User talk:Rehisar

re Image:Ugur Soldan.jpg Sorry, but we can't use images that are given only for Wikipedia. All of images have to be in the public domain (or under GDFL, which is basically the same) so that third-party users can use them for any purpose. Message me if you have any questions, cheers, Herostratus 00:02, 1 December 2006 (UTC)

how to make an image in the public domain?
Herostratus wrote to me: re Image:Ugur Soldan.jpg Sorry, but we can't use images that are given only for Wikipedia. All of images have to be in the public domain (or under GDFL, which is basically the same) so that third-party users can use them for any purpose. Message me if you have any questions, cheers, Herostratus 00:02, 1 December 2006 (UTC)

I had added a picture of an author and wrote "Upon my request, the author of the source sent me this picture to be used in Wikipedia." I think that the author wouldn't mind his picture to be in the public domain. He sent it 'to be used in Wikipedia' just because I told him that I wanted it to be used in Wikipedia. In other words, he didn't seem to mean that he wouldn't want it to be used anywhere else. Anyway, could you please someone tell me whether the picture I want to use would be considered in the public domain if its author told me so? And what are the alternative ways of making a picture in the public domain?

Yes, you are correct, as a rule we only use pictures that are in the public domain, or licensed under the GDFL, which is basically the same thing. One possible exception is fair use. We can use an image in fair use whether the copyright holder gives permission or not. This image, however, could presumably be replaced with a free (public domain or GDFL) image, therefore it is almost certainly not allowable on Wikipedia. If the subject was unavailable for any photos, for example if he was dead or in hiding, then this image would be not replaceable and would be allowed.

Now, going on to public domain. In most countries, the copyright of an image is held by the person who took the photo, not the subject of the photo. Also, it is somewhat unusual for the holder of professionaly-made photos to release them into the public domain. For one thing, the photographer is in business and so why would he give his product away. For another thing, a picture released into the public domain can be used by anyone for anything -- it can be used on a web site that disparages or makes of the subject, it can be altered to make the subject look ridiculous, it could be cut and pasted into a pornographic image, etc. (in this last case you might have legal recourse, but not on copyright grounds)

If the copyright holder nevertheless wants to release the image, I'm not exactly sure of the procedure, but (unless anyone else coming to this page knows better), the first step is to email [mailto:info-en-o@wikimedia.org info-en-o@wikimedia.org] telling them the name of the file and that you want to release it into the public domain (or under GDFL). Hope this helps. Herostratus 22:17, 3 December 2006 (UTC)