I have been on a few sites as of late that have had difficulties with stock stealers. As always, there are stock providers on DA that have trouble with this constantly. Even though I'm not an expert on this topic, I am well-versed in understanding the importance of stock use (and using it correctly). My experience as a photomanipulist has given me the chance to see images that are copyrighted that I wish I could use and moving on from that stage to falling into a world of stock images that are just as beautiful (if not more so) than copyrighted images I used to lust over.

There has always been a bout of people that don't understand the importance of stock rules and copyrights and how they go together. This site, as well as any other that is a reputable website, is very strict about the use of copyrighted images in all photomanipulations shown here as well as images that you simply wish to use for your own entertainment. Photomanipulists on this site also must be the most careful since you are representing the site when you post your images.

Copyright, and the breaking thereof, is very VERY important. If you use copyrighted images, serious trouble is on its way to you. This rule is not just a petty rule laid down by deviantArt to make it harder for you to make pictures. Copyright laws are LAWS in every country! If you break them, you are committing a crime and can be severely punished for the enfringement. On any reputable website, DA especially included, everyone should strive to refrain from using copyrighted images to protect the members and to protect the site so that we may go on living happy, photomanipulation-loving lives without the CIA hunting us down. I've heard they're not nice guys.

Here's the deal when it comes to copyrights.

Google is the worst place to search for an image for any character. Even Google has the note on its image search stating that some images that it finds may be copyrighted and not allowed for public use. Never search Google to find stock images.

There are really good sites that provide stock images for the use of photomanipulists. Here are some of the best: deviantArt (of course), flickr (www.flickr.com), stockexchange (www.sxc.hu), and morguefile (www.morguefile.com). These are the most commonly used stock sites and they all provide good images for your free use.

Just because a picture is on one of the above-mentioned sites does NOT mean it's a stock image! These sites are photography sites first and foremost. Stock photographers choose to go to these sites to upload images for stock use. Not all images and photographers on these sites are stock and stock accounts! Don't assume they are just because they're on one of these sites or sites like them.

Then how do you know if a picture is available for your use? Each of these sites has its own type of copyright licenses at your disposal. You must search the sites with the knowledge of how they each display their notices so that you can be aware of which images are copyrighted and which are not. Here's a little guide:

Here at deviantArt: Stock photographers will post rules about how you may use their stock. These rules are usually in a picture's description or in the journal of the stock provider. You must look in their journals and in the picture's description to know if you're able to use the stock. (You actually have to put forth a physical effort to do this. Yes, finding good stock that is available actually takes effort. It's really not that difficult. Try it. )
flickr: Beneath all of the photofeeds and tags for the picture (on the right-hand side of each picture's page) there will be a small description that says something like " © All rights reserved." or "Some rights reserved". This will let you know if the picture is available for you to use in your art.
sxc: Beneath the picture there is a special little box that tells you the restrictions on a picture. If it just says "Standard restrictions apply" then you may use the image in a photomanipulation as long as you don't sell the image (standard restrictions are the restrictions stated in the TOS of StockExchange which you should have read when you joined). Sometimes this little info box will say that you must notify the photographer, and in that case you need to email the photographer and let him/her know how you used their image.

Regrettably, I'm not a member of morguefile so I'm not quite sure how their stock restrictions are displayed, but there are many other photomanipulists and stock providers alike that are members on morguefile that could help you if you really wanted to find out. Also, it is always easy to find the regulations about that sort of thing on a site. Just search around and be wary, and you'll be fine.

The key to a good image maker is caution. If you're cautious about finding your stock then you will not have copyrighted images in your pictures. The basic rule is: If you don't know whether it's copyrighted or not, DON'T USE IT.

If you use copyrighted images on this site, the images will be reported and/or removed. Even if you're not making an image to give to anyone, don't post it here if it has copyrighted images in it. This site will not be held accountable for your lack of reason and inability to listen to direction.

On another similar note, photomanipulations on DA are also not stock. Photomanipulists usually make their images to fill requests on studios they own/work for and those filled requests are for one person and one person only. Also, many photomanipulists (such as myself) make images just for the fun of it: for their own entertainment and fulfillment. Stealing a photomanipulation is just as powerfully wrong and hurtful as stealing someone's stock image. In both cases either the stock photographer or photomanipulist has put hard time and effort into creating that image and a stealer simply comes along and nabs with no second thought or appreciation to the creator.

Both using stock and offering stock takes compassion, understanding, and respect. Stealing any image, whether stock image or photomanip, is unthoughtful and hateful in the least. It doesn't make anyone a hero. It simply explains in sweet, easy, simple terms that the person who has stolen the image is lazy and uncaring. I'm sure neither of those are adjectives we want taped onto our names.

The easiest way to avoid either using copyrighted stock that isn't offered for your use or taking a photomanipulation that was not predestined for you is to avoid taking anything that you aren't 193% is allowed for your consumption. If you simply deny your wants and double, triple, and quadruple check that you're allowed to use something, you won't get in trouble, and no one will be upset. Imagine how dirty and unappreciated you would feel if someone else stole your hard-worked items and then don't steal.

I hope this has helped someone either to learn how to search for stock or to control their want to take whatever they see before them. Good luck stock searching!