UPDATE: Facebook Comes To Their Senses (for now)

This from Facebook earlier today:

“Terms of Use Update:

Over the past few days, we have received a lot of feedback about the new terms we posted two weeks ago. Because of this response, we have decided to return to our previous Terms of Use while we resolve the issues that people have raised. For more information, visit the Facebook Blog.

If you want to share your thoughts on what should be in the new terms, check out our group Facebook Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.”

Contact Facebook and let them know what you think…

For the time being, I’m keeping any “marketable” images off my Facebook page. Although I think they’ve appropriately addressed the concerns for the time being, we’ll see what they come up with after they “resolve the issues that people have raised.”

Facebook’s New TOS Have Photographers Jumping Ship!

I was alerted to something via Twitter this morning that concerned me greatly. Photographers by the likes of Scott Bourne, are bailing from Facebook after they (FB) recently changed a couple of lines in their Terms of Service. Some very important lines at that. For all of you who post images (or anything) on Facebook, the Terms of Service (TOS) have always granted substantial usage rights of that content to Facebook. Prior to the recent change, however, that license expired after you cancelled your FB account. Not any more…

Licenses: “You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof. You represent and warrant that you have all rights and permissions to grant the foregoing licenses.”

FB users have been granting this license pretty much since day one. According to a blog post on The Consumerist, a couple of very important lines were recently removed which now grant FB license to your contect FOREVER.

REMOVED (from The Consumerist): “You may remove your User Content from the Site at any time. If you choose to remove your User Content, the license granted above will automatically expire, however you acknowledge that the Company may retain archived copies of your User Content.”

If you post ANYTHING on Facebook, or similar sites, familiarize yourself with the Terms of Service. It doesn’t sound like there’s much we can do about content already posted on FB but, you can be sure, I’ll be splattering any future images with watermarks not to be messed with!

Home for Christmas and Grateful for Plenty.

It’s Christmas day and I’m sitting in a recliner at my parents’ house watching the Lakers play the Celtics with the folks. Just taking a moment to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. I’m fortunate enough to have people in my life that make me a better person. You know who you are.

Of course, I’m grateful to have my health and wonderful friends and family. I’m also very grateful for the talented group of people who I’ve been so fortunate to meet this past year since launching my podcast. I first came up with the idea to produce a photography related podcast around June. After researching the business of podcasting, and becoming a loyal listener of Leo Laporte I learned that you should find a “niche”. There are plenty of photography podcasts out there so I had to narrow it down. Having been a fire/emergency services photographer for the past 20 years, it was pretty clear what my “niche” would be. I knew there were fire photographers on the west coast. I knew they were on the east coast. I figured there must be some in between. I also knew there wasn’t nor had there ever been a show just for us. Well, with twenty one episodes done, I must say I’m impressed. It hadn’t crossed my mind that there were, nor would I be able to reach, so many fellow fire photographers around the world. I’m also impressed by the outpouring of interest and participation by listeners – fellow photographers who have shared their time, talent, experience and passion with me throughout the series. For that I thank all of you. This is as much your show as it is mine. I figure I’m just the lucky guy who has the microphone and starts the conversation. So I wanted to take this time to thank you. Thank you for your time, your interest, your participation and your willingness to share what you know with others. I couldn’t do the show without you. When I think there’s no one listening, there’s nothing to talk about, or I just don’t feel like recording a show – you’re there. Every time I get an email, question, topic idea or just an “atta boy” from a listener, I emerge re-energized. It makes all the time and effort worth it and I’m happy to do it.

Last but not least, thanks to my co-host and good friend, Ross “A.” Benson, for his friendship, support, patience and uncanny ability to fill in the blanks and dead air when I lose my train of thought or just plain run out of stuff to say. I can’t thank you enough buddy.

Well, I fly back to LA tomorrow. I’ll miss the family and friends I’ve been able to catch up with while home in Boston. I even got to make some new friends while here. It was certainly nice to be able to get back and the snow on the ground made it that much more special.

Well, back to the game. Stay safe out there! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Thanksgiving and a Great Video Hosting Site

Happy Thanksgiving all!

With events like those in Mumbai occurring all too frequently, I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am to be blessed with the friends and family that I have. This includes all of you!

One more thing: While following such photographers as Chase Jarvis and others, I recently discovered a fantastic site to host videos such as the ones I shot during the recent Triangle Complex wildfires. Free to join and FREE video storage! You can also embed your videos directly onto your website. Check it out. I’ve posted the videos from the fires on my Viddler.com page: http://www.viddler.com/explore/cdurling/videos/

Eat well, celebrate what you have and be safe out there!

Craig

 

 

Dispelling Some Copyright Myths & My Thoughts

Here’s a link to a great article by Scott Bourne of Twipphoto.com on dispelling some copyright myths: http://twipphoto.com/archives/1554

Reading Scott’s article got me thinking. In addition to the informative comments by Scott, keep in mind that the issue of copyright can be a very complex one. Do keep in mind though, that even though your photos enjoy the protection of copyright once you make them, you’ll need to REGISTER them with the US Copyright office in order to be fully protected (legally) in the event your image(s) is(are) used without your permission.

I’ve heard from many a reputable source that if you do not REGISTER your images and they are used without your permission, you’re basically only entitled to the going rate in return from the user. In other words, what they would have paid you to use it anyway, and maybe a little more for punitive damages. If the image was REGISTERED, however, the penalty starts in the tens of thousands of dollars. Since most large marketing and advertising agencies are aware of this, they are usually more than happy to offer you fair market value for the use of the image. Once you’ve discovered that they’ve used your image, of course.  I, personally, would never settle for the “minimum”.  I’ll try my best to get them to pay for not only the use of the images, but for they lesson they need to learn as well.  And that’s usually considerably more than the licensing of the image itself.  Remember, if the image they used was REGISTERED, the law is on my side, not theirs.

I’ve registered my images with the US Copyright Office in the past, the process is very simple. Download the form, burn all the images you want to register onto a disc, however many that may be, send it in with a check and you’re done. In a couple of months you’ll receive a time/date stamped copy of your form back. You’re submission was registered as soon it was stamped as received. Done.

Do this on a regular basis – annually, monthly, whatever. Just DO IT! I do it annually (for the most part). I tend to submit any images I’ve sold, published and posted on the internet in that year. Basically, any images that have left my computer/office. I’ll burn a DVD entitled “Craig Durling Images 2008” (or whatever) and send it in with the form and check (about $35 as I recall). As long as you submit it using a searchable media, they’ll accept it.  This allows the US Copyright Office to search your images in the event that you need to prove that you’ve registered them.  Check their website for more info on how to do this.

You might think of it this way, which is what I’ve been told by some photogs and attorneys: “If it’s REGISTERED, any copyright attorney will be glad to help.  If it’s only COPYRIGHTED they’re likely to tell you (politely) to pound sand.”  

That reminds me, I have to put together my submission for 2008, and SO DO YOU!

So Cal Wildfires

Hey folks,

 

Spent all day/night yesterday at the Sayre and Corona wildfires (Corona has since been renamed as part of the “Triangle Complex Fire”.  Some incredible images and incredible firestorm conditions.  Block after block of SFD’s fully involved in fire with minimal suppression resources available.  I’ll be editing some of the images later today and will get them up on my site shortly.  For now, I’ve put Episode 15 of the Fireground Action Photography podcast up on the site at http://www.firegroundaction.com/Media.html and on iTunes.  This is a special episode because I carried a handheld MP3 recorder to the front lines with me to share the experience and the sounds of the fire.  Thanks to Ed Sherman, Keith Cullom, Glenn Zachman and Doug Pearson for their contributions to the show.  

 

The fires are still burning but please take some time out to download and listen to the podcast.  Images will follow, and if time permits, I will compile an enhanced version of the podcast complete with images.  Recording the action on the front lines was a unique experience.  I shot stills, video and audio.  Added to the normal chaos of a wildfire, I truly tested myself and I must say, I’m pleased with the results.  For example, while watching a Cathedral City engine company being overrun by flames, I was shooting stills with one hand, and recording video and audio with the other.  I’ll post everything as the week progresses and time permits.

 

Best wishes to not only the victims of these fires, but the public safety personnel and fellow fire photographers still out there.  

  

I’ll share one more thought.  I will never forget the pride I felt in one neighborhood in Yorba Linda when I was photographing a fully involved SFD with only two handlines in operation to extinguish it.  The amazing and unforgettable part for me was the image of a firefighter on the nozzle and three police officers backing him up on the line.  Next to that was another police officer putting out spot fires with a garden hose.  Absolutely amazing.  I’m getting emotional just remembering the moment.  Never before have I been so proud of my brothers in blue.  Although I didn’t jump on the line with them, I felt that documenting their efforts for history was why I was put in that neighborhood at that moment in time.  Otherwise, the public may never have known of the heroic efforts of these firefighters and police officers.  With a heartfelt thank you, job well done to all… 

New episode of the FAP podcast features some old friends…

The latest episode (#12) of my Fireground Action P hotography podcast is in the pipeline and available for download at the website www.firegroundaction.com or at iTunes.

What’s special about this episode for me is that I’m joined by some great old friends from my hometown of Boston, Rick Nohl and Ted Pendergast. These great guys are the reason I got into fire photography 19 years ago. I met Rick while attending college in Boston – we lived in the same dorm during our freshman year. I had been shooting spot news on a freelance basis for some local papers but it wasn’t until I met Rick and his friend Ted that I caught the fire photography bug.

What stinks about living 3000 miles from old friends and family is that you tend to lose touch very easily. Life happens, I know. With the advancements in technology, however, I’m able to bridge that gap. Using a program called “Skype”, Rick, Ted and I were able to talk with each other via high speed internet on our computers using headsets. When you listen to Episode 12 that’s what we were doing and I think it sounded great. Oh, did I mention that computer to computer conversations are free!?! Yup. So, using a conference call with Skype, three old friends (not mention my friend and co-host Ross B!) were reunited for an evening of fun and photography for your listening pleasure. I hope you enjoy the show, and the rest of the series.

www.emergencyserviceimages.com – Featuring the photography of Rick Nohl
www.firstduephotos.com – Featuring the photography of Ted Pendergast
www.skype.com – Internet-based phone and communication service

New On-line Forum Launched for FAP Podcast Listeners!

Hey all,

In an effort to create a more interactive atmosphere around the Fireground Action Photography podcast, I’ve created an on-line forum at Google Groups.  Here’s a link to the forum http://groups.google.com/group/Fireground so please sign up (it’s free) and join in the conversation! The point of the forum is to give listeners and fans of the show, and anyone interested in photography for that matter, a place to meet each other and chat about their passion for photography.

Discussion doesn’t have to be limited to emergency services photography by any means.  As we say on the show all the time…it all comes down to photography. Period. Let’s use the forum as a place to talk about photography, techniques, equipment, swap stories, ask each other questions, give us your show topic ideas, etc.

We know there are other forums out there for photographers…let’s make this one OURS!

http://groups.google.com/group/Fireground

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or by visiting Fireground Action Photography

An evening of photos, food and friends…come one, come all!

Hey folks, sorry I haven’t posted in a while.  I know you’re all spiraling into depression because you haven’t heard from me.

I wanted to invite everyone out there to attend an evening of photography and good food with good friends.  Here’s the info:

The California Fire Photographers Association will host an evening of photography and dinner on September 13, 2008 at 6:00pm. The location will be Victorios Restorante in North Hollywood.

The night will kick off with an interactive photo presentation by three of our members who recently ventured deep into Alaska’s Katmai National Park to photograph Coastal Brown Bears (Grizzlies). They came back with over 10,000 combined images to sift through and have created a wonderful program which they will share with attendees. They will also bring examples of the equipment they used to capture their favorite images and share stories from the trip. They will happily entertain questions following the presentation.

There will also be a moving slide show presentation by Ross Benson who covered the recent funeral services of a retired Burbank Fire Department Captain. Ross created a presentation documenting the career of this dedicated veteran and will share it with us.

If you’re in So Cal, please join us on September 13th at Victorios and bring your friends! It will surely be a great night of photography, stories and friends.

Contact info:
nfo08@cfpafirephoto.org
http://www.cfpafirephoto.org

Follow us on Twitter. We’re “cfpa” on Twitter.

For directions to Victorios: http://www.victoriosonline.com

It should be a great time and we want lots of people to show up!

I also wanted to share a great photo website with you which belongs to Timothy Tonge in Colorado who recently emailed me about the podcast.  He does some wonderful railroad photography and I was quite impressed when I paid a visit. Here’s the link –  http://www.railroad-photos.com/

That’s it for now. Please go to iTunes and subscribe to the Fireground Action Photography podcast! We need your support and participation. Thanks in advance!

Any comments?

New Media Expo 2008

Right now I’m sitting in the lobby of the Las Vegas Hilton organizing my thoughts after attending the New Media Expo, a convention for on-line media producers.  I have to say, I learned quite a bit while here.  I’ll take a lot back to Burbank with me to use in the development of my website, netcast and blog.  I have to say, I jumped in to this thing feet first.  I still have a lot to learn but I’m going to try my best to provide the best content I can.

I met some great folks, made some great contacts and attended some very informative workshops.  From WordPress to Garageband, Blogging to Podcasting…it was all here.

On Friday, August 15th, I had the honor of being interviewed by Leo Laporte of the TWiT (This Week in Tech) Network and such radio stations as KFI in Los Angeles and KFYI in Phoenix.  I’ve been following him for quite some time now and tend to spend way too much time in front of my computer on the weekends watching his live video streams.  Well, on Thursday and Friday of the expo, he invaded the Stickam booth, the company that hosts his video stream, with four cameras, lights and a live audience.  He streamed live both days recording such shows as Net @ Night and TWiM (This Week in Media).  Most of the usual suspects were in attendance including staffers Colleen, Dane and Tony.  I found them all to be great sports and good company.  Back to the interview – Leo interviewed me live on www.twitlive.tv. Yep.  It was a great opportunity to not only meet Leo, from whom I’ve learned plenty in recent months, but to tell the audience about my new podcast “Fireground Action Photography“.  Leo was a wonderful host and made it easy for me to get my message out.  Check out www.twitlive.tv or www.techguylabs.com for reruns of Leo’s programming from the expo which will likely start airing when all the equipment arrives back in Leo’s Petaluma studio (aka “TWiT Cottage”) tomorrow.

I will definitely attend future NME’s as there is much to be learned.  The networking, I must say, was perhaps the best part.  Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one in my world that even knows what podcasting and blogging are, much less has a desire to produce it.  This event proved me wrong…by a long-shot.  I thank everyone in attendance for reenforcing my drive and passion to get this thing going.  My goal is to create a media company to promote my passion for photography.  I think I’m well on my way and hope that you, my on-line colleagues and friends, will join me on that journey.

To quote a Twitter post by Leo last night: “I think we’ll just declare victory and withdraw.  Bye Bye Vegas!”

Leo Laporte interviewing me on Twitlive. Screenshot courtesy of Stickam

Leo Laporte and me in the Stickam booth at NME. Photo by Jake Gold, Stickam