How do you find your images on the internet?

[mjs1973]

This topic has come up before, but today was the first time I have tried to find out if some of my images are being used on other websites. I heard of a site called Tin Eye today while listening to a podcast. The site is still in beta, but you can request an invitation to test out the site. I signed up, and within the first few minutes of using the site, I found one of my images on another website from the UK.

The image I found was one that has sold over 500 downloads on iStockphoto so I wasn't real surprised. I was surprised at how easy and fast the site was to use.

If it sounds like something you might be interested in, give them a try.

www.tineye.com

Edit:
I played around with this a little more now that I'm home. I know it's still in beta, but I would think that it should find images that I have posted in this forum, but it didn't.

[retroactiv]

I just signed up for the waiting list.

[ken1953]

I, also, have just signed up.

[Ballen Photo]

Thanks for posting this Mike. This looks like it'll be a very effective tool for finding image thieves.
-Bruce

[mjs1973]

I downloaded the plug in for Firefox so all I have to do it right click on any image I see on the web and select the Search Image on Tineye. I noticed that when I do that, I get a different result based on the size of the image I search for.

Take the image that I found on another site earlier today for example. If I do the right click search on a thumbnail version of that image, it doesn't find anything. If I do the same search on a larger version of that same image, the program finds it on that other site.

[Ballen Photo]

Take the image that I found on another site earlier today for example. If I do the right click search on a thumbnail version of that image, it doesn't find anything. If I do the same search on a larger version of that same image, the program finds it on that other site.

Also good to know, especially since I too use Firefox.
Keep the tips coming.
-Bruce

[Greg McCary]

And me. I signed up as well. Thanks for the info.

[mjs1973]

Glad some of the members here are interested. I hope you find the site useful. The waiting list was only a couple of minutes for me, but according to the podcast I heard about the site on, it was taking some people up to 24 hours to get there invitation.

[Ballen Photo]

I got the request confirmation back almost immediately, but no actual invite yet.
-Bruce

[brmill26]

Very interesting, Mike. I signed up to give it a try. I'll report back if I find anything.

[Ballen Photo]

Update, My acceptance email was waiting for me this morning. I'm IN!
I did a trial search through the Firefox plug in for an image I know I've posted on multiple sites.
No results.
They "did" mention they are still very small at the moment, and requested that I submit URL's for sites I think they should have in their data base. I've submitted a few, including this one to help them out. I figure if they're going to help me, I'm most certainly going to help them.
Haven't submitted ebay yet though. :idea:
-Bruce

[mjs1973]

I also submitted this site.

[Ballen Photo]

I also submitted this site.

Double redundancy? LOL! BTW, eBay is now on their list as well. (Probably the most abused site for stolen images.)
I figure it wont hurt to submit as many image bearing sites as possible, and "ESPECIALLY" those stock image sites.
-Bruce

[Wild Wassa]

If I could only be so vain as to think others would want to steal my images ... and they have. I've come across three that I've run into by accident.

One appeared once on Sailing Anarchy, one on a boat designer's site and one on a boat builder's site

I knew I was destined for fame when an art teacher during Year 12 stole my major work which was a painting for my end of year Art exam. The janitor caught her putting the painting in the boot of her car and dobbed her in.

I wouldn't have dobbed her in, I felt flattered. I certainly don't mind if someone takes my work, that is why I'm on the World Wide Web. I have taken so many free downloads ... I could only hope to make a small contribution.

Warren.

[readingr]

BooHoo - I am on a waiting list.

Looks interesting

Roger

[mjs1973]

BooHoo - I am on a waiting list.

Looks interesting

Roger

I was too, for about 10 minutes.