Ebay images - strategy rules?

[Dan Conlin]

Lots of nice colour slides coming up on ebay lately. Do we have any shared rules or strategies about dealing with them. I rarely bid, because I don't really want to start a slide collection so I'd like to leave the door open for others but not sure if I should say this? I usually save the ebay scans for reference. Can we add them to the DAR DPI? Not sure on the rights rule here as many do not have the photographers name and are not public domain and who knows who owns them.

Dan Conlin

[stem]

Well Dan... interesting topic and one I've changed my mind about.

I too am collecting the eBay images and if they can be cleaned up, posting them months after the seller has disposed of the image. He has no claim for copyright of the image and neither does the new owner.

I have come to the conclusion that the vast majority of these images are from estate sales with no change of ever finding out who shot them and the great possibility that they've already passed on.

The majority of family out there consider railfan material junk and have no interest in retaining copyright.

As long as we post it in the category of no know photographer, it will be fine.

Are these your thoughts too?

[Dan Conlin]

I would agree with you and the risk of using them is very low. I think most of these are from estates where the rights holders don't know or don't care that they have inherited rights to their husband/father/grandfather's images. The risk of anyone complaining is very low and if someone emerged with a legitimate claim, we could honestly plead innocence and just remove the image.

Dan

[stem]

Agreed. Take it down if there's an issue. The good thing about someone complaining is maybe we would learn about the photographer!