Rules when using Images?

Steve

Steve

Member
I have started working more with Indesign just practising doing some magazine layouts etc for the personal section of my portfolio when it goes online.

I want to do one maybe where its a 2 page spread on a mobile phone like an HTC or a blackberry.

Because its for personal use can i just take an image from say google image search of a phone and use it or are there rules I should be following.

I'm always cautious when it comes to stuff like this so thought I'd ask some of your experts on here :icon_blushing:
 
Steve, you'd be better contacting the phone manufacture and asking them for an image, tell them it's for a magazine article, and they will likely be only to glad to supply an image.
Taking images from google can land you in all sorts of trouble with copyright laws.
if you can source the models of phones yourself, then you could always photograph them yourself, and so removing any problems with copyright.
Check the manufactures site for "Press" or "Media" links, they may well have a sub-site dedicated to images and press releases for such purposes.
Another option is to check the likes of Dreamstime or the other on-line image libraries for images of the models you are after.

Mark
 
Hi Steve

Normally, if I'm doing something for myself, I'll spend a couple of quid on an iStock image. The problem with searching Google is that you're not likely to find too many images over 72dpi. If you don't already have an iStockphoto account, do a search in Google for "free istock credits"; there are a few sites that offer 5 or 10 credit codes on signup. That way you can get a nice, large 300dpi image to play with.

If you're worried about copyright and such, you can search for images tagged for Creative Commons use. You can use these in personal projects provided you credit the owner. You can use the Creative Commons site to search Google, Flickr etc for CC images:

Failing that, most large companies will have a press section on their site with pdfs and hi-res images for print. You could check the Nokia or Blackberry sites.

Pete
 
iStock have now (finally) introduced the facility to download a comp image in their image search for use in layouts. Try out a few low resolution comp images first to see how they interact with your text and when you find the right one, then use some credits to buy a higher resolution version.

The info given above and is very sound. The last thing you want to do is us a 'google' image in a comp and have a client say "Oh I love that, lets go for it"

You then have the hassle of explaining they can't have it, copyright, yadda yadda.

Always start out with something that you know you'll be able to finish the job with. You'll save your nerve endings no end of pain :icon_thumbup:
 
Cheers pixels - yea I have been going into Press sctions of companies and its very useful. As mentioned its just for a personal piece i'm doing for my folio but good to get as much information about it for when dealing with any clients in the future.

I had one actually who runs a dvd rental place and they wanted a flyer with 3 pictures of hampers, a picture of a bible, bar of chocolate and numerous other images when I did my free offer. I told her these would have to be supplied by herself (I could of done choc pic I guess but I don't own a bible lol). I've not heard from her again since but i'd rather protect my own rear end.
 
You did the right thing Steve.

When you offer to do design for free, then you are offering your time and skill. If a client wants imagery as part of the design and you don't have any stock of your own then they should not expect you to pay for it.
 
Pixels Ink said:
You did the right thing Steve.

When you offer to do design for free, then you are offering your time and skill. If a client wants imagery as part of the design and you don't have any stock of your own then they should not expect you to pay for it.
Click to expand...

Yea thats what I thought. I'm guessing i'm not going to hear from her again but it doesn't matter. Concentrating on getting some personal bits for portfolio and then will do a few more free bits here and there before doing some paid work.
 
I also use istockphoto at work. It's a brilliant image supplier. We credit the creator of the image on our books and get the images for free. You request istockphoto for credits to download the images. There's usually some excellent images and you can specify the size you would like to download. Like Pete said you need to make sure the images that you use are 300dpi high res. Check out the istockphoto website, you'll get all the info on there.


Greg
 
Thanks for the info.

I was on the HTC website earlier and went into their Press section which had excellent images that would be ideal. When saved though and opened in Photoshop they were only 72dpi. Would I get away with this since it will just be displayed on my Online Portfolio and not being printed?

Also I presume when using images/text for personal work even if they are in the Press section of a company, its always best to credit source to protect yourself - correct?
 
72dpi to 300dpi

I was on the HTC website earlier and went into their Press section which had excellent images that would be ideal. When saved though and opened in Photoshop they were only 72dpi. Would I get away with this since it will just be displayed on my Online Portfolio and not being printed?
Click to expand...

Steve, what pixel dimensions was the image??
If you open an image in Photoshop, go to image size, you will see the Pixel dimensions and below the document size.
Now say we are working with an image of 4000px wide x 3000px height, at 72dpi that would print at about 140x105cm, but at the poor 72dpi.
What I do is to copy the pixel dimensions width, in this case it would be the 4000.
Change the resolution from 72 to 300 (make sure it's dots per INCH)
Then past the pixel dimensions back in to where they were.
This will then change the document size to approx 34x25cm, but it's at the magic 300dpi.
Since you are not stretching the image you will not loose quality, but effectively you are "squashing" (for the want of a better word) the pixels until they reach the 300dpi quality, and whatever then size of the image is at that resolution is it's maximum size for print.

Try that and see if the result will be big enough for your layout.
Also, don't forget to set the image to CMYK for print instead of RGB.

Sorry if this is not the answer you are looking for.
Hope you get sorted with your project.
Mark
 
Cheers for that Mark

I do basically all of that except I don't paste original width back in, I leave it at its new dimensions which is where i'm probably going wrong with that method.
 
The original question was would it be ok to display 72dpi images on your online portfolio.

The answer is simply yes isn't it? Obviously to get them for print what Mark says seems right.
 
Xenonsoft said:
The original question was would it be ok to display 72dpi images on your online portfolio.

The answer is simply yes isn't it? Obviously to get them for print what Mark says seems right.
Click to expand...

Yea that was original question but its a handy tip for future :icon_smile:

For file size purposes on website I will probably leave image as 72dpi.
 
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