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Microstock Photography Forum - General => Image Sleuth => Topic started by: traveler1116 on May 31, 2011, 14:16

Title: Public Domain Images?
Post by: traveler1116 on May 31, 2011, 14:16
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/ (http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/)

Any of your images here?  Or is this a fotolia partner site?
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: WarrenPrice on May 31, 2011, 14:29
Just wondering ... can "People Pictures" be public domain?  Wouldn't they at least require the same releases?
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on May 31, 2011, 14:30
There's so much wrong with that site.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: cathyslife on May 31, 2011, 14:35
They aren't public domain images...when I clicked on the horses photos, it took me to the photo being sold on Dreamstime. Looks like someone just trying to deceive people with the "public domain" heading?

Looks like a partner site to me.

edit: OK now I'm p*ssed. I'm opted out of partner programs on DT but my images are appearing here.  >:(
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: traveler1116 on May 31, 2011, 14:36
The top images are called public domain.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: ThomasAmby on May 31, 2011, 14:50
They aren't public domain images...when I clicked on the horses photos, it took me to the photo being sold on Dreamstime. Looks like someone just trying to deceive people with the "public domain" heading?

Looks like a partner site to me.

edit: OK now I'm p*ssed. I'm opted out of partner programs on Dreamstime but my images are appearing here.  >:(

Don't worry, it looks more like someone harvesting referral signups, judging by the URLs:
Fotolia.com[...]affiliation&utm_medium=affiliation&utm_content=54083

Have no idea whether this is a legit way of getting referrals or not.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Microbius on May 31, 2011, 14:53
Yup only the top images are labelled public domain, the rest of the page are "Professional Stock Photos from £1".
Just another referral site
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: cathyslife on May 31, 2011, 14:58
deleted because I had to truncate the code and it didn't show what I wanted.

I've sent an email to DT to see if this is legal or not.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: cathyslife on May 31, 2011, 15:09
They aren't public domain images...when I clicked on the horses photos, it took me to the photo being sold on Dreamstime. Looks like someone just trying to deceive people with the "public domain" heading?

Looks like a partner site to me.

edit: OK now I'm p*ssed. I'm opted out of partner programs on Dreamstime but my images are appearing here.  >:(

Don't worry, it looks more like someone harvesting referral signups, judging by the URLs:
Fotolia.com[...]affiliation&utm_medium=affiliation&utm_content=54083

Have no idea whether this is a legit way of getting referrals or not.

How are they able to harvest to harvest all the thumbnails from Fotolia, DT etc. Is that allowed in the referral program? I thought the referral program was something different. This seems more like a partner program.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: jm on May 31, 2011, 15:37
Dreamstime link is this
http://www.dreamstime.com/search.php?srh_field=people&referrer=1008018 (http://www.dreamstime.com/search.php?srh_field=people&referrer=1008018)
It won't be diffficult to find who's that "businessman" who tries to get referals this way. I doubt that Dreamstime knows about it.

By the way - do you see that site in English? I can see it in czech but it looks like automated translation.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: bunhill on May 31, 2011, 17:05
i have found some of my images there under the paid content section and linked back to iStockphoto with a refnum. So seemingly has the potential to generate sales.

If that is allowed then we could all build refnum sites.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: ppdd on May 31, 2011, 17:30
It's quite simple to make this type of site.

Dreamstime API documentation is here: http://www.dreamstime.com/api_documentation.php (http://www.dreamstime.com/api_documentation.php)

Fotolia and Shutterstock and others have similar affiliate API's. No transactions are done on the referring site, so they are not "partner" sites. They just push traffic for a referral percentage of the sale. This isn't much to get excited over - this is what's supposed to happen, and the very reason the agencies develop an API.

You aren't supposed to run more that one at a time, usually.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on May 31, 2011, 20:18
The guy doesn't even understand what "public domain" is:
"PublicDomainPictures.net is a repository for free public domain photos. You can download high quality photos, upload your own pictures, earn money to charity, get exposure and gain popularity and improve your photographic and graphic skills."

Just because someone allows others to use their image, does not make it public domain.  There's no legal wording I can find for the license.  Anyone that uploads anything here to "get exposure" is treading dangerous and stupid waters.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: ppdd on May 31, 2011, 20:44
True, the "Public Domain" title is total worthless nonsense.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Black Sheep on June 01, 2011, 00:11
most of the "public domain" sites are full of stolen images, in the past they used this trick to cover their ass in case of copyright infringment they could say they fished the images from the public domain and provide the URL.

it's a sort of "copyright laundering", completely illegal.

i remember years ago TemplateMonster did the same and Getty sued their ass off winning a multi million $ lawsuit so all this BS has no legal ground at all at least in the USA.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: lagereek on June 01, 2011, 01:06
Im finding quite a lot of my shots there, from 1 Euro, upwards, when clicking on them up comes FT or DT, so what the heck is it?  refferal site or affiliate? or what?
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Microbius on June 01, 2011, 02:10
It's a referral site rather than an affiliate, as it links straight to work on the microsites.

Most of the free photos seem to be from just a couple of people that are also micro contributors, for example Petr Kratochvil.
I'm not sure any rules are being broken here, it's a couple of people giving away their images to try and generate some referral income. I wouldn't do it, but I think it's probably allowed by the microsites involves, or as ppdd said, they wouldn't let people use the API
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: jm on June 01, 2011, 02:13
Probably refferal mafia. When I put "dreamstime 1008018" in Google, there are few pages of links with his/her "referrer=1008018" code.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: cathyslife on June 01, 2011, 16:12
Here is a reply I got back from this website when I emailed and asked to have my images removed.

Quote
Dear Cathleen,

thanks for your email. If you would like to remove your picture of Arabian Horse from our website, you will have to contact Dreamstime. Unfortunately we can't control which pictures will show on our website in the section of Professional Photos. Your picture is displayed on our website because Dreamstime advertises their pictures on our website.


Kind regards

Vera Kratochvil
PublicDomainPictures.net team

PublicDomainPictures.net  is part of Bobek Ltd
Bobek Ltd Registered in England and Wales No. 5951382

I don't participate in partner programs because I don't want my images being sold without me know EXACTLY what they sold for and EXACTLY how much commission I will make off it.

What I find repulsive is that these agencies are now farming out all of our images and giving away a percentage of $$. Here's a thought... if there's THAT much pad in the cost of the image, how about paying ME the extra pennies instead of someone else? I am getting so sick of financing everyone else's lifestyle but my own...with my own images!

I don't know how many ways I can opt out of partner programs, affiliates, advertising, blogs or any other API "scheme du jour". I want my images to be where I put them and I want to be able to see what I am earning. Not a difficult concept.  >:(

I sent an email to Dreamstime, too, but no response yet.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: ppdd on June 01, 2011, 16:52
Cathy, as has been pointed out in this thread by several people, this site is NOT selling your photos. They are promoting your photos. The ONLY place people can buy the images is on Dreamstime, for exactly the price listed by Dreamstime. This is NOT a partner site, they are a referral site. They only make money when someone buys AT Dreamstime.

The messenger may looks a little scruffy, but think of it this way: Every visitor at these iffy sites is exposed to tons of your images, and they can ONLY go to Dreamstime to buy. This site and others like it have no access to your images. Every time a scruffy site send buyers to Dreamstime, that's one less visitor that DT has to pay or advertise to get, thus low ad costs, thus higher commissions.

The only site that doesn't really try to attract visitors this way? iStock. How's the commission percentage there?
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: cathyslife on June 01, 2011, 17:39
Cathy, as has been pointed out in this thread by several people, this site is NOT selling your photos. They are promoting your photos. The ONLY place people can buy the images is on Dreamstime, for exactly the price listed by Dreamstime. This is NOT a partner site, they are a referral site. They only make money when someone buys AT Dreamstime.

The messenger may looks a little scruffy, but think of it this way: Every visitor at these iffy sites is exposed to tons of your images, and they can ONLY go to Dreamstime to buy. This site and others like it have no access to your images. Every time a scruffy site send buyers to Dreamstime, that's one less visitor that Dreamstime has to pay or advertise to get, thus low ad costs, thus higher commissions.

The only site that doesn't really try to attract visitors this way? iStock. How's the commission percentage there?

Thank you for reiterating. I understand. And you know for a FACT that I make a higher commission when my image is sold on DT? How would you KNOW that. Or are you guessing, just like we all do.

They are promoting my photos, I get it. How much am I being paid? How much is that site being paid? They certainly aren't in business for the he11 of it, are they? That HAVE to be making money somehow, someway.

Everyone has explained the obvious...how about someone telling me EXACTLY how much money they are making off of my photos? Does the money come out of my share or DTs? Does anyone have proof of that or is the "well, I trust them with my money" thing.

PS. I don't sell at istock anymore. I don't really give a r*ts ass what they pay.  ;)

Quote
Most of the free photos seem to be from just a couple of people that are also micro contributors, for example Petr Kratochvil.
I'm not sure any rules are being broken here, it's a couple of people giving away their images to try and generate some referral income. I wouldn't do it, but I think it's probably allowed by the microsites involves, or as ppdd said, they wouldn't let people use the API

You keep referring to this referral program as "using the API". Doesn't the partner program use the "API" also?
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: ppdd on June 01, 2011, 18:55
Generally the referred buyers buy a credit package and the referring site gets a % of that purchase - 10-20%. That's how they make the money. When the buyer spends the credits, that's when you get money, so I don't think it can come out of your side.

No one has proof of this, just as no one has proof that site are reporting all your sales, or showing your images, or telling you the correct amount of the sale, etc...

I think partner sites must have an expanded API of some kind that allows fuller access and purchasing, not just the referral API - I'm not sure.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: bunhill on June 02, 2011, 01:09
The only site that doesn't really try to attract visitors this way? iStock. How's the commission percentage there?

That site does have iStockphoto content and referal links back to Stockphoto. Click on an iStockphoto image there and it takes you to iStockphoto.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: bobek on June 02, 2011, 01:35
Let me clear some things. I understand that some photographers are furious when they found a website which offers pictures for free. The same thing happened when traditional photographers found out about microstock.

I was surprised that we received an email from cclapper who was “furious” when she found that we advertise her pictures. She is the only entrepreneur I know who hates free advertising. Anyway, we managed to add her to our block list so good for those photographers who fill her positions.

It's true that we are paid by the agency but it's coming from agency's share not yours. There is only one occasion which affects your commission and it's when a customer uses a discount code. (which we don't provide)

I would expect appreciating our work with converting people who search for free images to become paying microstock members but some people simply don't see it.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Black Sheep on June 02, 2011, 02:12
Let me clear some things. I understand that some photographers are furious when they found a website which offers pictures for free. The same thing happened when traditional photographers found out about microstock.

I was surprised that we received an email from cclapper who was “furious” when she found that we advertise her pictures. She is the only entrepreneur I know who hates free advertising. Anyway, we managed to add her to our block list so good for those photographers who fill her positions.

It's true that we are paid by the agency but it's coming from agency's share not yours. There is only one occasion which affects your commission and it's when a customer uses a discount code. (which we don't provide)

I would expect appreciating our work with converting people who search for free images to become paying microstock members but some people simply don't see it.

You don't produce any photos on your own and none of the images on your site are either free or public domain.
Fact is, you're a crook, and you do it in the vain hope of monetize someone else's work.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: bobek on June 02, 2011, 02:35
You don't produce any photos on your own and none of the images on your site are either free or public domain.
Fact is, you're a crook, and you do it in the vain hope of monetize someone else's work.

This is my final reply to this topic. Have you even visited the website? (Definitely not) Here is a link to my portfolio with over 2,500 images under public domain http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/browse-author.php?a=1 (http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/browse-author.php?a=1)

As I wrote above no more further comments, luckily I have better things to do.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on June 02, 2011, 08:22
This is my final reply to this topic. Have you even visited the website? (Definitely not) Here is a link to my portfolio with over 2,500 images under public domain [url]http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/browse-author.php?a=1[/url] ([url]http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/browse-author.php?a=1[/url])

As I wrote above no more further comments, luckily I have better things to do.


As I already wrote, you apparently don't know the first thing about the terms copyright or public domain.  For instance, on one of your shots, your "license" states:
"This image is public domain. You may use this picture for any purpose, including commercial. If you do use it, please consider linking back to us. If you are going to redistribute this image online, a hyperlink to this particular page is mandatory."

Guess what?  If the content is in the public domain, you don't get to dictate things like "a hyperlink...is mandatory".  What you probably mean to do is offer them under a CC license that requires attribution, but apparently, you think using the term "public domain" is catchier, and will bring you more referral sign ups.

Also, why would someone buy your image at fotolia:
http://www.fotolia.com/id/14450337 (http://www.fotolia.com/id/14450337)
when they can get it for "free" on your "promotional" site?
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=1781&picture=colored-pencils (http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=1781&picture=colored-pencils)

Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: aeonf on June 02, 2011, 09:11
^^^ I am actually wondering how do they accept an image with so much blank space ?
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: ppdd on June 02, 2011, 09:52
You don't produce any photos on your own and none of the images on your site are either free or public domain.
Fact is, you're a crook, and you do it in the vain hope of monetize someone else's work.

This is my final reply to this topic. Have you even visited the website? (Definitely not) Here is a link to my portfolio with over 2,500 images under public domain [url]http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/browse-author.php?a=1[/url] ([url]http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/browse-author.php?a=1[/url])

As I wrote above no more further comments, luckily I have better things to do.


Images cannot be copyrighted and in the public domain at the same time. If they were in the public domain, I could download all of them and resell to my heart's content. You would give up control of the images.

sean, As for selling and giving away the same image, it's not dumb. I'm sure it's much more profitable to give away images as a lure for referrals than to sell them at fotolia.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Black Sheep on June 02, 2011, 10:10
nothing new.

if you read any webmasters forum there are endless discussions about how to monetize images "found on the web", articles scraped via rss, auto-blogging (by someone else's rss), repackaging open source scripts and templates and reselling them as commercial, and the list goes on .. most of these guys are only after the money and couldn't give a crap about actually producing something on their own.

parasites, leechers, if not plain thieves.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: ppdd on June 02, 2011, 10:31
nothing new.

if you read any webmasters forum there are endless discussions about how to monetize images "found on the web", articles scraped via rss, auto-blogging (by someone else's rss), repackaging open source scripts and templates and reselling them as commercial, and the list goes on .. most of these guys are only after the money and couldn't give a crap about actually producing something on their own.

parasites, leechers, if not plain thieves.

I agree, but this is not one of those sites. They give away their own photos as referral bait. There are quite a few totally legit sites that do this, and a lot of real work goes into them.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: luissantos84 on June 02, 2011, 11:07
^^^ I am actually wondering how do they accept an image with so much blank space ?

that´s not the question here.. but that shows how absent you are in stock and files online, you should join and "learn" more with your stock partner :)
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: luissantos84 on June 02, 2011, 11:11
jeez he is the referral pro look at his http://www.dreamstime.com/Littlebobek_info (http://www.dreamstime.com/Littlebobek_info)
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Morphart on June 02, 2011, 11:14
Im finding quite a lot of my shots there, from 1 Euro, upwards, when clicking on them up comes Fotolia or Dreamstime, so what the heck is it?  refferal site or affiliate? or what?
Professional Stock Photos from $1

Those are our stock images being listing down in that category. All point to referral links so I guess it's a referral "harvesting" site ;p
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: cathyslife on June 02, 2011, 20:23
Let me clear some things. I understand that some photographers are furious when they found a website which offers pictures for free. The same thing happened when traditional photographers found out about microstock.

I was surprised that we received an email from cclapper who was “furious” when she found that we advertise her pictures. She is the only entrepreneur I know who hates free advertising. Anyway, we managed to add her to our block list so good for those photographers who fill her positions.

It's true that we are paid by the agency but it's coming from agency's share not yours. There is only one occasion which affects your commission and it's when a customer uses a discount code. (which we don't provide)

I would expect appreciating our work with converting people who search for free images to become paying microstock members but some people simply don't see it.


And you forgot to mention all of the above in your email to me. Instead you told me to talk to Dreamstime:

Quote
Dear Cathleen,

thanks for your email. If you would like to remove your picture of Arabian Horse from our website, you will have to contact Dreamstime. Unfortunately we can't control which pictures will show on our website in the section of Professional Photos. Your picture is displayed on our website because Dreamstime advertises their pictures on our website.


Kind regards

Vera Kratochvil
PublicDomainPictures.net team

PublicDomainPictures.net  is part of Bobek Ltd
Bobek Ltd Registered in England and Wales No. 5951382

Which I did. And they reported back to me that they have been removed.

Dreamstime did say that this site is a partner (their words) I appreciate that they handled the matter swiftly.

Quote
The same thing happened when traditional photographers found out about microstock.


Not sure what this has to do with anything. I have been opted out of anything to do with my images appearing on any other site for a long time...I am furious because they even found their way to your site at all.

Problem solved, it has been handled.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Microbius on June 03, 2011, 02:45
Storm in a tea cup.
They are giving away their own images, they have every right.
They are linking back to our images on Dreamstime, also can't see the problem.
They have mislabeled their own images as public domain, again, not our problem, if they get their portfolio downloaded and resold by someone who does know what public domain means their problem not mine.
There are so many sites out there who are actually stealing our work and reselling it or giving it away, I can't really see why it's worth getting worked up about this site which clearly isn't doing that.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: gaja on June 03, 2011, 05:46
jeez he is the referral pro look at his [url]http://www.dreamstime.com/Littlebobek_info[/url] ([url]http://www.dreamstime.com/Littlebobek_info[/url])


And if you look at the list, you will notice that only one of the referrals has uploaded a picture. So I guess the rest of them might be buyers. I can't say it makes me angry that someone makes a lot of effort to recruit new buyers.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: cathyslife on June 03, 2011, 07:04
Everybody has a right to do with their images what they choose. I choose NOT to have my images on any site that I don't know about beforehand. I choose NOT to have my images go to sites where I don't actually do the uploading. If there's enough room in the price of my images to pay someone else...PAY ME MORE MONEY instead.

So stop belittling my choice of not participating. I'm not belittling your choice to do what you want with YOUR images.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: Microbius on June 03, 2011, 07:27
The point is that your images are/ were not on that site, just links to them on Dreamstime (in the form of thumbnails).
If you want those links removed that's up to you, I'm just trying to understand why you would want to.

Also check this out, new referral badges that display most popular or newest image thumbnails on any website for referring people to DT:
http://www.dreamstime.com/badges_dynamic.php (http://www.dreamstime.com/badges_dynamic.php)
http://www.dreamstime.com/thread_25423 (http://www.dreamstime.com/thread_25423)

Would you also consider this to be a problem? will you be contacting DT to make sure your images aren't appearing on other sites via badges like these too?
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: luissantos84 on June 03, 2011, 10:30
jeez he is the referral pro look at his [url]http://www.dreamstime.com/Littlebobek_info[/url] ([url]http://www.dreamstime.com/Littlebobek_info[/url])


And if you look at the list, you will notice that only one of the referrals has uploaded a picture. So I guess the rest of them might be buyers. I can't say it makes me angry that someone makes a lot of effort to recruit new buyers.


right.. but he is building income with our pics.. :)
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: ppdd on June 03, 2011, 10:38
So, what would warmpicture.com say if I said this: Look, I have a site that gives away a number of images I've shot myself with a few others - it has 50,000 visitors monthly, and they look at half a million pages monthly. I can show your images on every page they see, and show the images that match the search the visitor has typed in perfectly. I'll do this for free, and all you have to do is give me 10% of of the sale if my visitor buys from you. You do nothing.

Does that sounds like a good deal to you? (I'm not making a judgement, but I'm curious to know your answer, given that you may have investigated ways to promote your site.)
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: luissantos84 on June 03, 2011, 10:46
So, what would warmpicture.com say if I said this: Look, I have a site that gives away a number of images I've shot myself with a few others - it has 50,000 visitors monthly, and they look at half a million pages monthly. I can show your images on every page they see, and show the images that match the search the visitor has typed in perfectly. I'll do this for free, and all you have to do is give me 10% of of the sale if my visitor buys from you. You do nothing.

Does that sounds like a good deal to you? (I'm not making a judgement, but I'm curious to know your answer, given that you may have investigated ways to promote your site.)

it is a contributors collection owned by Daniel, I guess he will answer this for you, I will let him know
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: ppdd on June 03, 2011, 12:15
Sorry - call it a hypothetical question to any of the contributors. I'm just pointing out what a value proposition from a site like this would look like.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: luissantos84 on June 03, 2011, 12:55
Sorry - call it a hypothetical question to any of the contributors. I'm just pointing out what a value proposition from a site like this would look like.

warmpictures doesn´t have anything with this website, nothing related, miles and miles away.. it is a contributors stock agency and there are no referrals links or other "weird" stuff..
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: ppdd on June 03, 2011, 13:33
I completely understand what warmpicture is and is not. I'm trying to illustrate a point by clarifying what a relationship bewteen two sites could be, since some in this thread seem wary of referrals.
Title: Re: Public Domain Images?
Post by: djpadavona on June 25, 2011, 21:10
So, what would warmpicture.com say if I said this: Look, I have a site that gives away a number of images I've shot myself with a few others - it has 50,000 visitors monthly, and they look at half a million pages monthly. I can show your images on every page they see, and show the images that match the search the visitor has typed in perfectly. I'll do this for free, and all you have to do is give me 10% of of the sale if my visitor buys from you. You do nothing.

Does that sounds like a good deal to you? (I'm not making a judgement, but I'm curious to know your answer, given that you may have investigated ways to promote your site.)


Of course I'd have additional questions, but such a proposal would be considered.  I doubt I would want our images promoted on a site which purports to be "Public Domain" as that would create confusion, and suggest image usage rights which professional stock photographers would justly object to.

However in terms of referral/affiliate programs, I am already investigating options.  (Dreamstime does this as well any microstock site in my opinion)  Besides the increased back links which might pique the interest of search engines, referrals from high traffic sites would give any target site a nice boost in visitors.  90-95% of a sale is much better than 100% of no sale.