Do you consider an image published if?

[mtbbrian]

Hello my PR.com friends,

I have been contacted by a couple of websites lately asking if they could display some of my photographs in a gallery.

And I have been thinking if this could be considered "published work" or not?

What are some of your thoughts?
I am thinking it is, but am not sure.

Thanks,
Brian

[paulnj]

Hello my PR.com friends,

I have been contacted by a couple of websites lately asking if they could display some of my photographs in a gallery.

And I have been thinking if this could be considered "published work" or not?

What are some of your thoughts?
I am thinking it is, but am not sure.

Thanks,
Brian

published.....formally made public

answer is YES

[another view]

Congrads - and yes that means published, at least as defined by copyright laws.

[Asylum Steve]

Hello my PR.com friends,

I have been contacted by a couple of websites lately asking if they could display some of my photographs in a gallery.

And I have been thinking if this could be considered "published work" or not?

What are some of your thoughts?
I am thinking it is, but am not sure.

Thanks,
Brian

First of all, congrats Brian. There's no way to interpret this other than people like your work...

Yes, web publishing is totally legit now. In fact, it's at the point where many accomplished shooters now completely pass up anything except a web pressence.

Still, it's a whole nother animal from traditional paper publishing, complete with its own set of rules, guidelines, and pitfalls.

Not to diminish your accomplishments, but one obvious problem with the interent is the extreme ease of self-publishing. Most anyone now can create an online "magazine" or "gallery", then stick any images they want in there and proclaim them to be "published".

So, in a sense, the value of where you're published, just like a paper magazine, comes down to the design quality of the site and the amount of viewers it draws.

These are important things to consider when you write your resume (or brag sheet as we call it). You can easily fluff it up by being "published" in dozens of places on the web, but sooner or later someone important will read it and know how much of it is authentic and how much is BS. This could backfire on you, so the best thing is to pick and choose your publishing credits carefully.

BTW, these same points holds true for web awards. If one really tried, one could probably have a handful of these "awards" in their pocket without too much trouble. But how many of them are a genuine honor for excellent work recognized by qualified judges?

Anyway, this looks like a real good start for you. Keep us updated...

[mtbbrian]

Thanks again Steve, you have once again reassured my feelings on another photographic issue.

I will email you the websites I am taliking about that I have been contacted by.

Regards,
Brian

PS, I like how you incorprated your moderator profile from the old boards into your sig line.. I just might do that too...

[Hodgy]

Published yes, Profit? Well that's up to you.

[Charles Hess]

looking forward to seeing them PUBLISHED on the websites! :-)

Thanks again Steve, you have once again reassured my feelings on another photographic issue.

I will email you the websites I am taliking about that I have been contacted by.

Regards,
Brian

PS, I like how you incorprated your moderator profile from the old boards into your sig line.. I just might do that too...

[Asylum Steve]

PS, I like how you incorprated your moderator profile from the old boards into your sig line.. I just might do that too...

Well, I've been waiting to hear back from PJ regarding the bio pages as well as the "hot discussions" links from the old site. I don't know if he has any plans to transfer these to the new pages, so I decided to take things into my own hands... ;)

[mtbbrian]

Well, I've been waiting to hear back from PJ regarding the bio pages as well as the "hot discussions" links from the old site. I don't know if he has any plans to transfer these to the new pages, so I decided to take things into my own hands... ;)

I have been wondering about that too! I want do that too!
If you take a look at my forum he has posted the "Critique Guidleines" at the very top, outside of all the posts.
So it looks like it is possible.
Brian

[natatbeach]

published.....formally made public

answer is YES

Pronunciation: 'p&-blish
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, modification of Middle French publier, from Latin publicare, from publicus public
transitive senses
1 a : to make generally known b : to make public announcement of
2 a : to disseminate to the public b : to produce or release for distribution; specifically : PRINT 2c c : to issue the work of (an author)
intransitive senses

Congratulations.....

[darkman]

Interesting question!

I've often wondered the same thing. I have product shots and women's volleyball shots posted on legit sites (local businesses and UNM) that are intended for public consumption.

In the same vain, around the holiday's I was turning down more portrait work than I would take. I get paid, but does that make me a pro?

Now, I did get a postcard published and the same image appeared in a calender that I did get paid for. These were available at any tourist shop in town. I've been asked to submit others too, by the publisher.

In the last case I would admit to being published, the first I'm not sure. Being a pro? Nah, it's a hobby that I enjoy a lot and I'm more than flattered when I get asked to do it for pay. Sometimes I say yes:-)

Mike

BTW, I thought you had images published in MTB/BMX mags?

[mtbbrian]

I hear you Mike, I think the same way as you do. I hardly make any money on photography. I do it for more or less the same reasons you do. Although if given the chance of finding a lucrative professional outlet I would jump at the chance in a heartbeat...
So for now, I am just happy that people are wanting to see my stuff.
And yes, I have been published in two different bike publications.
Brian

[coldfire]

From the perspective of a writer, even posting your picture here on this forum makes it published. Given the differences between photography and writing, though, I'm not sure buyers would care: in the writing world, a publisher may very well reject your story or article because it's already published, when all you did was post it on the Net, in a non-private forum. The first serial rights are already gone.

Like I said, though, this is unique to writing, and I'm assuming it's not the same in photography. That said, I would consider your situation to be published. Published and paid is another story altogether. ;)