Monday 6 July 2015

A picture paints a thousand words

In almost all of my non-fiction articles in this blog, I have included a photo or two of the subject matter in question. A well-taken and relevant photograph helps to make the post interesting. In my early days of blogging, I have sometimes resorted to 'borrowing' some images from cyberspace because my own stock of original photos had not reached a sizeable collection yet. When this happens, I would credit the original website by providing a link within the article. I'm not sure if this would suffice as an acknowledgement of copyright but I make sure that none of the borrowed pics are used for commercial gain.

Nowadays, all the pics which I use to accompany any of my posts shall be my own original photos. After 8 years of blogging and hundreds of published postings, the number of photos I have uploaded to the internet is quite substantial. And if we are to include the photo albums I have on my Facebook account, the overall quantity is not insignificant.

Which now brings us to the reverse situation where any one of my photos available on cyberspace could be borrowed by another person. I had thought of this possibility some years ago. I wouldn't mind if my pics are being used by another party as long as they credit the source. But I guess in the super-duper huge borderless world of cyberspace, this seems to be an unrealistic request.

Two days ago, a friend shared a link on FB for the recipe for char kway teow, the so-called `wet' version that's so popular up north. When I first glimpsed at the photo accompanying the recipe, I thought it looked so familiar. I scrolled through my hard-disk for the stock of my original CKT pics (yes, I now have quite a few) and sure enough, I found the same photo which was snapped in 2012 when I sampled the dish at a roadside outlet in Taman Perling in JB. I had uploaded that photo both in this blog and in the Johor Sedap FB page.

Screenshot of the FB link
The original photograph, taken using a Blackberry
I then clicked on the link where the full recipe was shown. It is a page run by someone primarily to sell slimming products targeted at the fairer sex. Beneath the recipe was written `copy-paste', meaning that the page administrator had copied the recipe (and presumably the pic) from elsewhere. I did further search on Google and found that the recipe/article is actually an app on Google Play.

So how do I feel that a pic of mine is being used by someone else? I'm not sure yet... in one sense it feels fine that one's handiwork is good enough to be used by others. On the other hand, a simple credit to the original source would be nice too.

Anyway, just to let you know that the stall where I had this plate of CKT is no longer operating, or perhaps has moved to another location. A bit sad, really... because the taste wasn't too bad. Comparable to the ones I have tried in Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam in Penang.

12 comments:

sabre23t said...

I did a google visually similar images search https://goo.gl/bwRqOJ and found these website with that image ...
(1) http://salissal.blogspot.com/2013/02/makansutra-penang.html
(2) http://kakipromo.com/cara-membuat-resepi-char-kuey-teow-sedap-dimakan/ dia crop dan horizontal mirror

Just FYI.

Fadhil said...

Thanks for the info, Sdra Sabri.

The first site is a personal blog and I assume she got the pic by googling.

The second site is one of those many anonymous blogs that copy-paste articles from elsewhere just for the advert traffic. I'm guessing he got the pic from the same recipe source because the recipe is the same.

Tak kisah lah tu. Nice pic anyway, kan?

BTW, I've had a look at your profile. First time I'm coming across someone who blogs via G+. Thanks for droppping by.

sabre23t said...

I have your blog in my Feedly feed, Oldstock. So I do drop by every time you post.

I do have a WordPress blog, but I find I posts more on G+. When G+ started their collection features, all my blog and mini-blog posts now goes there. :-)

Lee said...

Hi Oldstock, how you doin'? I have always been impressed with your outstanding photography. And I guess displaying it in your very eloquent blog postings, and if pics are not locked, then its a certainty someone, somewhere on this planet, will 'borrow' the pic or pics so to speak.

I too have borrowed certain pics from blogs but...after I seek owner's consent. However, I too have noticed via Google, that one particular pic, if example maybe from your blog, your pic...will be appearing, reappearing several times over in different sites.

In my case, it was not pics, but several of my personal cheritas were copied word for word and then signed by the person who copied it like his own....my tracing it to even a believe it or not, an Australian University professor, as well several people or bloggers on your side of the world. As well even appearing in England...and even in a military journal....
And these people took credit for it too! Tebal muka dia!

Apa la nak buat kan? Even though I like you do feel sakit hati sikit, have to take it as a compliment people appreciate or like the pics or cheritas, nothing is sacred on the Net. And courtesy is not in their resume.
You stay easy and keep well.
Best regards,
Lee.

Fadhil said...

Sdra Sabri,

You have extensive content in your G+ blog. Will drop by more pretty soon :-)

Fadhil said...

Hello there Lee! Long time no see, my friend. I hope you are doing well over there in Canada. As you know, I haven't been blogging or blog-hopping for quite a while now. I'm so happy to note that you are still active in writing those wonderful stories (plus all those saucy pics!).

They said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well to me, flattery maybe... but sincere? No way lah.

Your stories are good, my friend. I'm not surprised that some people want to copy you. But you have your own unique style. If I were to read that professor's writing, I'm sure I can guess it is not original.

You stay healthy and happy, okay? Enjoy the summer :-)

Amelia said...

Hi Old Stock, how you doing? Thanks for your birthday greetings, really appreciate it very much.

By the way, Happy Birthday to you you. Wishing you all the best.

Nowadays lots of cyber thieves, even with water marks also they ignore.....very gladly they put in their blogs and claim as their own work. Especially food pictures and recipes. I wander why they blog when they don't even try out the recipes or take the effort to snap pictures. Recently lots of cyber wars going on until "see you in court" or calling each other names.

Anyway open blog can't be help if people thick skin want to steal our pictures. Once we post online nothing is safe...we can only try to lock the pictures or contents to minimizes the stealing. But many got no courtesy to ask permission.

Have a great day, regards
Amelia

3yearshousewife said...

You're back! Nice to read again.
I too was worried if my pics are used by someone else but that is really out of my control. I guess as long as they didn't exploit the pics (esp with my children in it) that is acceptable by me. I guess we can gain some pahala with others using our pics for good reasons ( boleh ke camtu?)

Sharifah said...

It happened to me several times. It's really irritating. Now I watermark my photos,as a preventive measure. Salam Ramadan and Aidilfitri.

Fadhil said...

Hi Amelia,

Thank you for the birthday wish. Hahaha... you said it right, my friend. So many people with thick skin but yet want to be a blogger. What to do... the world is full of lazy copy-cats.

You take care now. Don't be discouraged to put up more recipes :-)

Fadhil said...

Yes As. I'm back... and trying had to stay back, haha..

Hmmm, kira macam sedekah ye? Kira ok lah sebab kita ni belum pro lagi. Tapi bila dah pro nanti, takleh nak bagi free aje kan?

Fadhil said...

Salam Sharifah,

I had considered the option of using watermarks. Maybe at a later date. As for now, I'm not too upset.

Salam aidilfitri to you too. Seronok tak beraya di negeri orang?