Upload your Aerial Photos to CNN

fholbert

Mod's - Please don't edit my posts!
There is a CNN iReport story where they are asking for pictures taken from the air. Most are taken from FL370 out a passenger window. We can do better!​
You need to sign up as a iReporter, log-in then "Add Your Story". I've already uploaded some pictures.​
After uploading add your links so we can view the picture.​
My uploads follow:​


That's cool! Now I have something to do during night shifts :) Thanks Frank!
 
Why would I want to give my flying photos to CNN? I'm sure when you "sign up" in the fine print there is a clause where you give up your rights to your photo and CNN gets to use it for their stock, to use and/or manipulate at their discretion. It's just a scheme for them get a plethora of free images with out having to pay a professional photographer for their work.

Aaannnnndddd here it is!

"(D) License to User Content. By submitting User Content to CNN.com, you automatically grant CNN and its parent company, Cable News Network, Inc., the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive right and license to use, publish, reproduce, modify, adapt, edit, translate, create derivative works from, incorporate into other works, distribute, sub-license and otherwise exploit such User Content (in whole or in part) worldwide in any form, media or technology now known or hereafter developed for the full term of any copyright that may exist in such User Content. You warrant that such User Content is accurate and not misleading, and that use and posting or other transmission of such User Content does not violate these Terms of Service and will not violate any rights of or cause injury to any person or entity. You further grant CNN the right to pursue at law any person or entity that violates your or CNN's rights in the User Content by a breach of these Terms of Service."
 
So? I'm not trying to sell a couple of photos I post to anyone. I assumed without even reading that I was giving them a non-exclusive license. If I had one I thought was good enough to sell, I probably won'r post it anywhere on the Internet without munging it with some watermark. If they think it's good enough to reuse a non-professional photo taken by a non-professional photographer with a smartphone through the glare, dirt and filtering of an airplane window, more power to them.
 
Why would I want to give my flying photos to CNN? I'm sure when you "sign up" in the fine print there is a clause where you give up your rights to your photo and CNN gets to use it for their stock, to use and/or manipulate at their discretion. It's just a scheme for them get a plethora of free images with out having to pay a professional photographer for their work.

Well... yes. :>

Aaannnnndddd here it is!

"(D) License to User Content. By submitting User Content to CNN.com, you automatically grant CNN and its parent company, Cable News Network, Inc., the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive right and license to use, publish, reproduce, modify, adapt, edit, translate, create derivative works from, incorporate into other works, distribute, sub-license and otherwise exploit such User Content (in whole or in part) worldwide in any form, media or technology now known or hereafter developed for the full term of any copyright that may exist in such User Content. You warrant that such User Content is accurate and not misleading, and that use and posting or other transmission of such User Content does not violate these Terms of Service and will not violate any rights of or cause injury to any person or entity. You further grant CNN the right to pursue at law any person or entity that violates your or CNN's rights in the User Content by a breach of these Terms of Service."

That all sounds fine except the very last part, which is a bit ominous. I can't quite figure out how CNN gains rights that can be breached by your non-exclusive licensing. What if I place my work under the AL, FDL or other GPL-derivative license before I upload it? It's a grant of non-exclusive license, so does that mean I'm -automatically- in breach for uploading my own work because I.. no, wait. I .. huh.. no. Quick, somebody find a lawyer!

(Actually I think their boilerplate is pretty much standard for any place that aggregates and distributes user content.)

~Fox
edit: I am a durr.
 
I would even pay for the right to a part of a CNN related something (read PFT) :)
Good point 22L but I don't think I would be on the way of commercial talent, my camera is obsolete and I didn't study the theory of imaging.
 
To my knowledge none of us here are professional photographers. However, their situation with how they earn a living isn't too far off from what professional pilots have to deal with. There's always some one out there willing to work for free just to get "published". Sometimes "amateur looking" footage is what they're after....

An issue that concerns me even more is that we all know that the media isn't exactly famous for representing GA in a positive light. They are free to do what the want with the images you provide. That would sure be a bummer if they used or manipulated your image to go along with a story attacking GA....
 
Well... yes. :>



That all sounds fine except the very last part, which is a bit ominous. I can't quite figure out how CNN gains rights that can be breached by your non-exclusive licensing. What if I place my work under the AL, FDL or other GPL-derivative license before I upload it? It's a grant of non-exclusive license, so does that mean I'm -automatically- in breach for uploading my own work because I.. no, wait. I .. huh.. no. Quick, somebody find a lawyer!

(Actually I think their boilerplate is pretty much standard for any place that aggregates and distributes user content.)

~Fox
edit: I am a durr.
Among the rights that CNN acquires is the right to modify; those modifications would belong to CNN. And no, with a non-exclusive license, CNN would not have the right to stop me from using the photo or stop anyone else from using the photo if I allowed them to (technically, others are not allowed to use my photograph without my permission to begin with).
 
Two or three times a year a publication asks to use an image of mine. I always give them permission to use it free in one issue. What's the big deal? Anyone subscribe to Backpacker magazine?

Subject: Mt Shasta Photo

Hello Pilot Frank,

I work at Backpacker magazine and we're looking for a photo to show off a route up the west side of Mt Shasta. I found your photo here:
http://160knots.com/grantspass.htm and wondered if you have a hi-res file you could send and if you'd like to license it for our use in the August issue. We do pay for photo use, although our budgets are fairly small. If you are interested please contact me right away, since we are working on a deadline.

Thanks.

Genny
 
Don't give away your work for free! It undercuts the professionals trying to make a living.

Race to the bottom!!! Arrrrrrrr!!
 
Two or three times a year a publication asks to use an image of mine. I always give them permission to use it free in one issue. What's the big deal? Anyone subscribe to Backpacker magazine?

Ok, after Backpacker uses your photo for their story. Honestly, they just want a pretty picture for their article. Now let's say the Sierra Club sees the picture and wants to run some propaganda about airplane noise over wilderness areas... Unless you reach some kind of initial agreement, what's stopping BPer from giving out the photo that they now have rights to?

I know it's hard to find publishers without conflicts of interest. But I would feel pretty safe if let's say I had shots form an aerobatic contest that the IAC wanted to use.

There are a lot of "Photo Contests" out there that are sponsored by 3rd parties who's sole purpose is to collect free images. You just have to read the fine print. I like to know where my photos are going that's all. If its just a landscape I could really care less. But photos with aviation, guns, off-roading, mountain biking, hunting and fishing related subject matter could be easily used for or against the author's original intent. As recreational photographers this is really important since we usually take photos of things we enjoy rather than things were are indifferent about just because it's an assignment.
 
Ok, after Backpacker uses your photo for their story. Honestly, they just want a pretty picture for their article. Now let's say the Sierra Club sees the picture and wants to run some propaganda about airplane noise over wilderness areas... Unless you reach some kind of initial agreement, what's stopping BPer from giving out the photo that they now have rights to?

Again, my email says they can use it for one issue.

Publications outside the US have used my images with out my permission. What am I going to do?
 
I used to be involved the photography business somewhat and keep up with what sport shooters and the like are doing. What goes for pfj an pft feelings around here applies with this CNN stuff. They want coverage everywhere for anything that might pop up (the famous Sully plane picture was a 2mp iPhone shot) and not pay for it. Heard of "stringers" and "freelancers"? People used to make a living around that in big cities like NY. This is the death nail.
 
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