What's your take on crediting photos in the gallery?

[angiekey]

Hi, all! As I've been working through the layouts posted on the final Summer Games challenge, leaving comments and thank-yous in the Gallery, I've been wrestling with a question and wanted to get everyone else's take on it.

When it comes to the photograph(s) you use on a layout, what do you think about noting the source in the Gallery credits - particularly when you, or a family member, or a friend, didn't take the photo?

When I leave love in the gallery, I often find myself praising the photos as well as the layout itself. It's probably my photography background and the way I've learned to critique my own work, but I want to praise things like image composition and interesting angles and lighting and things like that.

But then if I find out the pic is stock photography, I kind of feel like an idiot. There's absolutely nothing wrong with using stock photos on a layout - I do it myself when I want to journal about pop culture or current events - but if a scrapbooker has used a stock photo, I should focus on the rest of the layout they designed when I leave love.

Especially as AI-generated photos become more of a "thing", what do you think about including photo credits in the gallery? I'm curious ... let the discussion begin!

[AmieN1]

I was under the impression that you HAD to disclose the use of stock photos as part of copyrights? I honestly dont use them much unless like you for pop culture stuff, so I'm here for the education as well as discussion!

[Scrap-therapy]

This is an interesting question Angie! I already feel stupid commenting a beautiful picture, finally understanding it was a stock one. I don't bother if scrappers use it but if there's credit, I will understand better!
I pratically never use it except for really important event I can't have a picture, for example the fire at Notre Dame de Paris.

[aussiegirl]

I don't tend to use stock photos much, but I agree that if they are used, maybe credit that. Like you, I believe the photos are a main part of why we scrapbook, so I also leave love on the photos as a part of the whole, and also feel slightly stupid to find out it was a stock photo. Listing that in the credits helps us to focus our love on the layout as a whole, and not the photo.

[SweetChar]

Add me to the feeling stupid club for comments I've made on the photos on layouts only later to realize that those were stock photos. lol
I do appreciate it when someone adds to their credits that it's a stock photo or "photo from Pixabay" or "photo from Pexels" or wherever they're from. In that case, I still might say how they had the perfect picture for that theme/color/etc.

[angiekey]

I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling stupid for praising what turns out to be a stock photograph - LOL!

I'm seeing some scrapbookers who are a valuable part of our community using stock photos and creating their layouts not as a memory-keeping scrapbook page, but as a form of artwork. That's one of the tremendously cool things about this hobby; it's approachable and accessible to many different people for a variety of reasons.

Using those images to create digital layouts or collages is a perfectly legitimate form of artwork - in the copyright world, it's called "derivative use" - and I don't want to make anyone feel self-conscious like they're doing something wrong.

I'm just thinking that adding a line to the Gallery credits that reads something as simple as "Stock photo used" or "Photo generated by AI" is a way of being up-front about the layout we've created, just like citing the kit we've used or that we used a template to create it.

Let's keep the discussion going - particularly if anyone disagrees with me, I'm interested to learn more about why they feel that way. My personal motto is "Seek first to understand, then to be understood."

[angels]

I usually specify "photo @ Pexels" when I use stock photos to avoid getting compliments on photos that don't belong to me.

[Lidia G]

I almost always use personal photos but the rare time that I use stock photos such as Pixabay or Pexels, I will mention it in my credits. I think it should be mentioned for sure.

[stephc777]

I like to see ai-generated or stock photos credited as well.

[rach3975]

I definitely think photos that weren't taken by you (or a non-professional family member/friend) should be credited. And it's not only stock photos or AI photos. If a professional took the photo, give them credit and maybe someone in your neck of the woods will hire them after seeing your layout!

[kimingvtx]

I definitely think we should credit our photos! Like many said -- photo from "wherever". I don't use them a lot, but I have used them when I need to!

[MrsPeel]

Most definitely think every photo should be credited. I use stock photo from time to time to do art journal, but I tend to scrap our lives so, rarely use them, still, I understand some people love them, nothing wring with that, but if it is a stock photo, it should be noted.
I know Pixabay doesn't require to credit the photographer, but as I understand, you need to mention the site.
I know many scrappers who do credit., especially Pixabay and Unsplash, I think crediting the photo should be requirement in every gallery.
I'm a crazy obsessed, credit down to the staple, which sometimes can be time consuming, but is the way I feel, like I feel about music not being credited properly
So yeah, most definitely not alone on this one, Angie

[littlekiwi]

I credit stock photos....even if it wasn't for the fact it's in the terms & conditions or I am a CT member, it would just feel wrong personally not to credit them.

[MrsPeel]

Originally Posted by kimingvtx

I definitely think we should credit our photos! Like many said -- photo from "wherever". I don't use them a lot, but I have used them when I need to!

YAY for you here!!!!!!!
we need to catch up, love ya!!!!!!!

[Cheryl Ashcraft]

I rarely use stock photos as I have thousands of photos that I still need to scrap. There are times if I'm completing an art journal page or if I have a story to tell but I don't have the right photos that I might choose a stock photo. It's been so long since I used stock photos that I can't even remember how I credited the source. I might have just referred to the website.

I do like to see if a scrapper is using a stock photo for the same reason mentioned above ~ that I feel silly commenting on the beautiful family or child or what-have-you only to find out that it's a stock photo.

[Leablahblah]

I completely agree that if the photos are not taken by you then it should be credited…
That should avoid some weird situations where you think that these people are your family…

For stock photos I use when I can’t find what I’m looking for in mine (or if a designer I work with prefers non blurry photos) I always credit Unsplash and also the name of the photographer.

But for photos taken by a professional photographer for our family, I have the release forms and I don’t credit them here. At that point I own the photos. Am I doing this right? Should I be crediting the photographer? Some of them I don’t even remember the name of the person who took the photos…

[nietis]

Add me into the 'feeling stupid' club, Angie.
I don't use stock photos often, because I do have so many photos of us that needed to be scrapped. There are rare times I do use stock photos, for example a place that we are about to go on a vacation and I want to scrap about it, then I'll do my best to credit the site/photographer I get it from.

[cherrygutz]

I don't often use stock photos. but when I do, most photos I find don't need (require) any credits or mention. But as a respect for the photographer who took their time to take those photos, edit it a little bit and share it on a website fo free, I try to make sure I don't forget to mention the website where I got them. And I also heart their photos, so that they know that a lot of peeople appreciates them.

[bcgal00]

Adding stock photo credit is a good idea. With my photography background I always look at the photos and it would be nice to know if it was personal or not.

[Ga_L]

I don't use stock photos. I always use personal photos and if I've not a photo in my stock to fit with the kit I make a photoless page.
I think it's a good idea to credit stock photos.

[nesser1981]

I think if it’s not obvious you took the photo then it should be credited as stock photo or whatever. I don’t see any issue with people using them, as long as they’re crediting it.

As a former professional photographer, I don’t think it would be necessary to credit a photographer here, but on social media for sure, because local folks may want to use their services.

Same with photos friends and family took, i think there is a clear difference between stock/ai photos and snapshots many of us are using.

But the more information you include in your layouts is always helpful.
Now stuff like movie posters, book covers, etc, that we all know aren’t photos we took.

[Kiana]

I do use some stock photos sometimes when I need one for a CT page. and sadly don't always have the time to credit ... I need to do better.

[Kimberly27]

I only use my own photos or ones taken by hubby or my boys. I know I have credited family photos on Insta if they were taken by others but I don't use stock photos.
It is nice to know when it is a personal photo or stock though

[MrsPeel]

Originally Posted by Leablahblah

I completely agree that if the photos are not taken by you then it should be credited…
That should avoid some weird situations where you think that these people are your family…

For stock photos I use when I can’t find what I’m looking for in mine (or if a designer I work with prefers non blurry photos) I always credit Unsplash and also the name of the photographer.

But for photos taken by a professional photographer for our family, I have the release forms and I don’t credit them here. At that point I own the photos. Am I doing this right? Should I be crediting the photographer? Some of them I don’t even remember the name of the person who took the photos…

I have a few friends who are family photographers, I am 100% sure they would love to see their images credited, I have asked a few times some British scrapers who the photographer was and ended up hav9ng photo shoots with their photographer..
This is a business, and these days things work with word of mouth, when crediting your photographer, you may be helping the photographer to get more business, you never know

My daughter is an actress, (and a manager at a gastro pub day time) she works in musicals and screen acting, she has at least a photo shoot a year, photographers don't ask to be credited when it goes to an audition form, but they most definitely do when the photos go in a portfolio, a web site or social media.... it gets them work. A few years ago I got an email from Andrew Brown who had done her shoot, I posted pages in social media and credited him together with the designers, he wrote to me to tell us that he had got clients that came through seeing my pages in Instagram....... I reckon these days, in which is tricky because of the way the internet (and the human race!) works, I credit each and everything, down to the staple with scrapbook pages... even more so photos ....

[MrsPeel]

Originally Posted by nesser1981

I think if it’s not obvious you took the photo then it should be credited as stock photo or whatever. I don’t see any issue with people using them, as long as they’re crediting it.

As a former professional photographer, I don’t think it would be necessary to credit a photographer here, but on social media for sure, because local folks may want to use their services.

Same with photos friends and family took, i think there is a clear difference between stock/ai photos and snapshots many of us are using.

But the more information you include in your layouts is always helpful.
Now stuff like movie posters, book covers, etc, that we all know aren’t photos we took.

precisely.
especially on the getting work, I didn't see this before I answered above, you say it in much better English that I could ever