# Posting Photos on Facebook...Bad Idea?



## PhilGarber (Sep 4, 2009)

Hi-

 I know this will spiral back to the risk vs. reward factor of placing images online, but I'm still at a loss of what to do.

 I wish to post my fine art photos online purely because it is a strong hobby of mine. I also understand that my photos are of the quality where there is at least a possibility of them being stolen or simply used without the offender aware of their copyright. 

 Watermarks are useless crap.. right? to big, they ruin the image, too small, they're worthless. What I'm really asking is would you post your professional photos on such an open website as Facebook?

Thanks,

Phil,


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## loopy (Sep 4, 2009)

I heard somewhere that in Facebook's TOS it states that they may use any photo uploaded to facebook. Never checked it out for myself though. I think facebook has an "order prints" option as well, so you may want to only upload low resolution pictures. 

When you post pictures anywhere online you run the risk of them being used without your permission.


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## PhilGarber (Sep 4, 2009)

****.....Thanks Loopy, I check out Facebook's TOS.


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## Big Mike (Sep 4, 2009)

I would think the risk is fairly low...so what is the reward for you?  If you want to show them off, then go for it.

I think a small, unobtrusive watermark can help.  Sure, it can be cropped or cloned out but if someone's willing to go that far, not much is going to stop them anyway.

I guess it comes down to why you are taking the photos in the first place.  If you are taking them to make money, to put food on your table, then you will want to protect them.  But if you are taking them, with the intention of showing them to other people...that that's what you should do.


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## PhilGarber (Sep 4, 2009)

Thanks Mike. I'm really shooting for both of those reasons. To pursue a hobby I enjoy, and build my future portfolio.


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## max3k (Sep 4, 2009)

There is a spot in your profile preferences on facebook that you can check if you dont want them to use your images. I dont remember exactly where, but I know its there because i checked it on mine last month.


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## bigtwinky (Sep 4, 2009)

If i upload a 500k picture to facebook (where I downed the resolution and image size in photoshop), after its uploaded, its usually sitting at 50k.  So anyone who rightclicks and saves the image has a horribly low quality shot.

Good enough to put on another website, not enough for print.


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## musicaleCA (Sep 4, 2009)

Facebook craps on your photos. SOOOooo much compression. *sighs* I put a link to my Flickr page of the image whenever I put them on Facebook.

As for the ToS, I just protect myself by staying organized (kinda-sorta). My serious work goes on Flickr. But if it's friends or family, it's on Facebook, so they can, you know, actually see them. And if they want prints they talk to me directly. I keep an album of 6 recent images from my Flickr photostream on Facebook, with links back, to lure people to my photostream. Mwahahahahahaha!!!

Just delete the image, and Facebook's rights to use it are immediately revoked. In other words, the license for them to use it is there so that they can, you know, _use_ it on the website as you intend and show it to whomever is allowed to see it, and leave no room for them to be sued in the process. If they have any intelligence at all, they won't use your images in any larger capacity&#8212;like and ad campaign or other larger-scale projects&#8212;without your consent, because if you found out, all you'd have to do is delete the image and *then* sue the pants off them.

My opinion is that a small watermark is helpful; more so when you have a logo or other branding to establish. It's a way of making sure that people legitimately viewing the image anywhere else (let's be honest, people direct link to images all the time on the internet), will see your name or brand too. They're never an effective copy-protection scheme though. I know Imagekind has a section about it in their help section, where they explain honestly why aggressive watermarking is probably a very bad idea. (That said, I still hate watermarks.)


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## bhop (Sep 4, 2009)

Personally, I don't post stuff I care about on facebook.

here's why
"For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos ("IP content"), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: *you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook* ("IP License"). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it."


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## boogschd (Sep 4, 2009)

facebook's uploader is crap


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## Garbz (Sep 4, 2009)

Facebook has a builtin thing that pulls in data from your flickr account. That way you can have flickr photos accessible from facebook, and even show up in your announcements, while not being subjected to facebook tos.


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## PhilGarber (Sep 4, 2009)

Garbz said:


> Facebook has a builtin thing that pulls in data from your flickr account. That way you can have flickr photos accessible from facebook, and even show up in your announcements, while not being subjected to facebook tos.



Ooooh.. That sounds like my ticket. I'll be looking into that.


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## PhilGarber (Sep 4, 2009)

Thanks all for your input.


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## Dominantly (Sep 4, 2009)

Really? Are your photos that good?

I find it funny to think that someone would take a photo off Facebook with that horrible compression, and small size, and try and do anything with it. It's even funnier to me that someone would be so worried about it. Like there is a black market where people are going to sell 6x8's of other peoples work, stolen from FB.


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## craig (Sep 4, 2009)

Dominantly said:


> Really? Are your photos that good?
> 
> I find it funny to think that someone would take a photo off Facebook with that horrible compression, and small size, and try and do anything with it. It's even funnier to me that someone would be so worried about it. Like there is a black market where people are going to sell 6x8's of other peoples work, stolen from FB.




Very true. Not sure why people never figure that out. Fear is the mind killer!!!!! Just get your work out there!!!!!

Love & Bass


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## PhilGarber (Sep 5, 2009)

craig said:


> Dominantly said:
> 
> 
> > Really? Are your photos that good?
> ...



Sooooo... You're saying it's safe to do no watermarks nothing........?


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## Garbz (Sep 5, 2009)

Dominantly said:


> Really? Are your photos that good?



They are probably better than most of the crap on facebook. More over they would be better than a lot of the crap on flickr.

That didn't stop Virgin using someone's photos in a marketing campaign.


I'm sure a crap photo of your friend drunk on facebook will attract no one until a marketing company is looking for a photo of 2 drunks and think hmmm facebook will sell us that. Being a crap photographer is not a shield from misuse of your images.


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## Dominantly (Sep 5, 2009)

It is not a shield buy come on.... How long will you go sheltering yourself before you actually get out there?


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## Restomage (Sep 5, 2009)

I do upload my photos on facebook however I do put a large watermark on them.


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## craig (Sep 5, 2009)

PhilGarber said:


> craig said:
> 
> 
> > Dominantly said:
> ...



I am saying that nothing is safe. If someone wants to steal your image they will. Of course taking the standard precautions is a good idea. 

The idea is to get your work out there. I believe there should never be these questions of image theft. Now when you are shooting for clients more drastic measures need to be taken. Such as password protected galleries.

Love & Bass


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## PhilGarber (Sep 5, 2009)

I get what you're saying now.. Just get over the fear factor and post your photos.


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## craig (Sep 5, 2009)

Exactly! As photographers and especially if you are new to the art; we must always be shooting. Equally important is getting our work out there for feedback and or viewing. 

Love & Bass


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## Chiller (Sep 6, 2009)

I only post really low res photos on Faceplant and forums. 
I had my photos lifted from TPFs gallery.


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## musicaleCA (Sep 6, 2009)

bhop said:


> Personally, I don't post stuff I care about on facebook.
> 
> here's why
> "For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos ("IP content"), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: *you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook* ("IP License"). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it."



As I said, standard fare for social networking websites. It's so they can use the darn thing. Their rights are revoked if you remove the image (as explained later in the ToS).



Garbz said:


> Facebook has a builtin thing that pulls in data from your flickr account. That way you can have flickr photos accessible from facebook, and even show up in your announcements, while not being subjected to facebook tos.



Where?


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## PhilGarber (Sep 6, 2009)

I agree- Where is this built-in Facebook-Flickr thing?


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## Dominantly (Sep 6, 2009)

Dont know about Flicker, but I use something similar with Photobucket.


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## kundalini (Sep 6, 2009)

I've never gone to a Facebook page.  Don't intend to either.

However, the other day I heard an interview where they were saying that if Facebook were a country, it would be the 4th largest in the world with over 250M members.

I've never gone to a Facebook page.  Don't intend to either.


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## PhilGarber (Sep 6, 2009)

...Meaning that with that many people it might not be wise to post professional photos?


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## PhilGarber (Sep 6, 2009)

Dominantly said:


> Dont know about Flicker, but I use something similar with Photobucket.



Please point me to the feature on Facebook.


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## craig (Sep 6, 2009)

My facebook page Craig Blank - Los Angeles, CA | Facebook

Thinking about starting a Craig Blank Photography page. A lot of networking possibilities out there...

Love & Bass


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## Garbz (Sep 7, 2009)

There is an app called My Flickr which allows you to pull photos from flickr to facebook (adds a tab My Flickr to your profile), and within it I get it to display the 5 most recent images, and 5 photos chosen at random. It also publishes photos to my news feed when I add them to flickr, just like the facebook photo system does.



Restomage said:


> I do upload my photos on facebook however I do put a large watermark on them.



Then people won't look at it. (Depending on how large). Distract the viewer and they'll just think you're a crap photographer.


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## skieur (Sep 8, 2009)

Facebook has got into major trouble in Canada for violating privacy laws and maintaining data and photos related to members long after they have left facebook.

Personally, I have refused multiple invitations to be on Facebook and would certainly not put anything on that site either info. or photos.

skieur


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## musicaleCA (Sep 8, 2009)

skieur said:


> Facebook has got into major trouble in Canada for violating privacy laws and maintaining data and photos related to members long after they have left facebook.
> 
> Personally, I have refused multiple invitations to be on Facebook and would certainly not put anything on that site either info. or photos.
> 
> skieur



There's also an issue regarding how Facebook gives out user-information to application developers. It's an insane violation of privacy, under Canadian law. As it stands we're on the precipice of declaring Facebook, as it operates now, illegal. Though, given the large user base for Facebook in Canada, it's probably something Facebook will try to fix before being banned here. And that'd suck. I use Facebook a lot; it's heavily used by students and student organizations at UBC.

Thanks Garbz for the tip. Must check that out. I'm usually too lazy to update that small album with my Flickr photos.

I also completely agree about the watermarking. Put a huge watermark on there, and you just wreck the image. I personally never pay attention to heavily watermarked images.


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## ocular (Sep 9, 2009)

> Facebook has got into major trouble in Canada for violating privacy laws and maintaining data and photos related to members long after they have left facebook.



They've fixed that now.


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## RodeoFotocom (Sep 9, 2009)

I use Facebook as a great marketing tool (as well as connecting with my friends).  After a Rodeo I load the photos of the contestants that were purchased from me and Tag them in the photo.  It seems to be a hit!  I also have a Facebook group.

I agree with the person that said Fear is a mind killer.  I am trying so hard not to focus on who is stealing photos and proofs and more on who is supporting me and how can I show my appreciation to them.


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## craig (Sep 9, 2009)

Extra credit for being positive. A lot of photographers use Facebook and Myspace. Laugh all you want, but they are good networking tools that reach a lot of people. Of course everyone is different. All depends on your target audience and marketing plan.

Love & Bass


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## Garbz (Sep 9, 2009)

Given that two Australian girls lost in a stormwater drain the other day Facebooked for help from their mobiles and relied on a friend to call 000 for them (yeah they are idiots), you can definitely see that if you really want to connect with a younger generation without myspace you're lost.

Every month I get some guy from primary school or high school find me on facebook and say Hey, How's things, you're into photography? Cool! (except with worse grammar)


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## klarkinphotos (Sep 17, 2009)

There is a girl that i know that is a model and she had many pictures on her facebook.... UNTIL  it turned up very edited but clearly her in a paper for some advertisement. so im pretty sure they have all rights to your pictures and they/anyone can take them and do what ever they want with them.  needless to day she does not have many pictures on facebook anymore.


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