Can I use a postcard?

[Mike Kujbida]

Just like owning a music CD doesn’t give you the right to use it commercially without proper clearances, the same applies to an image on a postcard.
The copyright to the image is owned by someone and it’s up to you to obtain (pay for) permission to use it in a commercial venture.
Most postcards I’ve seen have some kind of information on them somewhere and that’s where you’ll have to start.
It’s probably easier to find that same vantage point and take your own picture.

[James Williams]

Ok Mike, I thought so. That’s why I asked. I can shoot all the pictures i need, for this project, from the ground, no problem. I wanted to use a series of photographs starting from the sky and dropping down progressively. The shot i need to start would come from a helicopter or plane. It is imperative that everything in my work be original and legal so since i don’t have a plane…I’ll have to be more creative.
Thanks for the response
J. Williams

[Mike Kujbida]

James,
Based on past experience, I know that a helicopter rental is at least $500/hr. but a small 2-person plane is around $50/hr. so that’s an option to consider.
Then again, a one-time expense for an hour or two of chopper time would get you a lot of images that might be used for other projects so that’s something to keep in mind.
If you have an airport nearby, check with local flying clubs as I’m sure they’ve done this before for other photographers.

[Ron Lindeboom]

There are also stock photo sites in which you can find photos for sale, some as cheap as a dollar or two for their use.

Keep in mind that some buildings are trademarked and so while the photo you buy the rights to may be legally yours to use, the building contained in it — say something the Empire State Building — may not be yours to legally use.

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronlindeboom
Publisher, Creative COW Magazine
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[James Williams]

Wow Ron,
This is getting way to complicated. This is a local project that has the potential to go national. I’m in a midsize city with a modest skyline. I want to us this cities skyline otherwise i could generate a model city in 3D studio and avoid any conflicts. What i hear you say is even the pictures I take from the street of buildings may be illegal. Is there a central clearing house for getting these type of things legal, instead of taking pictures of twenty building then checking for approval from each one…whew.
J. Williams

[Ron Lindeboom]

What city do you wish to use, James? Even in cities where a few of the buildings are trademarked, there are plenty of others that aren’t.

Now you are finding out why oftentimes the big shows show the same buildings over and over and never feature any of the most famous ones that you would think they would show. ;o)

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronlindeboom
Publisher, Creative COW Magazine
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[James Williams]

Ron,
I’d like to have an overhead view of Chattanooga, Tennessee. I can get really nice shots from the surrounding mountains. The shot I need tough is more or less straight down over the building cluster and road system through the city. I just thought it would surely be on a postcard at one of the local souvenir shops. From info learned here though, I’ve scraped the thought. Think some stock photo house may have one?
J. Williams

[Ron Lindeboom]

Here are the Chattanooga shots at Dreamstime.com: https://tinyurl.com/2suozy

Here are the photos of Chattanooga at iStockphoto.com:
https://tinyurl.com/2m6v55

If you search on the words “stock photos” at Google, you will find many other stock photo sites. Most of them allow you to get photos for a few bucks or less. Be careful whom you give your credit card info to, use http://www.dnsstuff.com to search the origin and ratings of obscure sites you may not be familiar with. (istockphoto.com, dreamstime.com are fine, but there are some photo sites that are really set-up just to get your credit card info. Sites like dnsstuff.com are invaluable in figuring out who’s who.)

Hope that helps.

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronlindeboom
Publisher, Creative COW Magazine
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