Is This Ethical???

[jbylake]

I've tried to read all of the pertinent threads on the site, but I come up short on an answer to this question.

Still trying to learn PS, I run across many shot's in various threads that I would like to try my own hand at PP'ing, to my own liking, and as an educational tool.

Many people have "it is not o.k. to edit my photo's" in their profile.

Here is my question. Is it ethical to save the photo to my computer, play with it, edit it, what ever as long as I do not redistribute the photo, use it for any other reason, commercial or otherwise, do not print it, do not post it, do not represent it as my own work, do not share it with others, and obviously, do not re-post it to the forum.

Basically, here is what I do. Save it to my computer, play with it in photo shop for a while, then delete it, with a file wiper, which in case you do not know, is a deletion program that overwrites the file (in this case the .jpg) many times over, to totally obliterate it from my hard drive.

Basically, all I use these for is an "exercise" in photoshop, and nothing else, period.

Can anyone give me a definative answer on this?

Thanks,

J.:mrgreen:

 

[PhotoXopher]

Just take a photograph of your screen, that way it's your photo

I really don't think there is a clear answer... some people wouldn't mind, others are way more sensitive to it.

To me, they are pretty low res anyway and posting a photo on the Internet is a risk people take.

Props for asking first... but honestly, I'd just do it and have fun learning. Not saying you should... just saying.

 

[robertwsimpson]

there are plenty of other places to find similar photos where the answers aren't morally gray. Just do a Google image search.

 

[Pugs]

Do that with one of my photos and I WILL JACK YOU UP!!

Kidding! Personally, I don't have an issue with it but I think that there are people who may dislike the idea. I dunno. Mebbe a quick PM to whoever's image it is would be in order?

I totally see why you'd do this. You're looking at a thread where people are giving all sorts of advice and feedback about what could be done in post-processing to the original poster's image and you wanna give some of those techniques a trial run to see what people are talking about and learn a new skill at the same time. Trying it on the original poster's image that the feedback is specific to absolutely is more beneficial than trying the same technique with a different pic.

 

[jbylake]

there are plenty of other places to find similar photos where the answers aren't morally gray. Just do a Google image search.

Yes, I should have anticipated this answer, and I totally understand what you're getting at. However, on this forum, you can get shot's taken by pro's, and serious amateurs who are good enough to be pro's. Plus, it's convienient, since I'm here often, and great photo's are always present.

When I see a person with "It's not alright to edit my photo's" in their profile, I'm assuming that's within the context of critique, etc, then re-posting.

I always assume that it's not o.k. to use their photo's for other purposes, such as on a website, commercially, and typical copyright infringments. But to just play with them in photoshop, then totally destroy them, well, I'm not so sure of that...

Thanks as always,

J.:mrgreen:

 

[jbylake]

Do that with one of my photos and I WILL JACK YOU UP!!

Kidding! Personally, I don't have an issue with it but I think that there are people who may dislike the idea. I dunno. Mebbe a quick PM to whoever's image it is would be in order?

I totally see why you'd do this. You're looking at a thread where people are giving all sorts of advice and feedback about what could be done in post-processing to the original poster's image and you wanna give some of those techniques a trial run to see what people are talking about and learn a new skill at the same time. Trying it on the original poster's image that the feedback is specific to absolutely is more beneficial than trying the same technique with a different pic.

exactly, couldn't have said it better myself...

J.:mrgreen:

 

[Village Idiot]

there are plenty of other places to find similar photos where the answers aren't morally gray. Just do a Google image search.

Except you could probably find an image on image search from this site posted by a person who says they don't want edits done.

 

[robertwsimpson]

there are plenty of other places to find similar photos where the answers aren't morally gray. Just do a Google image search.

Except you could probably find an image on image search from this site posted by a person who says they don't want edits done.

I think photos that turn up in Google image search are fair game. In fact, anything posted on the internet is fair game for private use. We're debating this out of wanting to respect each other's wishes.

 

[itznfb]

there are plenty of other places to find similar photos where the answers aren't morally gray. Just do a Google image search.

Except you could probably find an image on image search from this site posted by a person who says they don't want edits done.

I think photos that turn up in Google image search are fair game. In fact, anything posted on the internet is fair game for private use. We're debating this out of wanting to respect each other's wishes.

With the right search string I'm sure you could bring up all the photos posted here in google images.

 

[jbylake]

there are plenty of other places to find similar photos where the answers aren't morally gray. Just do a Google image search.

Except you could probably find an image on image search from this site posted by a person who says they don't want edits done.

I think photos that turn up in Google image search are fair game. In fact, anything posted on the internet is fair game for private use. We're debating this out of wanting to respect each other's wishes.

Right....I mean, I could have never said anything, and just played around all I want, who would know the difference? Me. Since I would never have them printed, never uploaded them anywhere, never so much as emailed them, nada, no one would ever know anyway. It is very obvious that any thing like that would definetly be unethical, if not illegal.

I'm just playing with them in photoshop, trying to adjust for critiques, like mentioned before and use them as a learning tool. Then, as I stated, I obliterate them from my hard drive.

J.

 

[Chris Stegner]

I guess I understand why you're doing this, but to me I'd think you'd be better off shooting your own stuff and mess with editing that.

I personally don't see a problem with what you're doing, but unless your goal is to become the best "editor" you can, I'd say you're better off shooting your own stuff some you can become the best "photographer" you can. Point is, there's plenty to learn about "processing" images in PS, but there's also plenty to learn about shooting... might as well learn as much as you can along the way.

I'm bias on this though because I work at a design studio and spend quite a bit of time "editing" other people's stuff, so it's nice to get out and do some of my own stuff.

Just a thought (or two)

 

[jbylake]

I guess I understand why you're doing this, but to me I'd think you'd be better off shooting your own stuff and mess with editing that.

I personally don't see a problem with what you're doing, but unless your goal is to become the best "editor" you can, I'd say you're better off shooting your own stuff some you can become the best "photographer" you can. Point is, there's plenty to learn about "processing" images in PS, but there's also plenty to learn about shooting... might as well learn as much as you can along the way.

I'm bias on this though because I work at a design studio and spend quite a bit of time "editing" other people's stuff, so it's nice to get out and do some of my own stuff.

Just a thought (or two)

I agree, and I do mess with my own stuff, I'm just using this as a tool for learning photoshop, not trying to be the greatest editor.

Example: Chris posts picture of a bird eating a worm. Critique = "too much of this, not enough of that" etc...you get the picture.

I then "capture" Chris' photo, and try to edit to achieve that critique's stated goal.

I'm using Chris's photo, and the suggested edits as a learning tool.

When I'm done, I try to assess if was able to achieve the stated "goal" of the critique.

When I'm done playing, photo goes to "inferno" which is a file wiper, if you don't know, and Chris' photo is no longer on my computer.

Thanks for the input...
J.:mrgreen:

 

[Derrel]

I wish Shepard Fairey would register here and weigh in on this important question. He'd probably tell us, sure, go right ahead, Photoshop other people's stuff as much as you want--you might even come up with something really,really cool!

Obama 'Hope' Poster Artist Shepard Fairey Lied In Court, Lied To Bloggers, Covered Up Evidence - Shepard Fairey - Gawker

 

[Pugs]

I wish Shepard Fairey would register here and weigh in on this important question. He'd probably tell us, sure, go right ahead, Photoshop other people's stuff as much as you want--you might even come up with something really,really cool!

Obama 'Hope' Poster Artist Shepard Fairey Lied In Court, Lied To Bloggers, Covered Up Evidence - Shepard Fairey - Gawker

What does this have to do with the poster's question?

 

[PhotoXopher]

I guess you didn't read the article.