As you all know, I love finding, scanning and figuring out the date of Beatles photos. After acting in community theatre, working on Beatles photographs is my favorite hobby. I have never claimed any of the photos to by my own because I never have met any of the Beatles and I have never photographed them. I have, however, spent countless hours scanning photographs of the Beatles from books and magazines that I have purchased.
I have this theory (and I know that other Beatles photo bloggers out there share it with me) that Beatles photos are for sharing. I like to think that I am continuing the Beatle fan tradition that was started in the 1960's of Beatles photo swapping. Today, instead of swapping photos by snail mail, we do it online. However, the meaning behind it stays the same...to share Beatles photos with fans just for the enjoyment of sharing them with other fans. And that is why I never have put a watermark on any photos I have made available nor have I blocked them in anyway from being saved.
This week I have been looking at a lot of Beatles fan web pages from all around the world. Many of the pages I have looked at are not in English and I have no idea, besides using my basic skills, of what the fans are saying. It really makes me smile when I see photos that I know for a fact were scanned by me on these sites. Many of the photos I THINK were scanned by me and others I know for a fact were because I used to have this scanner that scanned everything in a green tint, and whenever I see a photo with a slightly green look about it, I know it originated right here in my home in Illinois!
This gets into my pet peeve: watermarks on Beatles photos. I dislike watermarks in general because they are annoying. However, I can understand why someone would put a watermark on a photograph because he or she took the picture OR because he or she owns the rights to a picture. What really irks me, however, is when someone puts a photo that I know that I scanned for this blog, puts it on their blog and puts their own watermark on the photo! Why do people do this? Do they enjoy taking photos from other people's blogs and then not allowing the photos to be shared with others? Case in point is the beautiful photo Mark V's daughter sent me on her father with John in his striped jacket. Yesterday I found this very photo on another blog with a watermark on the photo. I am sure the person who put the watermark on it, took the photo from this blog and posted it on his own. But since the new blogger isn't Mark V. why did he put his own personal watermark on the photo? So I am publicly asking this person to re-post the photo WITHOUT the watermark.
I love your blog, and don't miss a single update. That's so lovely of you to share these rare Fab's pictures. Sad will be the day that the last Beatle will pass away... But, not everyone knows how to enjoy the moment, unfortunately. Keep on doing this great job to mankind.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I hate it when people put watermarks on photos or rare YouTube videos, when it's not like they took the photo or filmed the video or something.
ReplyDeleteI understand they feel like they worked hard to find the photo (or even scanned it themselves like you do) and they want to feel some recognition for it. But it's really unwarranted and a tad immature, because while I really appreciate that they're sharing rare photos and videos to more Beatles fans, they don't own anything.
And I think they should link back to where they found the photo - you were the one who did the real detective work!
hmm. I don't know why my comment's not posting properly :/
ReplyDeleteChristian & It'salltoomuch: Thank you for your kind words! It means a lot to me to know that others are enjoying the photos.
ReplyDeleteIt'salltoomuch: I have no problems seeing your comments.
i totally agree, sara, i don't like watermarks either. and i've heard that people get photos out of blogs like tammy's and yours and sell them on ebay - how awful is that?
ReplyDeleteyou tell 'em! no matter how much certain folks will try to claim parts of it for their own, the internet is for sharing. your blog is brilliant; thanks for not getting discouraged when people don't have the same good humour about life that most beatles fans I've met innately understand.
ReplyDeleteSara. I agree with you 100%.
ReplyDeletePistol finger back at you, for the longest time on my blog i would post photo's that i'd scanned or spent hours working on the repair them and in less than 24 hours i'd see them on ebay!, that seems to have eased up a little, but sharing on the net is one thing thats fun, having someone scan AND scam your work for profit sux big time.
ReplyDeleteLove your work Sara,
Greg xoxo