Pixsy had a strong year when it came to fighting image theft, but our blog also soared to new heights. Apart from unveiling feature updates and company news, we jam-packed this space with educational, entertaining and off-the-wall content related to both copyright law and photography.
Whether you missed them the first time or want a refresher course, here’s a rundown of Pixsy’s top 10 most-read posts from 2016.
#1 Why Professional Photographers Are So Expensive
“You charge how much?!”, followed by “but you just push a button all day!” These are just two sentences photographers are tired of hearing.
This post broke down every expense, and explained why you’ll regret not hiring a professional to take your photos. This is our first entry in this best of 2016.
#2 Where do “WTF” stock photos come from?
Pixsy spoke directly to the photographers behind 5 of the most bizarre stock images, and learned why its a business built for risk takers…sometimes with entertaining results.
#3 Image Theft in the Real Estate Industry
We’ve seen image theft in nearly every field, but real estate makes up over 7% of our cases. Why? In this exclusive Pixsy exposé, we uncovered how estate agencies misuse photography, and how they get away with it so often.
#4 Why you should Watermark Photographs
After a polite back-and-forth on the Pixsy Twitter page, we invited photographer Alexander S. Kunz to explain how watermarking can remedy image theft, and why it doesn’t have to spoil your work.
#5 Why photographers should never work for free
Many think that paying a photographer is optional. In this article, numerous professionals teamed up with Pixsy to show why “exposure” isn’t enough to shoot for free.
#6 The 10 copyright cases every photographer should know
From the landmark Feist v. Rural decision to Richard Prince’s infamous lawsuit, these photography copyright cases alone demonstrate the complexity of the legal field.
#7 “Do not tell my Mom!” 7 Crazy things photo thieves say
Pixsy has contacted thousands of businesses regarding the misuse of photographer’s work. We always think we’ve heard the craziest responses, yet somehow we’re always surprised…
#8 Is Creative Commons Right for your Photography?
2016 marked the 15th anniversary of the Creative Commons. Many photographers still don’t understand how these flexible copyright licenses work, so here’s a set of guides on how (and why) you should use them.
#9 Ridiculous copyright myths (infringers want you to believe)
It’s not OK to use an image because you got it off of Facebook, or because it’s non-commercial. This 2-part series delves into similar common copyright myths. Remember: legal ambiguity is no excuse for image theft.
#10 The State of Image Theft 2016
This was one of our last (and biggest) posts of 2016. Over 800 photographers responded to Pixsy on how their images were used – and misused – over the last year. We narrowed our findings down into a set of infographic cards — the results will no doubt surprise you.
Are there any areas of copyright law or photography you’d like to see Pixsy cover in 2017? You can let us know on our Facebook page, or by Tweeting us at @PixsyHQ.
