this is one of my favorite photos. i shot it several years ago when i was learning about depth of field. a large print of it is hanging on my wall. i saw it this morning (well, an over-saturated photoshopped version of it) on pinterest and it was credited to a tumblr site. i followed the link and saw that the tumblr site credited it to a blogger that was not me. that site no longer exists. i then noticed that the photo was reblogged to about 212 other sites from the tumblr site. before i stopped myself, i saw that some of those sites gave no credit to the photo or even implied it was their own.
deep breath.
and another.
just the other day i thought, "get over yourself" when another blogger was complaining (again) on facebook about her photos being inaccurately credited.
so i am now saying it to myself:
get over yourself.
let it go.
detach.
the subject matter of the photo is perfect for this challenge. whenever i begin to study buddhism, my eyes start to glaze over when we get to the part about non-attachment. i like my things. i like my people. i like my ideas. i am not a good sharer. (just ask ken about the big bowl of popcorn that is mineminemine and get your mitts outta the bowl.) quite the lesson for me, right?
i realized that tracking down every single blog that posted my (um, the) photo was fruitless and a little stupid. i realized that the wild possessive streak that was heating up my body was quite ugly. i realized that buddha (even a miniature manufactured buddha) does not belong to me.
i realized that the image gives peace and happiness and color and joy to so many people who i will never know, who will never visit my blog and who may need to see it at just the right moment.
do i really need to be credited with that? it would be nice, but it's not necessary.
i'm over myself. it feels weird. in a good way.
and yes, i realize that this blog post is staking claim to the image. baby steps.
p.s. i still believe the kindest, most-likely-way-to-produce-good-karma thing to do it to ask permission and/or properly credit photos, especially when they are from someone who makes their living from their photography.
12 comments:
Beautifully written my creative friend . . . blessings!
you always give me a little to think about.
you always allow me to breathe in deeply
and rethink the "think"
i was at von's the other day. you would love it there. a shop full of juicy beads, sari's, crystals and minerals, ugly dolls and all kinds of buddha's. my massage therapist buddy and i were trying out the singing bowls. we are still giggling, because i was browsing beads as she made it sing and from two rows over she would hear me say - oh kasey...that is the one, oh that one is pitchy, oh that sounds nice.
i saw a ganesh that made me think of yours, but just not colorful.
always think of you when i am there.
i have been following you long enough to remember that photo and when it was first posted. i always liked that one too.
such a bummer about the crediting, but, you seem to be fairly balanced on this- it is just disappointing that you have to be.
It's such a beautiful picture. :) I'm glad to be able to see it and I'm glad to see it here. This image is so "you" that if I would see it elsewhere, not edited that is, I would think it was yours. :)
thank you loves.
and anne, i do believe that's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.
Fantastic photo!
GLORIA
{ Scacco alle Regine }
There seems to be no way to keep our property our own once we put it in cyberspace. Images of my floral designs are constantly snatched.
So what, so what. Buddha say, let go.
Surely, credit is nice, but in the end we must do everything for ourselves first and foremost. If your photo pleases you, it is enough.It is good. As I have said many times, your style is extremely recognizable. In that way, you've protected yourself.
love this ...thank you....thank you...thank you!
xx
My only concern regarding the photo ownership would be if someone was selling cards or other prints of it and making money from your art...otherwise, detatch away!
Wow. I am a little sad for you and inspired by how you're handling it. I hope I get there someday! Wonderful image!
Hey Lisa,
I love your blog, and I follow you on flickr, you are so very talented.
I first saw your little buddha's on flickr and even posted them to my fav's! I had to double check, but thankfully, they redirect right to your beautiful and creative flickr site. Don't stop the work you do, you are so very talented.
Your Canadian Fan, Lisa K.
this hasn't happened to me ... yet.
i get the breath-holding, anger-spewing thought process but always think the same thing when other people are complaining about this (pinterest seems to be their most recent reason to complain, too) and i remind myself that if and when any of my ideas or photos are improperly credited or outright "stolen" and duplicated online, i will have to let it go.
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