images on website

[peal724]

when startin your own practice and setting up a website, how do you go about posting images of projects that show your experience?

permission from the owner?
permission from your former employer?
what if you were the EOR? what if you weren't the EOR but the lead designer and project manager?

 

[ChrisConley]

If the pictures are of the outside of the building, or public accessible spaces within the building I don't believe you need permission to post the image... depending on geographical location as Google Maps found out in Germany.

 

[Ron]

People require permission, buildings do not. It would be appropriate to add a statement somewhere on your website that projects depicted represent the involvement of the principal(s) of your firm, but services may have been provided when employed by others.

 

[slomobile]

I would say also, keep in mind that if you are going to take the pictures yourself or have them taken for you that seems reasonable. However if you plan to mine someone else's website for images of your projects, you definitely ask for permission from the owner of the photo. Ron is right, buildings have no expectation of privacy if they are out there in the open for anyone to photograph. If it is a sensitive building, say a school or military, permission to take a photo might be reasonable.

 

[AnotherEllis]

I had an interesting exchange with my former employer over this. I used some pictures of projects I did while working for them. They saw them on the interweb and asked that I not use "their" images. I replied that I had no intention of doing so. The images I used were not from my previous employers website, they were from my digital archives.

The conversation ended there, but may resume. The pictures in question were originally taken, by me, with my equipment, on off hours (personal time) and then sent to the owners while I was in their employ. I do indicate that the project was done while working for them.

We still have a good relationship and I expect that to continue. However, if push came to shove I would demand photo credit for my pics used on their website. But I don't see that happening. I worked for reasonable upstanding people.

http://www.ellisconsultingengineers.com

 

[drawoh]

peal724,

Here is a good article on Web Pages That Suck on adding Why You Can't Use Music
On Your Web Site. This would apply to any graphics that are not yours, and that you are not explicitly authorized to use.

JHG

 

[brandonbw]

I always delete street names and any identifying info on any pictures I post on our website.

B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil and Structural Engineering

http://bwengr.com

 

[abusementpark]

Why not just wait until you get a few projects under your belt so you can post actual work you firm has done?

 

[beej67]

People require permission, buildings do not. It would be appropriate to add a statement somewhere on your website that projects depicted represent the involvement of the principal(s) of your firm, but services may have been provided when employed by others.

Oh really?

I asked this very question of my previous firm when I left to start my business, and they told me that I couldn't use pictures of their projects.

Although now that I think about it, they told me that I couldn't use pictures I'd taken back then of their projects, presumably because the pictures themselves were intellectual property of the previous company. I suppose this does mean that I could go out to one of those projects today, snap a photo, and stick it on a website, huh?



Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[brandonbw]

I would not use previous employer projects on anything you do. You would make it sound like your company did the work, no matter what way you try to explain it.

B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil and Structural Engineering

http://bwengr.com