.com Forum · Banner Making Forum

I just wanted to stress the importance of crediting the images you have put in your banners. A long time ago, Jeff condoned banners only when they had the credits on the image, and I am sure it is the same now.

The reason for crediting is because most pictures from FlickrCC, Wikipedia, and other popular sites use the "Creative Commons" licence. The Creative Commons licence allows us to reuse, remix, and share photos, music, video, etc.

It is almost always a volunteer that allows cc use of their photo. That means they don't get paid for supplying stock. Crediting is the least a banner maker could do for using their stock. If no credit is given, ESPECIALLY when credit is asked, the stock artist suffers. Why should the stock artist suffer when they have been so kind as to release photos for free? Not only is it "good" to credit, it is part of using cc photos. If you don't want to credit, don't use those photos. Use your own.

Not only that, some stock artists require their name to be on the image, not just a general term such as "flickrcc" or "deviantart". (I have done this incorrectly; I am learning to remember to be specific now.) Some stock artists don't want their stock photos off of a certain site, and many don't want their stock on sim sites.

We have to be extremely careful where our pictures come from. If we don't comply with a stock artist's rules, we are the ones at full fault.