Welcome back to the last session of Summer Camp hosted by me and Cassie! We could not have been more pleased with the comments and excitement over this series! Thank you so much for the encouragement and the additional tips! We hope everyone new blogger or seasoned as had some sort of take away from this. I know I have!!! Ok class session ~ Sourcing!
How to Source and Site
I started blogging in October of 2010. So I am fairly new to the blogoshere. But since I have started there has came the invention of Pinterest and the availability to find amazing images and inspiration all in one spot. It is simple, you find it, you pin it, and then you embed it. But is that totally fair? I will admit I have posted a few posts of pinned photos from my boards... but should I have went to the source and credited the photo from the original site and not via Pinterest?
IF you pin something and then choose to use it I always try to make sure the source that is listed is from the original site. e.i: Soure: someecards.com via Tiffany {Living Savyy} on Pinterest. It lists the original source and it is from my pin board.
But what if you have this... Source: Uploaded by user via Tiffany {Living Savvy} on Pinterest? Should you still use the image? Can it be properly sited? To get to the original source you can click on the picture and it will typically take you straight to the original site. I clicked on this picture and this is what I got:
http://media-cache-ec9.pinterest.com/upload/84301824244320699_NTgQ7iel.jpg
Not very helpful!
Design Sponge had a great graphic awhile back that was easy to follow:
Not very helpful!
Design Sponge had a great graphic awhile back that was easy to follow:
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| Poster by Pia, Erin and Yvette via Design Sponge |
This is image was sourced from Design Sponge. I simply copied the source from their site and then added D*S link on the end, linking back the post where I found it. D*S has a really good series on blogging business, ethics and etiquette {read here}.
Link Backs
Aside from Pinterest, Tumber, and Google images there are also so many inspirational blogs out there. I am constantly finding images to use via other bloggers. If their image is theirs I always ask to use it before I post. If it is an image that they have sourced {properly} I will click back to the original. It may be time consuming, but it is the right thing to do! There are several ways to add the source line to you picture.
Watermarks
If you upload your own pictures you probably watermark you photos... and if you don't then you should! This is helpful for branding, but also for being pinned and having your photo used without your knowledge. I watermark all of my images! It takes a little longer time, but it is worth it! This is also good if you guest post on someone else's blog and you are pinned from there. This way it may not be the original source, but at least you blog name and maybe site is on the photo.
I have a watermark file that is semi transparent. You could make it a color to match your photos, or you could keep it simple like mine. I like to use Photoshop or Pixlr to resize my photos and add my watermark. Super simple to do!
I do not watermark only because I am toobusy lazy. I should, and you should, too. Let's do it!
That concludes our Summer Camp Blogging Etiquette series! Thank you so much for attending! Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Aside from Pinterest, Tumber, and Google images there are also so many inspirational blogs out there. I am constantly finding images to use via other bloggers. If their image is theirs I always ask to use it before I post. If it is an image that they have sourced {properly} I will click back to the original. It may be time consuming, but it is the right thing to do! There are several ways to add the source line to you picture.
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| Project via Cassie @ Primitive and Proper |
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| Source If it is a fellow blogger I always try to list their name and blog with a link back to the post where I found their image! I have to be honest- I do not always ask permission if I am using an image from a blogger as long as I am using it in a positive manner. No, I do not own the image, but it is available online and I am sourcing back to them. I feel it is much like writing a paper in college. In college, I always listed the source of the information or image I used, even though I didn't have to ask the author to use their information for my paper. I do ALWAYS link back to their blog, and not only their blog, but the actual post the image came from which makes it easier for readers to navigate. How many times have you gone back to a source to see more about the image only to be led to the blog homepage and you are unable to find the post!?!? |
If you upload your own pictures you probably watermark you photos... and if you don't then you should! This is helpful for branding, but also for being pinned and having your photo used without your knowledge. I watermark all of my images! It takes a little longer time, but it is worth it! This is also good if you guest post on someone else's blog and you are pinned from there. This way it may not be the original source, but at least you blog name and maybe site is on the photo.
I have a watermark file that is semi transparent. You could make it a color to match your photos, or you could keep it simple like mine. I like to use Photoshop or Pixlr to resize my photos and add my watermark. Super simple to do!
I do not watermark only because I am too
That concludes our Summer Camp Blogging Etiquette series! Thank you so much for attending! Enjoy the rest of your summer!
17 comments:
Great sourcing ideas! Cassie should just put on the auto-watermark on picasa, it's what I do so I don't have to take any extra steps!
Totally agree! And the watermarks have been a huge help for sure. Makes finding the original source so much easier.
I agree, tool. It is hard for me to decide on a font.
I've been going back and forth on using a watermark, but the more I see and read, the more I realize I should be using one, too. I do think asking to use an image is getting increasingly more difficult given the pace of blogging, but not crediting the source is not acceptable. For myself, I never mind if an image of mine is used, but I'm not happy if it's not credited & linked back to my blog...
The only thing I have to say/add is - from another bloggers point of view- if you are pinning someone's pic of their work off their blog, it'd be sooooo cool if you let them know!!
i know it's probably time consuming and its not hugely neccessary, but from someone who has had some of my stuff pinned/repinned, i think about two people have ever let me know that they pinned a photo.
It was only by chance that I've seen my work on pinterest and lots of lovely comments and i thought, 'gee i wish they had've let me know that they love my stuff.'
But, again, i guess its not a necessity...it'd just be nice:)
Very informative. I loved this series! Thank you ladies for putting this together!
Great Post! Very helpful to this new blogger!
Great post! I need to go catch up right now on the summer posts from when I was out of town :)
Thanks so much for the series ladies! lots of great advice.
This was a very helpful post for a very confusing topic! I had a water mark designed for Shabby Sweet Tea but have never used it because I cannot figure it out!!! I use Picasa and Serif (never buy Serif..it makes me cry all the time..way too hard) for my editing. I'm clueless, so I resort to typing my blog name on the picture (a little red neck but it works)
Great series gals! I have started watermarking because I've read about so many cases where people steal photos claiming them as their own. Although imitation is a form of flattery, it's still nice to be given recognition!
Yes, watermarks can be a pain in the neck but are super helpful in the long run for everyone. Great tips and great session. :)
I don't watermark either because I always think 'who the heck wants my pics?. I never looked at it as branding! Guess I better create a watermark file too. Thanks for great tips once again.
Great ideas! I've already changed my process for sourcing photos (thanks to this post) and now I've got to get on the watermarking!
Thanks for the watermark tip! I've been meaning to figure that out and now I've found a new site to play with to boot.
Very helpful.
Have a great weekend!
Great info ladies!
Well said, all of it!!! I think many people are entering the blogosphere daily and are just unaware of some of these fine details in giving credit and sources. Thank you for sharing! -K
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