Permission?

[#1]

For those of you who post Etsy favorites on your blog, i.e. "I found this ______ and love it!" with a linked picture, do you ask the shop owner for permission before you do this, or do you just post it up? Or, do you tell the shop owner you've put their item on your blog?

I've seen this on a lot of blogs I follow, and it's something I've been thinking about doing on my blog, but wanted to get opinions first. Thanks!

[aunaturelle]

I provide a link and I always contact each person.

[Former_Member]

I am currently doing something called friday favorites on my blog.
I do chat up the shop and the items I like. BUT I do NOT put a photo on my blog. simply because that is the sellers work not my own.

That said i do link up the description of the item I am chatting up for them.

I also come back to etsy and convo that seller letting them know about the blog post. I link it to them :)

[Former_Member]

I don't usually use someone else's photos unless I am doing a feature post for their shop, in which case I have their permission to use them. However today I used two different shops photographs in a post. I didn't get permission, but I linked both the photographs and the descriptions back to the shops and also convo'd them to tell them.
I was actually wondering about this, so I'm glad I found this thread!

Brittany
http://mountaincreekblog.blogspot.com

[Former_Member]

I used to ask, but it got way too time consuming to ask/wait for a reply. One time, a recipient misunderstood what I was asking for and totally flipped out on me. Oye.

Now I just post it up and give the proper credits and definitely a link back. I don't usually post other people's works unless I think it is totally awesome, so the post is typically accompanied by a ton of compliments. That would help sway them! And if not, I figure, if they don't want the free promotion on my blog to my readers, they can let me know and I'll be more than happy to take it down. "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission" after all!

As for myself, I don't care if someone uses my image as long as they give proper credit (preferably with a link). Its still always a nice feeling when they let me know or ask, but it is not required. I do have my ways of finding out when people do use my images and whether or not they link to me ;-) The very few times when they don't link back to me, I send them a polite email/comment asking them to do so, or if they don't want to, I ask them to take down the image. So far, all have complied in one way or another.

Ann
http://amazingminiatures.com

[TenukiHandcrafts]

This is a terrific thread. I use photos with permission, state permission was given and provide a link back to the owner's site. I would expect others to extend me the same courtesy.

There was an earlier comment about a use policy, the name just slipped my mind. I have a Creative Commons license on my flickr site, where I post the majority of my blog photos, although not in the early years of my blog. All the more reason to make an explicit policy. Thanks for the tip.

[OnePerfectDay]

I don't ask permission before posting someone's image but I always state the blog/shop an image is from and I always link back.
Then I send them a convo/email to tell them that it's in my blog.
No-one has ever been anything but happy to be featured, especially photographers as I include quite a few photos in my blog.
It is free advertising, isnt it?
As well as a compliment.
I'm always thrilled to see an item of mine in someone else's blog, providing that they give proper credit.

[Former_Member]

I don't ask permission first to use photos of items in someone's Etsy shop. I'll send them a convo afterwards with the link (and of course the caption says their shop name and is linked). When I write, I say something like, "hope you don't mind a little free advertising!" to imply that they can always let me know if they really don't want it on my blog.

I've only posted on inspiration board so far but I have more in the works! So far no one has asked me to take their photo down. =)

http://HowSweeterItIs.blogspot.com

[Former_Member]

Just occurred to me...

We don't ask permission to feature someone in a treasury first!

http://HowSweeterItIs.blogspot.com

[Former_Member]

I do it often between my blogger and my tumblr account. I try to use Tumblr for team mates... so the only time I even let them know is when I post a hot picture that gets tons of reblogs/likes. I do always make it link back to the persons shop.

For my actual blogger account, I have the photo link back, plus a link at the bottom of the entry with all the links to locations the photos came from. Then, i'll let them know after it's posted with a "you have a feature!" convo. I've never had anyone mad at me for it so far. :-)

If I convo'd everyone I added to Tumblr? omg I'd be sending a TON of convos. lol