Is it normal for Daz to use member images without asking?
Starbase 1 - Nick
Posts: 71
I was a bit surprised when someone told me that one of my images was being used on the Daz home page - they seem to cycle around, but it's this one in my gallery:
http://www.daz3d.com/gallery/images/37223/
I don't mind in this case, but I do think it would have at least been polite to ask before doing so, and tell me that it was being done.
I can't spot anything obvious in the terms and conditions where this is agreed too, (though they are very clear that I can't use my own image to advertise something here)
So is this normal?
Nick
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Comments
Damn, that's a cool image!
Yes. That rotating banner uses images pulled from the gallery. IIRC it's in the TOS regarding images uploaded to the Daz site whether in the gallery or the forums that they may use the imagery (it may just apply to the gallery/contests though, I don't remember).
I think that you will find that is actually in the EULA rather than the ToS, but I could be wrong.
Yes, it's in the EULA - there's a section for the Galleries at the end, and sub-section 1 covers this. http://www.daz3d.com/eula
I think that you will find that is actually in the EULA rather than the ToS, but I could be wrong.
Er.. yea.. that too. lol I couldn't remember off hand if it was called eula or tos, so I went with tos.
I was actually curious about that piece and where the head case thing came from! Any plans to make that prop commercially available?
Thanks for the positive comments everyone!
Regardless of the legal arse covering, I still maintain it would be polite to tell someone it was being used. And maybe give a $5 voucher for the shop, or similar.... Particularly if it is going to be heavily edited, as it was in this case.
I would like to make clear I'm not upset, it's an honour to be placed in such a prominent position
As for releasing the head case, as I said beside the image, it's in Lightwave LWO format, so the textures will need major work, though the geometry should be easy enough. I've not done anything much in the way of importing objects to Daz formats, but if someone wants to get it converted, with a view to releasing it for free, get in touch with me and we can work out something, I'm sure.
As several commented on the lighting, I'll explain that.
I have a fairly dim area light over lost of the ceiling, a brighter smaller one over the small strip light in the ceiling on the strip light in stonemasons excellent set. This has limited range set on, so it's fainter in the far reaches of the room. There's another area light for the one over the bed, this is bright and has limited range to reach a bit beyond the range to the bed. Finishing it off is two bounce global illumination, (indirect lighting bouncing around the room, sometimes called global illumination or radiosity). This last gets some light into shaded areas in a realistic manner, but sends the render time up to about 3 hours.
Nick
thanks starbase-one, for bringing this thread up. I was under the impression you had to win a render competition to get on that rotation.
Personally, I wouldn't care for a voucher or whatnot if they thought my work was good enough for there home page, tho this is just one of many hobbies for me, not a source of livelihood. At the very least, it's free advertising sort of. The notification bit I do agree with, "Hay your so good, were putting one of your renders on our front page", or something like that would be nice to receive.
On a side note there, if you didn't get an e-mail, was a message sent to your "My Account" -> "Messages" page thing. I completely spaced the existence of that till it was brought up regarding a sail thing.
(Edit)
Took a bit to find the pic. As for the "Sort-of free advertising" bit, and a case and point. A while back I tried to track down this render to find out what some of the props were, so I could buy them... I eventually gave up after the search engines revealed nothing useful for the original artist. File name is original to the one used on there page at the time.
Ah, thanks for pointing out the messages - there was nothing in there, but I was not aware of it.
I'm not a professional, (though I have sold a few images, and done loads of CD covers).
You make a good point - the gallery versions have the links to the resources used, and I too have seen banner renders where I'd really like to buy the products used...
Seems to me it would work well for everyone if such banner images had a link to the source image in the gallery.
By the way - at least they DO credit the author.
In the lower left corner there is a "artwork by ..."
And searching the username in the galleries does work.
Edited to add http://www.daz3d.com/gallery/#images/22434/
Thanks so much Kerya, seams today is the day I find stuff I've been looking for for months. Like the green textures used on (edit, Kori's) promo pic that was not included in the Olympia Pro pack...
http://www.daz3d.com/jungle-girl-textures
I just stumbled across it now... wow.
B.O.T. As a n00b, I didn't know the name was searchable at the gallery, I was searching based on the image file name everywhere else. Is there an artist of the day listing somewhere? a thought.
I personally would be thrilled to bits to find that one of my images was considered good enough to feature on the DAZ 3D opening credits.
Same for me when an image was featured on front page, I was so surprised and happy when it happened that I did not bother being told or not... Even more happy that it was a test render for a product to come... Messages? I do not remember having received anything, but there was an info on the DAZ facebook page saying that some renders had been selected.
Maybe one of yours was!
But you never saw all the home page images on the days it was online!
Seriously, I would never have known if a friend had not pointed me at it. I generally enter the site directly to a product after seeing a new items email. Or go directly to my wishlist to see if anything there is on special offer.
I always enter the site on the front Page, and often spend a few minutes admiring the current crop of image shown there.
BTW I don't see why you think yours was highly edited. It is entered directly from your gallery image as the back drop the the announcements on the page, as are all the images shown there.
Found it for you, zarcondeegrissom: http://www.daz3d.com/gallery/#images/22434 :)
Congrats on having your image selected, starbase-one!
There are search fields for artist and for images in the lower right corner
http://www.daz3d.com/gallery/
One other thing I did was to replace the bump map on the duvet with a more detailed one of my own.
If anyone wants to use them, I did three and I have zipped them up so you can download them here:
www.starbase1.co.uk/fabric-bump.zip
That's about 30Mb, as thee are rather high res, but simple maps. Three different weave patterns which should be good for any woven material,
Feel free to use them any way you like, including as part of a commercial package if you wish. (But if you do wish to redistribute, please take a copy rather than linking direct to that one)
Cheers,
Nick
PS - I'm going to think about what has been said so far, and summarise my view in the light of points made a bit later.
I would as well, but not if they were going to make edits without my permission or input. I can understand cropping to fit the aspect of the slideshow/display, but that had better be it.
I've been a member of many galleries over the years and, even when not covered in EULA, I don't think anyone got upset over an image of theirs being spotlighted because it was deemed an honor. There was some mention of editing, and I guess my definition of editing differs as what I saw was vignette and crop to conform to the format being used and all images basically were dealt with equally if the size differed (it appeared to favor portrait length).
In any case, congratulations, it is a splendid image, one I wouldn't have ever seen if it hadn't been on the front page.
As I said, I can understand editing to fit a format. I also would feel honored if I had one of my images used. I would feel even better if I had a heads up that an image of mine was being considered.
Think about it for a minute: Letting the artist know in advance could actually drive new, potential customers to the site, as they could let all their friends know about it. I hear there's this little fad called social media that let's the kids today get all viral and stuff...... ;-)
Just to be clear, my editing comment was for the OP. :)
OK, my summing up of where I am.
1. I really don't see why they don't tell people when an image is used. in this way. I suspect it's a minority who will regularly check every image that goes by on the home page. I don't see how being featured seen as a good thing makes any difference or not.
2. I consider removing the Philip K Dick quotation that explained the scene a major act of editing.
3. I consider that the discussions here strongly suggest I am not alone in having missed where they put the bit about using an image. I consider the Renderosity approach, where you can chose on an image by image basis, and it is clearly visible on every upload to be a much superior arrangement.
4. It's not important to me, but I am surprised that they chose to use an image which has a product from another company as it's focus, and that was not rendered in Daz Studio software for this. Surely the whole point is to show what you can do with Daz assets and software?
Anyway, thanks to all for the kind words about the image, and I hope you get some use from the bump maps. I've had no approaches about converting the head case for general release. The offer still stands, get in touch if you think you can sort out the surfaces. (I can export geometry and UV maps as OBJ).
Cheers!
Nick