http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

Any of your images here?  Or is this a fotolia partner site?

There's so much wrong with that site.

The top images are called public domain.

Yup only the top images are labelled public domain, the rest of the page are "Professional Stock Photos from �1".
Just another referral site

Quote from: cclapper 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Here is a reply I got back from this website when I emailed and asked to have my images removed.

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.

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. 

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?

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.

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.