Artist's Reference Photographs (1 Viewer)

Hello from Ireland, does any member of forum know where you can obtain good artist's reference photographs of birds (and the environment they live in) ? I have found a few sites on the Internet, namely 'The Morgue File', 'Yotophoto' and on the painting instruction site on About.com. These photographs are made available under licence so that any artist can use them for painting and other projects. Nearly all photographs in books and magazines and on the Internet are copyrighted and therefore it is illegal to use them in any work of art. Taking your own photographs is of course the answer but a good source of reference photographs would be of great benefit. Thank you in advance ........ Stephen

Hi Stephen,
Hope you are enjoying the forum!
You raise some rather interesting questions regarding photography and copyright which I think we all could explore further. The main issue regarding breach of copyright is - to what extent does the final (secondary) work (the painting or drawing, for instance) rely on the photograph (the primary resource).
If I were to apishly copy a copyrighted photograph (without the consent of the photographer) where the result was, in fact, simply a hand-rendered version of the original, then I may well have breached copyright and find myself open to litigation.
If, however, I use several photographs FOR REFERENCE (for instance, checking the iris colour on a short-eared owl, the extent of barring on it's secondaries, etc) then it's unlikely to be an issue.
Using photographic reference isn't illegal, regardless of who took the photograph. What is against the law, immoral AND totally uncreative is the slavish copying of a single photographic image, simply to re-title that image as a painting.
Therefore I heartily recomment one doesn't do it. (the results are ALWAYS screamingly obvious - in colour, tonal value, perspective and lighting, in fact, everything a work of art ought not to be.
Art = originality.
I'm sure others will comment, but I'd really like to hear from Andy (Bright) on this issue. He's far more of an expert and will have an invaluable contribution to make - for you and the rest of us.
If you're reading, Andy? . . .

timwootton said:

....but I'd really like to hear from Andy (Bright) on this issue. He's far more of an expert and will have an invaluable contribution to make - for you and the rest of us.

Click to expand...

Lol, a little bit strong

Anyway, I agree with much that Tim has said regarding copyright. My take is that it is all down to what originality you put into the work, a facsimile (or very close to) of a copyrighted photo could be deemed to dilute the original photographers work and impact on their potential earnings from it (the latter is the viewpoint in law). Anyway, direct copying doesn't really say a great deal about the artist's abilities.

As Tim says, using a photo or two to get technical detail (maybe a bit more) is fine, just make sure that your work isn't an obvious copy. Photographers are restricted in what they can portray, where-as an artist can do anything... so make the most of that :t:

cheers,
Andy

Cheers Andy - perfectly put.
Therefore Stephen - I assume you are able to browse THIS forum's outstanding gallery and use whatever you find there to your heart's content (bearing in mind Andy's points about making exact copies). BirdForum has THE best collection of images of birds I've ever come across, so head straight there, if I were you.
Be sure to post your resulting art for us to see, if you would.

Feel free to use any of my photos which might inspire you (not that they are that brilliant mind you!). Link is in my sig.

Thank you all for your replies. Yes, I suppose it is a matter of getting the balance right. Everyone is influenced by the art they see around them, so look at the photographs get themes, ideas and the creative juices going so as to produce a unique personal work. Photographs will allow you to get the details right so that you don't accidentally produce some new unknown species, and put the bird/s in the right environment, behaving in the way it should. I think it was Picasso who said on viewing the Lascaux cave paintings in France, 'We have learned nothing.' So the artistic ability was always there in us all in the first place, just a case of bringing it out....... Stephen