How to cite photos properly?

Jurek7

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Flickr and Wiki both include something on each photo with how to use and cite.

Wikipedia: Generally all images are free to use, but what you're required to do with them varies a lot. To find the info, scroll down to "Licensing". In the first, it's free to use as long as you cite the author (aka photographer). In this case, the author is "Anderson MG, Moskát C, Bán M, Grim T, Cassey P, Hauber ME", unless the linked paper says something more specific. The second image says to cite "Chris Romeiks/vogelart.info" as author, and to provide a link to the image.

For flickr, the info is under the date posted, on the right side. Default is "all rights reserved", meaning you cannot use them. If there's an image you really want to use, you can try reaching out to the photographer, but expect them to say no. Here is one of my photos - American Alligator.
It is set to "all rights reserved", meaning it cannot be used. If you click on the text, it specifies what that means.
Here is one from the Biodiversity Heritage Library - https://www.flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/50679930848/
It is set to "some rights reserved". Clicking on it shows that it's "public domain", meaning completely free to use, with no attribution required (the library scans old science books that are now public domain).
 
I wanted to put some of fictional zoo plans, but it seems that Creative Commons wants putting internet link together with the author name to Flickr or WIkimedia Commons, which is difficult on a simple pdf. So I will not do it.

So far, due to Creative Commons, everybody lost. :(
 
It depends on the photographer, some don't require a link. It isn't difficult to include it, though; the links aren't super long, you just do it in a smaller font. It doesn't have to be an active link. People just want credit for their work, which they deserve :)
 
One thing I would be interesting knowing on this subject is whether it is possible to insert photos from wikicommons into posts on zoochat ?
No. ZooChat media rules explicitly state that you cannot post photos unless you took them (or on rare occasion if someone else took them but gave you permission to repost and it is unique enough to warrant this). If you feel it is an important photo (something no one has posted before) you can provide a hotlink to the original source.
 
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