An Important Post on the Issues of Copyright

Recently there has been more added to the ongoing debate on photographs used online without permission.

Photographers in general seem to be overwhelmingly in support of Lane Hartwell for sending a bill for a usage of her photo for a couple seconds in a youtube video.

I'm going to start this off by saying that as an artist I survive primarily from my photo work. I've shot everything from commercial tabletop to weddings, set photography for films to having gallery shows. And I've had images taken for commercial use (which I care about) and posted in places as strange as 13 year old's myspace pages and porn messageboards (which I don't care as much about, except as a matter of surreal social interest).

I agree that it may feel weird when you see your image in a place without knowing it would be there beforehand, but I think it is MUCH MUCH more important to defend the ability of art to be as CREATIVE as possible with as FEW roadblocks in its path. Commercial use is another thing entirely, of course. Lane is quoted as defending her image from unapproved commercial use, but to me, this obviously is not the case.

picture has nothing to do with this post. (c) 2007 who gives a fuck (me. please don't sell tampons with this picture)

Video art and sound art, especially modern experimental work (as well as documentary work, where independent filmmakers trying to show something important to the world often get stonewalled by a copyright issue, trying to find some archival footage copyright owner), thrives on mashup culture. To me, this is a clear cut case of a professional going after a non-profit group of people having a little fun in their time off work, trying to make something creative. I think it's very petty. The idea that she got a lawyer to harass a group of a capella singers who made a funny youtube video is ridiculous.

What about appropriation? Hasn't it been heavily defended in art?

Haven't many famous photographs been produced of other photographs, including some of the best selling of all time? ( eg. Prince's marlboro photograph)

Isn't photography itself one of the most heavily contested mediums, for "stealing" other artist's or organization's images and using them? Aren't photographers often protesting someone trying to get them to stop taking pictures of their buildings, sculptures, faces, etc?

With the internet comes the next level of this debate, and I see it as one that traditional art and copyright is set to lose. Artists will do whatever it takes to make whatever points they want to make, as trivial or earthshattering as they may be.

To conclude: of course I like money for the use of my image. And of course I like credit, especially if money is not an option for the user.
But in this case they did make a huge effort to give credit (after a reminder). I see them as clearly on the right in this particular case.

I say use it to your benefit and don't end up lost with the flow.

I want to add that I think in different circumstances the response of the photographer should be appropriate.



Some examples of unapproved use and what response I think is appropriate:

Corporate ad - Send bill or use legal action

Editorial usage(in a publication for sale) - send bill or use legal action

Website usage for corporation - Send bill or use legal action

Newsletter/email/etc for corporation - Send bill or use legal action

Website for nonprofit - send email asking if they knew they forgot to ask, possibly compensation if they are able, ask for credit

Non-profit publication - ask for credit, possible compensation

Arts non-profit publication (zine) - ask for credit

Arts usage (appropriation, gallery, mashup, etc) - ask for credit

Internet video - ask for credit, postdated royalties if video ever becomes popular and makes large amounts of money (never)

Myspace, livejournal, imageboard (such as 4chan.org), etc - laugh, post credit yourself as anon, stop being such a stickler and realize the internet is always going to be a den of scum and villainy. Go have an ice cream.

Also posted to Copyright and Photopros. Some interesting discussion there.

Found this on facebook. I don't remember it being taken at all. Its me and my little sister, and I just saw it as her default facebook picture.

Speaking of facebook, I'm currently playing five games of scrabble, losing two (by a large margin to beth and small margin to chris moriarty). The others are pretty much in the air. Let me know if you want to play. It's a good system since you don't actually have to sit down and play like yahoo games, and can just make your moves whenever you're on.

I think I may have a chance of salvaging my honor in all of them, but if I lose to beth that's fine, since I've decided I'm only having sex with girls who can beat me in scrabble, anyway, from now on.
I'm not having sex with chris no matter how many times he beats me in scrabble. Sorry buddy.

Today I did the dumbest thing I've ever done in about 3-5 years of working construction with my dad. True, I just had my final oral surgery today and was still on pain meds and novocain (though arguably that doesn't do anything but distract me because I'm constantly playing and making silly faces to see if I feel anything) and was just overall out of it, but it doesn't excuse my idiocy. I was drilling holes to run wire, pretty standard stuff, and after having done a bunch of them, on the second to last one I didn't think to check my measurements on both sides of the wood. I drilled right into a heating pipe, explosively spraying scalding water all over myself. My dad found the right system to shut it off pretty fast, luckily, and I held a bucket under the pipe, so not much flooding occurred, but it could have been a lot worse. A hundred dollars of damages and me feeling like a total shitstick, anyway.

Amazingly, dad wasn't angry. He certainly had a right to be. A couple years ago he would have been swearing his head off and in a rage followed by disappointment for hours, perhaps days, but he just said shit happens and we all make mistakes and all that, and was very forgiving. I guess we've come a long way, and he's definitely learned to manage his anger. Still, I felt like I let him down. Everyone screws up on the job sometimes, but it's different when I'm working for dad, I still feel like I have to prove myself to him. Ah well.

I have to say, working construction in the summer is sometimes a very enjoyable experience. Working in the winter is often hell on earth. I can't stand wearing 7 layers and trying to do something that requires strenuous motion.

Oh, here's some pictures of people's feet on a carpet I took a shine to:











Oh, I suppose if you'd like to see the people that belong to those feet you could.

Let's not doomsay for a day and think about young love. Thanks to ali for showing me this site last week.

Please explore this beautiful little website. It warms my little heart.

People often talk of young love or puppy love, naive adoration, etc..
with some sort of disdain. However, I remember my earliest loves fondly,
after all the childish games, fumbling, and silly drama. I think...
there is a purity to young love that I hope to regain, while being mature
enough to appreciate it. Anyway, most of the images on that site have a
similar quality in their aesthetic, a pure film captured naivety. I love it.

My doubleplusgood dose of pain releivers just kicked in, so don't expect this entry to flow correct.

firstly the first: images beth took on my camera, also that bus one from entry previous (back back)

second: update on general situation: here in: massachusetts full stop.

The train ride wasn't that bad: read four books; sent various text messages; held one sided conversations on radical art; managed to sleep about 12 hours.

It is cold here. I don't like the cold. Some people may enjoy it, but I will happily live in the tropics or a non-humid hot climate someday. I will not miss snow.



Fourth root canal appointment is done. I was instructed to consume two doses of soma to start, with additional as needed. Dandy!

This past weekend I finished the scans of 150 rolleicord negatives and uploaded them to facebook and flickr. They are there.

This means, for you, daily updates of the photoblog for some time. Hope you like pictures. I do.

but

Thirdelatedly: Photography is not enough. As a medium it is too passive to satisfy me.
In our reproduction-rich snapshot-saturated picture-pooling flickr-fuckfest culture it takes more than a static image to grab people.

Video is a step above (slightly) if it can become "viral." Not enough, but perhaps, in conjunction with real life acts it may make a small impact.

Idea:

Documentary following well meaning but possibly misguided young artist.
Motivations:
Exterior: Saving the world.
Interior: Saving himself to himself, creating a fantasy where he is the hero (or martyr) making a stand for "the right thing."

Truth: I would like to have grandchildren.

Truth: My ideal career would be as a diplomat to aliens. Second choice: Space colonist.

I want to set the sky on fire and open people's eyes. If the sky was blood red for a week people would notice the world around them.

Just - Something has to change. Being an artist is wanking while the world goes to shit. I may end up doing radical site specific work and getting arrested.
My dad wants me to wait until I'm out of school at least. Maybe I will.

I'm not smart enough to change things, but maybe I could be good enough to open some eyes.

I feel like I've been muttering about revolution my entire life.

Two summers ago, I was in a studio four floors above one of the swankiest districts in manhatten, helping people take pictures to sell thousand dollar handbags,
while a gal on the street corner below us frantically smiled at passersby, while they bravely ignored the plight of the world and her little green-piece of it.

I can't handle it anymore.

here are some more fake cell phone ads for you to choke on.

Hey Billy, ably!
I'm so obsessed with little word games now but I don't even know the rules that I'm playing by, or if there are any.

oh I'm off to massachusetts 10pm sunday, on the train.

lunch spot or g-spot. hopscotch hot spot. buss stop supper socks.




fuck
fuck fuck fuck
I need a gallery space right fucking now (large)
and maybe two tabs for later
several canvasses or blank walls
polaroid camera
video camera
two tvs
my childhood drawings
piles of photos
hammer
wood
expanding spray foam (30 cans)
naked body
charcoal
polaroid film (expired)
sketchbook
duct tape
love
assorted bottles
masking tape
pushpins
3 large ornate wooden frames
matchbook
plastic wrap
photo album (family)
two buckets black housepaint
2 cans black spraypaint
assorted brushes
hand sanitizer
bees

Here's one taken for Sean Leonard's upcoming short.
I got my uploading working again, so I should be able to get back to daily updates for a bit,
providing I get enough processed out before I leave to go back up north.

those little moments that seem to stick in your head