A Question For Mods...

Steve5D · Feb 16, 2014

My Dad passed away yesterday. He was 80, and had lived a full life. Unfortunately, he lit his first cigarette when he was 8 years old and never stopped. He was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in late December.

It doesn't take long.

My brother and I have been going through his things, and we've come across a lot of old photos. Some of them are of his when he was 15 years old, posing with the same buddy with whom he'd meet twice a week for a couple of beers at the local gin mill. They've been friends over 70 years.

My question to the mods: Would it be permissible to post some of those photos here? I certainly didn't take them and, unfortunately, there's no way to know who did; at least the ones of Dad. They're some cool photos. Many would require some repair work in Photoshop, so I'm wondering if it would be permissible to post them from that perspective.

Oh, and who the Hell has $960.00 in one dollar bills in a sock drawer? There's not a stripper pole within 20 miles of here!

ronlane · Feb 16, 2014

Sorry for you loss Steve. I'm not a mod but I will give you my opinion about the photos. Seems that if you don't know the photo and they are older, couldn't they be considered "commons"?

Again, my condolences and we are thinking of you and family.

mishele · Feb 16, 2014

I don'[t see any reason why you couldn't share your father's images! I would love to see them!
I'm sorry for your loss, friend! I wish the best for you and your family in the days ahead. Sharing pictures and talking about them might actually help. <HUG>

Derrel · Feb 16, 2014

Awww, man, sorry to hear about your Dad, Steve. Sure would be neat to see some old pics here on TPF.

lambertpix · Feb 16, 2014

I'd like to see them -- so sorry for your loss, too.

Steve5D · Feb 16, 2014

Thanks.

My Dad's attitude about the whole thing was great. He was jacked upon morphine, so there was no pain. He was cracking jokes and giving the nurses a hard time as late as Friday evening.

Going through his stuff, I found a vial of Viagra. Yeah, go Dad.

He had a way of looking at things that was beyond perfect. Knowing that he was close to death, and that no amount of heroics would save him, he simply said "Well, it could be worse. I could have a toothache".

It's tough, sure, but we've been laughing as much as we've been crying, so I think that's a good thing.

Thanks, Mishelle.

It may be a couple of weeks, but these photos are very cool...

mishele · Feb 16, 2014

I'm glad to hear that there has been some laughing in between the crying. My thoughts are with you. I look forward to seeing the pictures you decide to share! :hug::

pixmedic · Feb 16, 2014

I'm not the most official voice, but I'm going to go ahead and say it's ok.

ratssass · Feb 16, 2014

...Indeed,celebrate the life.

Nevermore1 · Feb 16, 2014

So sorry for your loss. From what you've mentioned your Dad sounds like he was a lot like my Grandpa was! The $ in a drawer and the Viagra are both things he would have done (not to mention the nurses at the nursing home always finding his teeth in the room of some random female resident). I think we laughed more than we cried when we started going through his things.

manaheim · Feb 16, 2014

Sorry about your Dad, Steve, and yeah. I'd say a-ok on the images, too. It'd be a nice way to share a part of your dad, and I, for one, would appreciate it.

EOV · Feb 16, 2014

Sorry for your loss. I look forward to seeing the images.

480sparky · Feb 16, 2014

Few things would honor him more.

robbins.photo · Feb 16, 2014

Steve5D said:
My Dad passed away yesterday. He was 80, and had lived a full life. Unfortunately, he lit his first cigarette when he was 8 years old and never stopped. He was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in late December.

It doesn't take long.

My brother and I have been going through his things, and we've come across a lot of old photos. Some of them are of his when he was 15 years old, posing with the same buddy with whom he'd meet twice a week for a couple of beers at the local gin mill. They've been friends over 70 years.

My question to the mods: Would it be permissible to post some of those photos here? I certainly didn't take them and, unfortunately, there's no way to know who did; at least the ones of Dad. They're some cool photos. Many would require some repair work in Photoshop, so I'm wondering if it would be permissible to post them from that perspective.

Oh, and who the Hell has $960.00 in one dollar bills in a sock drawer? There's not a stripper pole within 20 miles of here!

Steve, very sorry to hear about your dad. My condolences to you and your family. As to the legal question on photo copyrights, it depends on when the photograph was taken. If the pictures were never published (and from the sounds of it I'm guessing such is the case) then they will not fall under the public domain. That would only apply to pictures published prior to 1923. If the photos were never published then the copyright belongs to the original photographer as long as he or she is alive, or if the photographer has passed away the copyright is passed as part of the photographers estate to his/her heirs and is protected for 70 years after the photographers passing, only after that point would they be considered public domain.

While I seriously doubt anyone would come after you for using the photos sadly if I'm interpreting the fair use law correctly they wouldn't even technically fall under that. A very bizarre situation to be sure. Granted I'm no legal expert and the final decision is entirely up to the mods/admins of TPF. I can't imagine that most of the copyright holders of these images are even aware they have the copyrights, and I seriously doubt any of them would object at all to having you post the photos even if they were aware. Again, sorry to hear about your dad and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you on TPF's final ruling.