SmugMug Copyrights

G

gerfoto

New member
Hello,
I am just wondering if SmugMug owns my pics. I am assuming, I am a user and a licensor, right ?
I am reading the following:
5. Copyright And Limited License

The Site and all Media, text, code and other content and materials on the Site and the selection and arrangement thereof (collectively, the "Site Materials") are the property of SmugMug or its licensors or users and are protected by United States and international copyright laws.
 
J

jwstl

Senior Member
You aren't reading the relevant section. That pertains to Smugmug logos etc. What you want to read is section 13:

You retain the copyright in any User Content you post on the Site. SmugMug neither has nor wants any ownership of your Content. However, by uploading and/or posting any User Content to the Site, you grant SmugMug a perpetual, nonexclusive and royalty-free right to use the User Content and the name that is submitted in connection with such User Content, as is reasonably necessary to display the User Content, provide the Services and to facilitate, at Content Owner's direction, the license of Photos or the sale of Products on the Site.
 
Photowyzard

Photowyzard

Senior Member
jwstl said:
You aren't reading the relevant section. That pertains to Smugmug logos etc. What you want to read is section 13:

You retain the copyright in any User Content you post on the Site. SmugMug neither has nor wants any ownership of your Content. However, by uploading and/or posting any User Content to the Site, .....



you grant SmugMug a perpetual, nonexclusive and royalty-free right to use the User Content


.......and the name that is submitted in connection with such User Content, as is reasonably necessary to display the User Content, provide the Services and to facilitate, at Content Owner's direction, the license of Photos or the sale of Products on the Site.
Click to expand...

And this is why, you don't join these sites, you don't pay them money, you don't upload your pictures and you let the starve and die on the vine.

You should read National Geographic, they are the biggest Copyright Grabbers on the planet.

So are the majority of CONTESTS you enter!

Read the fine print, you don't need to give them the rights to use your images. If you do, load up really small images at 72 DPI that you can do SQUAT with and sell your images from your own website.

​
 
J

jwstl

Senior Member
Photowyzard said:
And this is why, you don't join these sites, you don't pay them money, you don't upload your pictures and you let the starve and die on the vine.

You should read National Geographic, they are the biggest Copyright Grabbers on the planet.

So are the majority of CONTESTS you enter!

Read the fine print, you don't need to give them the rights to use your images. If you do, load up really small images at 72 DPI that you can do SQUAT with and sell your images from your own website.

​
Click to expand...

Read ALL of the fine print. It sounds bad when you leave out sections of the Agreement. Smugmug does not claim any ownership:

you grant SmugMug a perpetual, nonexclusive and royalty-free right to use the User Content and the name that is submitted in connection with such User Content, as is reasonably necessary to display the User Content, provide the Services and to facilitate, at Content Owner's direction, the license of Photos or the sale of Products on the Site

All you give them is the right to display the thumbnails as is necessary for viewing and our to facilitate sales. In other words, they have to be able to show thumbnails in order to make sales for you. It's nothing more than that.

Yes, most photo contests are copyright grabs but Smugmug is not doing that.
 
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