good or bad to do?
   
   When I modify a picture, I use this as the source: "Catherine Giordano (via Pixabay, modified)" and show the link to the original picture. I feel I shouldn't claim it as my own when it is 90% someone else's work. If I have combined two pictures from Pixabay, I use the link to the picture that provided the larger portion of the new picture I have created. Is this good or bad?
   
   In another forum thread, someone said that if I had several pictures with the Pixabay link, I would run afoul of the rule that says you can't have more than two links in one hub to the same website domain.  But I often use the Pixabay link as the source for several pictures without any problem.  [Once when I tried to link to the Poetry Foundation 4 times because I was linking to 4 pages related to poems for spring, summer, fall, winter (one page per season), a notice popped up that I couldn't do it. I never get that notice with Pixabay.]
   
   When it is my own photo, I use my name as the source. I know I could just omit the source, but I want to be clear that I own the picture. Is this a good way to do it?
   
   When someone else has given me a photo, I simply say "Courtesy of (name)." There is no link because it did not come from the web. If it is a photo from another website and I have obtained written permission to use,  I say "Courtesy of (name)" and give the link. 
   
   If I get my photo from a site that asks for attribution, I use the requested attribution and the link. If it is a public domain photo, I use "Public Domain" and provide the link. Is this right? Is it better to include the links or leave them off?
   
   Quite a lot of questions.  I am hoping that I find a consensus of what is the best way to handle attributions.

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   1. 93

      Christy Kirwanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Catherine,
      
      We don't require you to link where the license of the image doesn't require it, so it's up to you whether or not you choose to include it.
      
      It's most important that you are citing your sources in line with the requirements of the license the photo is under. For a photo that belongs to you or someone you know, the name (with "by permission" or "with permission" if the owner is someone else who has allowed you to use the image) is pretty standard.

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      1. 77

         CatherineGiordanoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I know I am not required to name the source or provide the link when the image is "free", but is it good to do so anyway. Or does it have negative effects? If I take a free image and modify it, should I claim it as my own, just leave the source blank, or do what I have been doing --claiming it as my own by crediting the source.  I think all 3 are permissible, but which is best?

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         1. 93

            Christy Kirwanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            I don't believe it has any effect one way or the other, beyond the legal risk of using copyrighted images and/or incorrectly citing images that require it.
            
            Many Creative Commons images require you to cite the owner, even if the image is modified (though you should mention that you have modified it), but as for public domain images, stock photos you have purchased, and other images you have full rights to, it's completely up to you. There isn't really a "right" or "wrong" way.

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            1. 93

               Christy Kirwanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               I should also add that citation is required (even for public domain photos, stock photos you've purchased, and photos you've taken yourself) in order to participate in many HubPages programs such as certain of our contests, or having your Hub selected as a Hub of the Day. We understand that it may not be legally required, but it's the only way Staff has to verify that you have the right to use the images.

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               1. 77

                  CatherineGiordanoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  Aha!  That is what I thought and that is why I was taking the trouble to do attributions. Now if I modify the artwork for images which allow modification, how do I credit it?.

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                  1. 93

                     Christy Kirwanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     The usual format is: Creator via Site You Found the Photo On, License, Modified By
                     
                     So, it might look something like this: John Smith via Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY, Modified by Catherine Giordano. For public domain photos, you can simply put "Public Domain, Modified by Catherine Giordano," or "Public Domain, modified by author."
                     
                     When citing yourself, it's ok to use your real name, your Hubber name, or simply "author" depending on your preference.

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            2. 77

               CatherineGiordanoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               I haven't seen anyone else do attributions like I do.  Once I have changed the artist's work, it is no longer his work. He may not like what I have done with his art so I claim it as mine. But since I built on his work, I feel he deserves credit too. That's what feels right to me, but I became concerned because no one else does it that way.
               
               This whole discussion about attribution started with a discussion of hub scores. Was incorrect attribution lowering hub scores? Based on the comments in this thread, I believe that my hub scores were not hurt by the way I do attribution.

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               1. 93

                  Christy Kirwanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  No, attribution does not play into HubScores, simply because we have no foolproof way of knowing if lack of attribution means a photo is stolen or that the author has rights to it. Some good Hubbers choose not to attribute photos they are legally using as a matter of preference, and we don't want to penalize those Hubbers.

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2. 60

   LindaSmith1posted 9 years ago

   Writer For wrote an excellent SEO hub  that covers images. http://writerfox.hubpages.com/hub/SEO-Tutorial-Guide

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3. 39

   ChristinSposted 9 years ago

   I was under the impression the links with photo's are no follow links - so I am pretty sure it wouldn't matter if you linked the same source to images many times.  That being said, Pixabay doesn't require links back.  If anything, I'd leave a thank you comment to the pixabay photographer or something on the comments below their photos.  They put them on Pixabay knowing they will be used without attribution so there is nothing to feel guilty about. 
   
   I have a graphics site where I create images that I allow others to use commercially with no link back required.  I am always happy when someone leaves me a little note saying how much they appreciated that or where they are using it.  You can also leave "coffee donations" on pixabay that go to the photographers which I am sure are also appreciated.

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   1. 77

      CatherineGiordanoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      If I ever start to make money with HP, I will leave "coffee money." I feel guilty about not doing so already.

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4. 84

   psycheskinnerposted 9 years ago

   I would say it is a matter of your style/choice whether to link when it is not required by the rights holder.  I tend to do so, but sometimes in a separate attributions box if there are multiple images in the hub.

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5. 77

   LuisEGonzalezposted 9 years ago

   All links can be counted to decide if the hub is overly promotional. Some exceptions are made for sites like Wikipedia and Pixabay because these sites are not commercial. So far as including a link, I think is the right thing to do to as is giving attribution to every photo, even if in public domain. It might not be required but it is just a nice gesture anyway.

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   1. 77

      CatherineGiordanoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I tend to agree, on the other hand without all that source info, the hub might look cleaner.

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