dannac Loc: 60 miles SW of New Orleans

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

I propose the relevant questions are:

1. Is the creator of the image harmed in any way by what you do with it in the privacy of your own home?
2. Do you benefit from it?
3. Do you feel any guilt in doing so, regardless of the legality?

The same questions can be asked about any online appropriation (eg., pirated software or songs or movies) that you had no intention of ever buying.

SonyBug

Haha, I'm gonna be rich!

artBob Loc: Near Chicago

I'm not so sure. If the "appropriation" is for personal use, and you would never buy it (examples: words from a book, a "nice" photograph temporarily liked until the next one comes along) it is common sense to do it for your pleasure. If, though, a photo is extremely meaningful to you, every attempt to purchase it or get permission should be made.

These are, simply, gray areas, always difficult, and likely not worth bothering about.

bleirer

Here is a real world fair use example. The art in question is the banana duct taped to the wall, which sold for $100k+, the picture is of a chemo patient with bills over $100k taking a cell phone picture of the art. I assume fair use because the banana is not the main point of the image.

A Woman, a Banana and a $120,000 Question About What a Life Is Worth https://nyti.ms/2spv3x5

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

As someone who spent five years on the art festival circuit I feel quite strongly that anyone who would take my images from this or any other website, then print it and hang it in their home for their use without my explicit permission is nothing more than a common thief.

While I realize that it is difficult to totally prevent people from stealing an image posted on the web (even with efforts to minimize the ability to make a suitable print from the post) the fact that it can be done does not negate the fact that doing so is still theft.

I have spent many many hours finding the images I photograph, editing them, printing them, mounting and framing them. I have also spent many hours traveling, putting up and taking down my booth, and spending weekends meeting and greeting the public in order to sell my images to those who enjoy them enough to purchase one to hang in their home or office. There has also been significant financial investment made by me to be able to do so. To simply take my image without compensation is stealing.

Period.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Isn't that a cost of doing business on the internet? When I worked I produced many times my salary in revenue for my company. The CEO awarded himself a $60 million dollar bonus one year when the employees got a 2-1/2% raise. I worked 28 years for that company and when I retired my salary, adjusted for inflation, was roughly the same as the day I started. The CEO walked away a few hundred million dollars richer when he retired. Probably not fair but that's what I signed up for. When you make your work available on the internet, maybe a very few people will steal it. But isn't that what you signed up for?

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

It is a risk one takes, without doubt. Unfortunately, it is difficult not to have a web presence if one is selling art, so one is more or less forced to take that risk. The fact that I do take that risk does not make downloading and printing my images without gaining my permission any less of a theft, or the person who does it any less of a thief.

Seabastes

It is interesting that you I can buy a book of my images I have posted on FB. In my case I actually bought a copy as it was an easy way to preserve some of my history for my family. It did surprise me the quality of the printing even if I had posted small size images at 72 dpi in some cases.

If a person is kind enough to ask my permission, I in most cases would be pleased to let them use a copy.

If you post images on the Internet, it opens the possibility that someone may use your photo in a manner you don't approve of feeling you should be getting a monetary payment to use.

I'd say good luck on collecting.

rebride

But a sound (wave) has no sound unless it is heard.