I've just been asked a question by someone who is looking to publish images of well known record labels on a website and maybe printed material. I was asked if the images I have used in the past of labels, logos etc are in the public domain or or copyrighted by the owners?

To be honest it's not something I've considered at great length before. If I ever use something from another site or a previous publication I've always sought the permission of that site/mag owner but to be honest...do they own the copyright? By the same token if anyone has asked to use images/photos I own I always give permission but do I really 'own' them.

Don't wanna get to anal about it all but just looking for some input before I reply to the query. Don't want to give bad advice.

Regards,

Dave

I've just been asked a question by someone who is looking to publish images of well known record labels on a website and maybe printed material. I was asked if the images I have used in the past of labels, logos etc are in the public domain or or copyrighted by the owners?

To be honest it's not something I've considered at great length before. If I ever use something from another site or a previous publication I've always sought the permission of that site/mag owner but to be honest...do they own the copyright? By the same token if anyone has asked to use images/photos I own I always give permission but do I really 'own' them.

Don't wanna get to anal about it all but just looking for some input before I reply to the query. Don't want to give bad advice.

Regards,

Dave

Trademarks and images can be protected but most people accept "fair usage" of labels, cover shots and artist photos - especially if they are reproduced for review purposes etc. The same generally applies to short clips of music.

Otherwise the cover shots of every CD on sale at Amazon, for example, would need to be cleared for reproduction.

And you can assume that if anyone objects to a particular image they can ask for credit or for it to be removed.

Trademarks and images can be protected but most people accept "fair usage" of labels, cover shots and artist photos - especially if they are reproduced for review purposes etc. The same generally applies to short clips of music.

Otherwise the cover shots of every CD on sale at Amazon, for example, would need to be cleared for reproduction.

And you can assume that if anyone objects to a particular image they can ask for credit or for it to be removed.

Yep,

That's what I intended to tell the person. I think a little common sense is the order of the day. Although...I have been asked for some outrageous sums of money from artists a number of times for reviewing their material or using an promo image of them. I even helped create a website for one artist in order to publicise his work and was then, 6 months later, contacted by the very same artists' management with a view to paying a fee for using imagery of the artist on his own website!

Regards,

Dave

I don't know the details, but I've heard a story once of motown suing or maybe cease and desisting a site over motown label images

Label designs and images are usually only owned by the label owner but I think it's only used as a weapon against people who are directly profiting from that image. The most obvious one is T shirt sellers using a label logo they have no rights to eg Stax, Motown, Mirwood etc. To do it legit the T shirt manufacturer would have to get permission and probably pay a fee or royalty

Ady