Atlanta Panel Discussion - Roll the Videotape!

When PhotoShelter wanted to announce their PhotoShelter Collection (which I discussed here) they decided to travel the country doing a town hall series, and since I was already scheduled to be in Atlanta, I was asked to be on the panel discussion they had there.

If you'd like to see the video of that panel discussion, check out the PhotoShelter blog entry - Do the Wright Thing: PhotoShelter Town Hall in Atlanta.

(Comments, if any, after the Jump)

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SportsShooter's Protecting You Against Image Theft!

When you travel with the President, you're inside a very tight protective circle, and it seems fairly calm, relatively speaking. However, what you don't realize is that if the President is on a boat, there are scuba divers below the water, if he's in a helicopter, there are other aircraft on the horizon, and high above protecting his every move. You never see these protective measures, and I'm not revealing anything that's not obvious when observed from the outside, but when you're inside, you just might now see everything. Today, I'm "inside the bubble" as security is preparing for the PBS Presidential Debate outside of Baltimore, so security is top-of-mind for me right now, thus, the reference to security as above.

Earlier today, I made a post about an article on SportsShooter Worth The Read - "I Shut Down The Little Rock Airport", and rather than copy their logo over to my site, where the URL would look like this:

http://www.photobusinessforum.com/images/sslogo6.gif

I simply copied the link from SportsShooter's home page, and it looked like this:

http://www.sportsshooter.com/pix/sslogo6.gif

If you're a frequent visitor to Sportshooter, as I am, that image is in my cache, and so it loaded without a problem. But with over 1,000 people viewing the blog today alone, the protective measures of SS kicked in, protecting their logo, just as they would protect someone from hot-linking to a photo you have in your portfolio on their site. Further, it just wasn't a "no image found" broken link, but rather, the genius behind the Sportshooter programming is that when they see heavy hits on a single image, they actually swap out the hot-linked photo for this graphic:






Nice huh? So, if you're worried about your images being hot-linked, rest assured that they've not only got your back covered, but have a nice little message for the thiefs. These are protective measures that, as with the President, you never know exist, but are none-the-less in place to keep your images secure. In my case, it was their logo, about their story, I've since fixed the issue, but I think you'll find it reassuring that they're looking out for you in ways you may not be aware of.

(Comments after the Jump)

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Worth The Read - "I Shut Down The Little Rock Airport"

Eileen Blass of USA Today writes

Airline travel is a pain these days. I have been a staff photographer with USA TODAY for the last 18 years and I fly frequently. I've had my share of airport delays. Haven't we all? Lost luggage, long security lines, canceled flights, the works. Since 9/11, the two words I have heard most are "bag check". My travels on Friday August 24, 2007 gave the words "bag check" a whole new meaning. ...After checking in at the Delta counter,...I was enjoying my roast beef sandwich, when 20 minutes into our meal we --- and all others in the restaurant --- were told to leave immediately and proceed to the terminal exit. ...I was standing in the parking lot...Who was that official with Andrea...I was ready to ask questions, but he had a few for me. "Are you Eileen Blass" Yup, I said. "Are you flying out on Delta?" Uh huh. "Did you check a large black bag?" Yes. Then I heard my heartbeat in my head. Andrea and I looked at each other. Huh? This was my entire fault?

(Continue Reading At SportsShooter)

(Comments, if any after the Jump)

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Redefining Image Resizing - "Content Aware"

When I first saw Microsoft's Sea Dragon technology, I was blown away. A demo of the application of that technology can be seen here. I am similarly amazed at how the videos below demonstrate a whole new world of resizing, whereby "priority" is given to certain items, either automatically, or via optional user interaction. Called "seam carving", or "content-aware image resizing", these techniques are sure to make it into Photoshop CS4, and are the new phrases to describe the techniques.

One concern I have, is how the resizing can alter perspective, and there are a few examples, where perspective changes are altered in the video.

Alternatively, the ability to also delete content by marking it as a first to delete, is very interesting indeed. This gives rise to the whole Getty $49 issue as it relates to the resizeability of those smaller files.

(Videos & Comments after the Jump)

Below is another example of content aware resizing (no audio on this one), using several images. For the image of the White House, you can see how the algorythms are "thinking", in keeping the White House itself the same, and diminishing the green lawn in the foreground, for example.

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office – Introduction

There are a number of people who complain about the copyright office’s turnaround times. The return time can vary from a quick turnaround of 1-2 months, to 9 months. It’s necessary to remember that the copyright office is processing thousands of requests at any given time, but more importantly, your registration date is effective when their office receives your completed application, fee, and deposit, not when you get the final form back.

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What follows is a pictoral display of every step of the registration process, including one or two you don’t want to know about personally (because you made a mistake), but are non-the-less integral to the system.

The Copyright Office (or, CO) is undergoing sweeping changes in terms of how they serve the public. Modernization of systems for electronic receipt of submissions to the imaging of forms, checks, and correspondence, means that the CO is always looking at how they can better serve the public. These images may be a bit dated as they were made at a point where modernization was taking place, however, they are, in my opinion, a revealing insight into all that goes into your registration, and why it was reasonable that the registration fee increased from $30 to $45 awhile back.

When the CO completes the process, we look forward to bringing you another look - behind the scenes - at the Copyright Office, of how their new, more automated world, brings it, and thus, your registrations, into the 21st century.

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office:

• The CO – Introduction
• The CO – Your Registration Arrives
• The CO – Come On In
• The CO – Step 2
• The CO – Step 3
• The CO – Step 4
• The CO – Step 4A (Optional)
• The CO – Step 5
• The CO – Step 6
• The CO – Step 7
• The CO – All Done
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For You)
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For The CO)
• The CO – Closing Thoughts

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office – Your Registration Arrives

There are two ways for your registration application to find it’s way to the copyright office for registration. Soon, you’ll be able to submit electronically, but as of now, there’s only two ways.

The most common way is to mail/ship your registration. Sending the package via US Mail is one way, however, it’s recommended that you do that with a method which allows for you to receive a notification that it was received. Certified/Return Receipt Requested is highly recommended. However, solutions like Priority Mail, FedEx, DHL, or another overnight service is our preferred method for shipping.

(Continued after the Jump)

All packages go through a central receiving facility, where they are irradiated to ensure the shipment is safe. This protection was put into place following the 2001 anthrax attacks on the US Capitol, and since the Library is a part of that complex, all of it’s deliveries became subjected to that protective screening. One challenge that has arisen, is that CD’s may become damaged or non-readable by this process, and the CO may contact you to ask for another CD to be sent.

Once the packages have been processed for biological agents, they are then sent over, in rolling bins (as shown above), to the receiving station, officially called the Reciept Analysis Control Center, located in the Madison Building of the Library of Congress, to begin their processing.

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office:

• The CO – Introduction
• The CO – Your Registration Arrives
• The CO – Come On In
• The CO – Step 2
• The CO – Step 3
• The CO – Step 4
• The CO – Step 4A (Optional)
• The CO – Step 5
• The CO – Step 6
• The CO – Step 7
• The CO – All Done
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For You)
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For The CO)
• The CO – Closing Thoughts

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office – Come On In

If you are within driving distance of the Copyright Office, I highly recommend you deliver your registration by hand. There is just something fulfilling about walking in, presenting your application, and receiving a receipt for that registration. The office staff there are friendly and as helpful as they can be.

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When you arrive, there’s a fair amount of street parking to the East of the building, metered, and with a 2 hour limit where non-metered around the residences. Park, and head to the fourth floor, and coming off the elevators, you can’t miss the double doors right off the foyer. You can arrive as late as 5pm, but you can’t do credit card transactions after 4:30. I recommend you have a Deposit Account anyway (click here to learn how to set one up and maintain it), especially for ease of consistent registration. They’ll check your DA to ensure there is sufficient balance on the account to cover the registration(s) you’re dropping off, and hand you a receipt, and you’re done.

It's worth noting that the Copyright Office has begun their beta testing of it's "electronic Copyright Office", or "eCO", and participation is open to the public. If you're like to participate, check out Hot Topics at www.copyright.gov.

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office:

• The CO – Introduction
• The CO – Your Registration Arrives
• The CO – Come On In
• The CO – Step 2
• The CO – Step 3
• The CO – Step 4
• The CO – Step 4A (Optional)
• The CO – Step 5
• The CO – Step 6
• The CO – Step 7
• The CO – All Done
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For You)
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For The CO)
• The CO – Closing Thoughts

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office – Step 2

Here, in the Reciept Analysis Control Center, items which are photocopies of items (as seen to the left) to be registered are deemed to fall into the “nonsecure" category, and are transported in open cases. This doesn’t mean they are being mis-handled, but rather, the items are considered to not be as fragile as other items that come into the office.

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So, rest-assured, the Copyright Office is handling your registration with care.

Items such as cassettes, valuable photographs, valuable CD's or CD-ROM's, video cassettes, film reels, adult materials, etc, are determined to be “secure" and are delivered in locked rolling carts to the Copyright Office (as seen, on the right.)

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office:

• The CO – Introduction
• The CO – Your Registration Arrives
• The CO – Come On In
• The CO – Step 2
• The CO – Step 3
• The CO – Step 4
• The CO – Step 4A (Optional)
• The CO – Step 5
• The CO – Step 6
• The CO – Step 7
• The CO – All Done
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For You)
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For The CO)
• The CO – Closing Thoughts

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office – Step 3

However the CO receives your application, the first thing that has to happen, is someone has to ensure that you have a full and complete application. That’s where the Incomplete Claims Handling office (ICHA) comes in. The ICHA is looking for your registration to include 3 things – 1) A completed form (with your signature); Payment for the application (either a check, money order, DA account, or credit card receipt); and 3) the required deposit of the item(s) being registered.

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If the application is missing one of these items, the application gets set aside. Here, a Copyright Office staff person prepares to send a notice to the person registering their copyright that they did not provide all three of the required items are a part of the package that is presented. 1) Payment, 2), the proper registration form, and 3) the representations of the item to be copyrighted, whether printed, electronic, or recordings. If the item has not been published previously, all the items that were recieved are returned. If the item being presented for registration has been published, the Copyright Office retains the item(s), and sends along a special letter.


If the item has not been published previously, all the items that were recieved are returned, as is the case with this cover letter reading “SORRY, but you didn’t send us everything we need to register your claim to copyright, and we’re going to have to start all over". You’ll get this, and need to take care of whatever the problem was, and send it back. The CO sends detailed instructions as to how to do that.


If the item being presented for registration has been published, the Copyright Office retains the item(s) (as is the case with those filed on the shelves in the photograph below), and sends along a special letter, (as seen above and to the left). The letter essentially says the same thing, however, they are just making it easier for you (and them) by holding the already published items.

Time is of the essence, as the CO has a limited space for holding material, so address their concern, and get your response back to them.

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office:

• The CO – Introduction
• The CO – Your Registration Arrives
• The CO – Come On In
• The CO – Step 2
• The CO – Step 3
• The CO – Step 4
• The CO – Step 4A (Optional)
• The CO – Step 5
• The CO – Step 6
• The CO – Step 7
• The CO – All Done
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For You)
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For The CO)
• The CO – Closing Thoughts

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office – Step 4

Next, an examiner reviews the contents of the registration request, to determine if the applicant's registration contains copyrightable authorship to be registered, has not been previously registered or published, or any other reasons why a registration should not be granted.

If the registration is granted, the examiner dates and signs the application on the front and back, and forwards it on.

(Comments and additional links after the Jump)

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A Walk Through The Copyright Office:

• The CO – Introduction
• The CO – Your Registration Arrives
• The CO – Come On In
• The CO – Step 2
• The CO – Step 3
• The CO – Step 4
• The CO – Step 4A (Optional)
• The CO – Step 5
• The CO – Step 6
• The CO – Step 7
• The CO – All Done
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For You)
• The CO – Special Circumstances (For The CO)
• The CO – Closing Thoughts

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Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.

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