Yes Malcolm, I have. I intend to donate a collection of slides, negatives and memorabilia taken or collected in the 1960's onwards to an institute set up to maintain an historical archive of the location, and I have given them free and clear copyright in my will. As regards your own purchases, I think if, when you bought the pictures, the seller gave you carte-blanche you would be entitled to rely on that, and particularly where the user is a not-for-profit organisation such as an historical society (no lawyer comments please!).
I think we should all be aware that as active photographers, we will often be recording scenes that will soon no longer exist or will reflect a society that has changed beyond recognition (vide Shel's series of PAW's from the late '60's). We therefore have almost a duty to ensure that our (no doubt) grieving relatives don't bin all those old photos that Grandad took! John Coyle Brisbane, Australia ----- Original Message ----- From: "Malcolm Smith" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, July 02, 2004 10:29 PM Subject: OT: A trivial copyright matter. > Here's the background to this minor matter; from time to time I visit local > car boot sales and on rare occasions I've seen boxes of 35mm colour slides > for sale. Nearly all of these I have looked at, put down and walked on, but > I suppose twice in 5 years I have made an offer on them (silly money, > pennies) for those which depict local scenes I can no longer go and take > myself, as they no longer exist. > > One of my friends has suggested that a couple of them could be included in a > historical society publication. I have declined any suggestion of > publication but am quite happy for them to be shown as one or two of the > images during a slide evening. I really only bought them for my own local > historical interest. I would certainly be unhappy with any credit or > attribution, as my only connection was paying a small sum for a box of them, > I have no idea what camera was used and when it was taken and can only guess > to within a couple of years the dates of the pictures. > > I have been told as I bought them, what I do with them is my concern. > Regardless of whether this is entirely true or not, I don't feel happy with > this at all. I would really like to know who took them and why and how they > ended up in a car boot sale, but I never will. As for the future of these > and my own record of local pictures, I will one day leave them to a local > museum or society. It might be a curiosity to another generation. > > Has anyone else had any thoughts for the long term use/destination of their > photographs? > > Malcolm > >
