Question about images for renders - copyright issue?

XoechZXoechZ Posts: 1,102
edited December 1969 in The Commons

Hello!

A quick example:
I need an image of the moon for the background of a render. So I do a quick google image search and find (literally) thousands of moon images. I pick one that I like and that suits my scene and place it in the background of my render. Then I publish this render on a gallery site, or maybe here on the Art Studio Forum.

Am I allowed to do this? Or can I run into any copyright issues?

My feeling says that I am not allowed to do it if the image is copyright protected. And I am allowed if it is not. But how can I know that? Google image search does not provide any info about that.
Are there any dedicated sites with images I can use that way?

Comments

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 37,711
    edited December 1969

    try flickr creative commons

  • SiscaSisca Posts: 875
    edited December 1969

    I use MorgueFile.com to find free images. Most of the images there are royalty free and have a pretty open copyright. Usually you can use the image in your work but you can't just take the image and sell it.

    For pictures of the moon you might also check the NASA Image Gallery.. As government images those are usually copyright free as well.

  • tiggerspringstiggersprings Posts: 304
    edited December 1969

    You would probably be better off finding a pack of brushes (read the terms) or using a site like http://morguefile.com/.

  • patience55patience55 Posts: 7,006
    edited December 1969

    For photos of the moon or any other space body, NASA is the place to go! Read the credit lines though some require credits to various photographers as well as NASA, etc. BUT images from NASA are 'public domain'.

  • icprncssicprncss Posts: 3,694
    edited December 1969

    So long as the pic is royalty free, you're fine. Stay away from Corbis and if you go to a NASA site, double check.

  • Faeryl WomynFaeryl Womyn Posts: 3,209
    edited December 1969

    In short...simply googling for an image and then using it to complete your render, does have copyright issues due to you not asking the artist if you can use the image or them giving you permission to do so.

  • patience55patience55 Posts: 7,006
    edited December 1969

    XoechZ said:
    ... edit ...

    My feeling says that I am not allowed to do it if the image is copyright protected. And I am allowed if it is not. But how can I know that? Google image search does not provide any info about that.
    ...

    Google images provides a link to the page from whence the image came. Have to go to that page and then look for contact info.
    And it's "iffy". I ran into one website owner who didn't have a clue what pictures were on her website ... like, who put them there? She did. And didn't know! People will put stuff on websites to attract an audience ... they could care less about the information put on their website, they are setting up an advertizing trap. Wonderful world we live in.

  • Jay_NOLAJay_NOLA Posts: 1,145
    edited December 1969

    Yes, you can so check the copyright by going t the page.

    For some images be careful as the copyright may be on multiple entities. Some online sites as part of the EULA make any uploaded content the property of the site housing it and not just the person who uploaded it. Some even make the uploaded image their own property and take it away from the owner if you read the current EULA carefully.

    On a related note be sure to check the copyright and one you can use and then a few months latter get the image published in a book, used on a website, etc. The usability status of the image could have changed in that time.

    For space pictures I'd look at NASA as was recommended as those can be used.

    Dover also publishes a royalty free clip art book of various NASA images that comes with a CD of them in various formats. It has some images that aren't on the NASA site and better quality images of some that are on the NASA site for download

    Also if you are going to the NASA site they have several free 3D props, etc. you can download for use.

  • robkelkrobkelk Posts: 3,259
    edited December 1969

    Jay_NOLA said:
    Also if you are going to the NASA site they have several free 3D props, etc. you can download for use.

    Which can be difficult to find if you don't know where to look... Look here: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/3d_resources/models.html
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