Quote Originally Posted by Alison


Not easy when you are a portrait photographer and you want your work displayed BEFORE you can get clients.
Coming from that direction....

I did it as well, in fact, used to be a week didn't go by when you didn't see my kids on this site. Were they lifted? Maybe. Do I care? Well, the thought of my kids images floating around who knows where is a little unsettling. But that was before "business" when I was learning and sharing my results. I've learned tons and tons here, and wouldn't have if I was afraid someone was going to steal my photos.

HOWEVER....how many clients do you get from flickr? If it's something that upsets you, is it worth the risk? I know where my clients come from and 99% of them only find me online (website/blog) AFTER they've heard about me someplace else.

In general, anything you put online is fair game. Is it right? No, but it's fact.

The fear of what MIGHT happen shouldn't make your decisions. What kind of life is that? So you weigh the choices. You want clients. You don't want your photos lifted. Well...if not putting images out there for potential clients to see is going to cost you those potential clients, is preventing that guy from having them in his flickr site worth that? On the other hand, say you knew your photos were being used for unsavory business. Knowing that, would you ignore it because you are getting clients?

Choices, choices, and more choices. That's what life is.


adina

btw....yeah, I've had photos stolen, scanned, you name it. It sucks. And I was angry. But for every butthead, there's a dozen really great people.