Stock photos?

Word.
These sorts of topics have been coming up a lot on different boards, and I'd like to echo a sentiment posted by one of my favourite scrappers in one of those threads: there seems to be so much negativity to differing styles, what people scrap, how they scrap it, etc. and I'd love it if we all focused that energy on the many positive reasons we do this instead of worrying about what everyone else is doing. (not her exact words... my words, but same sorta idea).

I do get what Crystal was saying, too, though. There are plenty of people that do use digi scrapping as a creative outlet that has absolutely nothing to do with memory preservation, and that is 100% cool. Those same people are generally the people who also absolutely live for recognition, validation, comments, etc. and that is 100% cool with me, too. So, it then becomes a source of contention when people use copyrighted photos without permission to up the wow factor on their already awesome pages. The page posted earlier in this thread, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), actually violated the original photographer's TOU by using it that way and it was a page that received lots of notoriety and accolades in the digi community.

When comparing galleries for CT selection, designers will often look at the photography, and if they aren't aware of the copyright infringement will probably favor the gallery with the professional photos.


So, while we don't all scrap for comments or recognition or coveted CT spots, some people do. The ones playing by the "rules" (ie not using copyrighted photos without permission) feel a disadvantage to those who disregard the rules. And just as it's not our prerogative to tell people WHY they scrap, we also cannot tell them how they should feel about the issues that affect those reasons.
 
I certainly didn't mean anything against people who scrap with stock photos...I just know when I'm drawn to a layout and click on it to get a closer view and then the photo is obviously a stock photo, I just get curious. I guess b/c I look at it from the standpoint of why I scrap and it's hard for me to "get" why you'd spend so much time and effort on a page when it's not someone you know in real life.

But you know I think it also just shows how diverse digital can be...I never really paper scrapped but I bet you don't see paper scrappers who use stock photos very often. It's just interesting to see where digital has been and where it's going. kwim?
 
Word.


I do get what Crystal was saying, too, though. There are plenty of people that do use digi scrapping as a creative outlet that has absolutely nothing to do with memory preservation, and that is 100% cool. Those same people are generally the people who also absolutely live for recognition, validation, comments, etc. and that is 100% cool with me, too. So, it then becomes a source of contention when people use copyrighted photos without permission to up the wow factor on their already awesome pages. The page posted earlier in this thread, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), actually violated the original photographer's TOU by using it that way and it was a page that received lots of notoriety and accolades in the digi community.

When comparing galleries for CT selection, designers will often look at the photography, and if they aren't aware of the copyright infringement will probably favor the gallery with the professional photos.


So, while we don't all scrap for comments or recognition or coveted CT spots, some people do. The ones playing by the "rules" (ie not using copyrighted photos without permission) feel a disadvantage to those who disregard the rules. And just as it's not our prerogative to tell people WHY they scrap, we also cannot tell them how they should feel about the issues that affect those reasons.

Ooh well said..this makes total sense!
 
It wasn't my intention to give the impression that I think it's okay to use copyrighted photos, so I hope that wasn't the case. I did mention that in my post. The original subject here is stock photos, and that's what I based my post on.

If people feel strongly about the copyrighted photos, maybe give the photographer a heads up and let them deal with it? Again, not saying I think it's right they do it in the first place.
 
Well, I can see people using stock photos for CT LOs that they don't have photos for such as a mom of boys scrapping a girl LO. I can also see using stock photos for AAM pages like photos of possessions, food, places etc.

My point was that I scrap for the memories and that I wouldn't use stock photos just to scrap. I'm like Jamie though - I have TONS of photos and lots of family to keep me busy! LOL
 
oh and I should say, that I don't care why people scrap and to each his own. :) I am a fan of many many styles of scrapping and if you looked at my full gallery or saw my faves folder you would know that. :)

The only thing that bothers me is that I have heard numerous designers say that they look at photos when choosing CT and then you see their CT using stock photos and/or copyrighted photos. That just upsets me because I scrap for me and although I am not the best photographer I hate that I could have or have been skipped over because of it..kwim?

I totally understand using some stock photos now and again though, so I hope that I didn't come acroos wrong or upset anyone in what I said. :( It's just something that I think gets over looked and is allowed more than it should be (the actual use of copyrighted photos) and I find it upsetting.
 
Didn't someone win a big contest at DST using an Anne Geddes photo (definitely not ok).

In that case, it bothers me. Because it's definitely not a level playing field.
 
How can you tell that the photo is really a stock photo?

This is the first time that i hear of this. i must be quite naive, because I thought that all the photos i saw in the galleries were coming from the scrapper's entourage. :huh: I never used stock photos, all the photos that I use come from DH and me, be it child photos, nature, flowers, etc.

Now that I think of it, I really was naive, lol! :p
 
There was a thread at DST a long time ago where it was claimed that Anne Geddes had been contacted and she is okay with people using her photos in scrapbooking. I suppose maybe it came in the fallout of the contest thing? Anyway, I think in the thread they said she had it in her TOU that it was okay. I find that kind of hard to believe, but who knows.

I never followed the thread through closely, but I do remember there was such a discussion.
 
I'm going to say, I'm not a fan of the stock photo layouts, but the reason I say that is I think those types of layouts are more Digital Art than Digital Scrapbooking and I honestly think there should be 2 different catagories.
 
I'm going to say, I'm not a fan of the stock photo layouts, but the reason I say that is I think those types of layouts are more Digital Art than Digital Scrapbooking and I honestly think there should be 2 different catagories.

I agree with you. There's a comp going on right now in which I see a lot of stock photo use and they are the ones that get the huge oohs and ahs. I think too that it is more digital art than digiscrapping. I give them props for their beautiful pages, but I'd really just love to see what they could do with their own photos and not stand on the work of others.
To each their own on what they use. It's not something I do and frankly it never occurred to me to do so.
This has been an interesting thread, more so because it is something a friend and I've been discussing the past two or three days. I was glad to see someone bring up the subject.
 
Well if someone have the need of scrap and is out of pictures feel fee to PM me and I'm provide you of a gazillion royalty free pictures (form ME... LOL)

I have boy (son), girls (step dd), vintage (from 1920's to 1970's), wedding, travels, beach, fashion (I use to work in a magazine and have the pleasure to shoot more tha one fashion show)... you name it!!! LOL

I'm really really really behind on my scrapping ... hehehehe
 
These sorts of topics have been coming up a lot on different boards, and I'd like to echo a sentiment posted by one of my favourite scrappers in one of those threads: there seems to be so much negativity to differing styles, what people scrap, how they scrap it, etc. and I'd love it if we all focused that energy on the many positive reasons we do this instead of worrying about what everyone else is doing. (not her exact words... my words, but same sorta idea)

Word! I scrap for a plethora of reasons, sometimes for pages for the family, sometimes pages for friends, some times just to create a nice piece of art. Those are MY reasons for scrapping and what I do or use to achieve them really shouldn't matter to anyone else! :thumbup:
 
I'm going to say, I'm not a fan of the stock photo layouts, but the reason I say that is I think those types of layouts are more Digital Art than Digital Scrapbooking and I honestly think there should be 2 different catagories.

I think it's interesting to call them 2 different things, just because you switch out the photo. The ones I've seen in the past weren't exceptionally different aside from the stock photo. Granted, I haven't had time to breathe lately, let alone cruise the galleries and see some of these new stock photo ones, and I couldn't tell you the last time I was over at DST.
 
I think it's interesting to call them 2 different things, just because you switch out the photo. The ones I've seen in the past weren't exceptionally different aside from the stock photo. Granted, I haven't had time to breathe lately, let alone cruise the galleries and see some of these new stock photo ones, and I couldn't tell you the last time I was over at DST.

I think she means that those pages are the ones you see that are more like the one posted here in this thread...mostly extracted "whimsical" type pages that differ from more "traditional looking" scrapbook pages. Check out GSO at DST...it's pretty much filled with them...a lot are probably real photos b/c there are some really talented folks out there..but a lot of them are stock or "found online" photos. I love the "whimsical" look and wish I were better at it, but I'm not as impressed with a page when I realize it's a professional "found" photo..and yeah, winning a contest with one just ain't right IMO. But yeah..it's just a different style and more "artsy" than say what we all love to do here at SSD..not saying we aren't creating art but most of the pages you see here to me look like more traditional type pages (which I love BTW :) )
 
I think she means that those pages are the ones you see that are more like the one posted here in this thread...mostly extracted "whimsical" type pages that differ from more "traditional looking" scrapbook pages. Check out GSO at DST...it's pretty much filled with them...a lot are probably real photos b/c there are some really talented folks out there..but a lot of them are stock or "found online" photos. I love the "whimsical" look and wish I were better at it, but I'm not as impressed with a page when I realize it's a professional "found" photo..and yeah, winning a contest with one just ain't right IMO. But yeah..it's just a different style and more "artsy" than say what we all love to do here at SSD..not saying we aren't creating art but most of the pages you see here to me look like more traditional type pages (which I love BTW :) )

Yep!!! I have started writing this post 103213 times and then each time, delete it!! LOL

That's exactly it. The other issue is that so many times these digital artists are NOT putting the photo in their credits. The layouts/art are beautiful, no one is disputing that. The issue is... is the playing field level when someone uses a professional photo (and not all professional photos are STOCK) to win a contest? A few years ago, even CK magazine brought this issue up. Now their contests stipulate that photos must be taken by the person creating the pages.
 
Right..no crediting the photo if it's not theirs..I think that's mostly what led me to start this thread..b/c I kept seeing pages by the same person and when I clicked on her full gallery..there was like a totally different kid in every page...now I know some of us have a lot of kids..but I'm thinking she doesn't have like 500 of them lol..and not one time did I see a credit as to where she got the photos..so it just made me curious as to how others felt about it.
 
Word.


I do get what Crystal was saying, too, though. There are plenty of people that do use digi scrapping as a creative outlet that has absolutely nothing to do with memory preservation, and that is 100% cool. Those same people are generally the people who also absolutely live for recognition, validation, comments, etc. and that is 100% cool with me, too. So, it then becomes a source of contention when people use copyrighted photos without permission to up the wow factor on their already awesome pages. The page posted earlier in this thread, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), actually violated the original photographer's TOU by using it that way and it was a page that received lots of notoriety and accolades in the digi community.

When comparing galleries for CT selection, designers will often look at the photography, and if they aren't aware of the copyright infringement will probably favor the gallery with the professional photos.


So, while we don't all scrap for comments or recognition or coveted CT spots, some people do. The ones playing by the "rules" (ie not using copyrighted photos without permission) feel a disadvantage to those who disregard the rules. And just as it's not our prerogative to tell people WHY they scrap, we also cannot tell them how they should feel about the issues that affect those reasons.


I had a few "oh poop" moments in the precious few times I tried out for a CT and didn't get in because there were others who scrapped more glamorous layouts with glamorous professional photos.:(
 
I would wonder if the scrapper(s) using stock photos most of the time simply don't want their pages of family on the web??? but they love to scrap and display their work. or could be they're on a creative team but they have enough family photos to do the pages required. I know I'd have a hard time doing a lot of baby type pages, since the only children I have pics of are my 3 great-nieces and don't have a ready supply of all the pics their mom takes of them....with that being said, I don't use stock photos much unless it's for a themed page for a challenge
 
That's exactly what I meant Nikki.

I think she means that those pages are the ones you see that are more like the one posted here in this thread...mostly extracted "whimsical" type pages that differ from more "traditional looking" scrapbook pages. Check out GSO at DST...it's pretty much filled with them...a lot are probably real photos b/c there are some really talented folks out there..but a lot of them are stock or "found online" photos. I love the "whimsical" look and wish I were better at it, but I'm not as impressed with a page when I realize it's a professional "found" photo..and yeah, winning a contest with one just ain't right IMO. But yeah..it's just a different style and more "artsy" than say what we all love to do here at SSD..not saying we aren't creating art but most of the pages you see here to me look like more traditional type pages (which I love BTW :) )
 
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