Domain-Derik

WOW! This project was overwhelming to say the least. I haven't ever felt this frustrated when doing anything and the times I was having fun disappeared all too quickly. Throughout all the struggle I did gain valuable knowledge about what I am able to use in regard to images and how hard it is to find relevant material for topics such as these. Through the help of Dr. Asher from the library I found some images from artstor that were gone the next time I tried to copy them and the little issues kept coming after that. I had a sweet musical rhythm set up that I couldn't find after trying to acquire sound with my slide show. Because of my lacking knowledge I'm going to give this a second shot and use the slide show program with one of my friends' class presentations to try to enhance it. He has some images trying to promote a company and I mentioned briefly what I was doing so now he thinks I'm an expert. Inside I'm laughing hysterically, but of course I kept nodding in agreement.

This project definitely stretched the boundaries, but now I see the value behind websites like these. If I ever need to use items/images avoiding copyright in other classes I will know where to search. I was hoping to get more creative with my mash-up, but wanted this project to get over with due to lack of original knowledge and not feeling like I enhanced the professor's work. I hate it when I know what I need to accomplish and how to get there, but small things derail me and keep me at square one.

Photo Archive- Sydney

1. I gained an understanding that researching photos and information only in the public domain is difficult. It took a lot of hard, continuous searching to find something that was relevant, that wasn't copyrighted, or that I could get permission to use for educational purposes. Besides getting to learn about what my professor was researching, I also got to learn about how that kind of research is done, by reading her research proposal. I got familiar with the steps necessary when searching for images, where to go to find good public domain images (such as Oaister, Wikimedia, and University digital archives) and how to tell if the product was copyrighted or not.

2. The point of this project, to me, was to teach us that there are rules about things online, and you can't always (legally) just take any image or product and use it without the consent of someone in charge of it. It also taught me how to research effectively and that even if something says it's 'public' doesn't mean it's public domain.

Photo Archive - Ryan B

1) I gained alot from doing this project.  I learned to navigate my way around public domains and commons online.  These are sites that I never really knew exisited until this class and this project.  I also learned how to use a Mac a little better...still alien technology though.

2)The point of this this project was to make us aware of the public doamians out there and how to use them.  There is so much copyrighted material on the internet its nice to have a place to go and freely use images and video clips. 

Photo Archive-Amy

What I gained from this project is a lot of valuable information, such as the understanding of public domain and the limitations that it encounters. The project took a lot of time and research when looking for photos that I could use freely. In class when it came to discussing libraries and digital archives, I gained information on the risks that our libraries are at and what the future could hold for them, and lastly gaining the knowledge to use new software for the project. The use of Garageband and Soundslides software made it more interesting when viewing the final project. The entire project was very interesting and will be helpful in the future.

The point of the project was to explore public domain and experience it through a project of our own.It is sometimes very difficult to find things that are not copyrighted due to the laws being so strict.I believe that the laws are very outrageous when it comes to copyright.There are just too many restrictions.

Photo Archive - Lauren

1. I gained a lot from this experience. The first thing being that I don't want to go into any business that does this for a living. Copyright is a lot more complicated than I thought it was but I learned the differences of public domain, commons, modified copyright, and others. It was very difficult to find photos that I could use, even for just noncommercial and educational purposes. I have a new found disliking toward Google images and other search engines that portray pictures only for commercial use. Sites get money when people click on their links and permission to use those photos isn't given unless you contact the author. I also learned that librarians really do like to help you. And despite mishaps with other people in the class, they were very nice to me!

2. To me, the point of this project is to explore the public domain and to know that everyone tries to own everything. Our world is turning into a commercial place and we have little control over it. We have access to things today that we don't have permission to use anywhere we like. Copyright laws are ridiculous and they make it so nobody can use copyrighted things for a very long time. When using any images, video, or other media that you didn't create from scratch, you have to be aware of copyright laws and what is or isn't in the public domain. Otherwise, it could cost you. UNLESS! You use it under Fair Use. But, you have to be careful with that one. There ARE restrictions. This assignment has opened my eyes and also slightly taken my vision away from large commercial corporations.


3. I did my project on "Cooking and Medicine in Early America". I took research from articles and books online written by Professor Trudy Eden at the University of Northern Iowa. I quickly realized that the beliefs about food and medicine of early Americans were completely twisted because of lack of resources and knowledge that we have today. They didn't have the technology to figure out exactly how digestion works and they didn't know that eating foods in a certain order wouldn't prevent them from getting sick. I found images to compliment my research and I wrote captions that followed the article. It tells about early Americans' beliefs of food and how they thought that "medicine" could cure them of any health problem they could imagine.

Public Domain - Spencer

1. I gained much from this project. i understand just how many images are owned by some person for some unknown reasons. However, it gives me great hope that many historical images are easily available for everyone to learn from and gain prospective.

2. the point of this project is to understand how things like Public Domain and Creative Commons work for us on a daily basis. When images are owned and restricted, nobody can enjoy or learn from them.

3.

Public Domain- Kacie

This project really opened by eyes to copyright and how much we take for granted. For example, I have never realized how much work producers must have to go through in order to use bits of copyrighted materials in their new work. They would have to get permission to use this material or find un-copyrighted work, which is extremely difficult. I also now have an appreciation for the credits given to old material in books, movies, etc.

The point of this project was to introduce us to the amazing possibilities that can be achieved with help from digital archives and searching through public domain material. I learned a lot about acting within copyright limits and how to document the use of images and information correctly. It is helpful to know what type of information is available vs. what needs permission. The various sources and digital archives are a great resource that I had not known of before. So many new things can be learned from these types of resources. This knowledge will be very helpful for future research endeavors.

Public Domain Photo Project- Reid

1. What did you gain from this project?
Several things, one a familiarity with copyright law and some tricks for working within its bounds. Often times in personal projects I simply ignore it, and as I'm a private user with no real potential for capital gain I get ignored. It was an interesting challenge to work within and have to understand the rules of legitimate image rights and collection. Additionally this project taught me how helpful librarians can be. Sending out information requests and hearing back, especially from folks half way around the world, is helpful and kind of fun.

2. What is the point of this project: knowing about digital archives; searching for Public Domain material.
There are two major points for this project. First to ensure that we are capable of doing this kind of research, finding photos, understanding their copyright situation, and reporting it. And second being able to put that understanding to use so that we might make informed commentary about the copyright and fair use debate going on all around us.

The Public Domain - Jessica Skelton

1.) There was definately a lot to be learned from this project. I realize now that there is a lot more to copy right then I thought.Whenever I searched for pictures on the web before I never really cared about the copy right because I had no intention to sell anything. Therefore I figured all pictures were free game for my use. When copyright comes into play the pool of available pictures decreases significantly, especially when I was looking for good, quality pictures. When I searched google for ideas I got exactly what I had in mind for photos, but they weren't copyright free. So when I looked for the same type of photo on one of the commons websites, it was almost impossible to find. It was also very difficult to contact a librarian, they really are busy people. I never got a response from New York Library, but I did talk with Alan Asher but that was only after I had tried to see him three times previously. Once I did get to talk to him, he led me to artstor.com which opened an all new source of photos. I did have to track down where the original photos were from though in order to cite them correctly. I am very aware now of the difficulty with copyright and how big of a role it plays with images especially in research.
2. ) I think the purpose of this project was to open our eyes to democracy on the web and how we have been short handed with resources for research projects because of copyright laws. We will always be researchers trying to find information to back up our projects and laws are prevent us to do that adequately. It's difficult to be a photo researcher, as my classmates have said, but thankfully there are some people standing up strong making free photos available. With this act of sharing, the world can become more knowledgeble and we will be helping each other.

Public Domain-Kelsey Motley

1.  This has definitely, by far, been the toughest assignment I have ever done.  There are so many little things, that seem irrelevant, to have to worry about.  Never, did I understand all of the copyright infringement opportunities until taking this class and realizing that you actually have to dig for something that is not illegal.  I also felt like that would be a relatively easy task... I was wrong again!  After contacting a man from a newspaper online and having him give me several more sites to use that were free, did this project seem to move along a big more quickly.  Time was also a huge concern for me, after creating a sample during class I knew that actually putting the photos together and creating a slide would be my easiest task; that would definitely be the most fun part as well. 
2.  The point of this project was to dig deep into research.  Become an intense researcher.  This was hard for me at first because I do not usually spend all of my focus on the tiny details, but we had to for this project.  Also, understanding the copyright laws and what is available for our use and what we should refrain from using. 

Public domain - Kate

1. I think I am with several others in the class when I state that I thought this was going to be a relatively quick project; I was wrong. Typically when I work with a project, even if I come to dead ends in the beginning, I am able to pretty quickly navigate my way to sites/sources that will be better. At the end of my table, I wrote a few paragraphs pertaining to the troubles that I encountered along the way. My topic (Roman Army) was pretty vague, so I thought it would be easier to research that way. My Wiki Commons search went fairly well, and I spent time getting what I thought were a variety of images. After that was when I started to run into trouble. I contacted a friend who is a librarian and asked her to point me to an institution or a specific person that might provide more insight. She did a little research on her own and replied back that she thought it would be difficult; the materials dealing with the Roman Army are typically so old that they are "owned" by libraries, private collections, museums, etc. When I would find images applicable to my project, there was typically a page expressing that those images were property and they were not willing to share - so don't even bother asking. Eventually, Bettina just told me to use "illegal" images. Instead of doing this, I used several photos of coins that had Roman emperors and generals on them that were able to be used for educational purposes. While I am sure that somebody who is much more well versed in image research than I am would have been able to fully complete the project, and maybe with little difficulty, it was an incredibly frustrating process for me. Each of the dead ends left me more frustrated than the last.

2. To me, the point of the project was made incredibly clear every time that I met one of those dead ends. First, we have this beautiful history/information/art/etc. that exists in collections all over the world, and greed is holding us back. Because somebody wants to put a copyright protection on it, it prohibits the masses from legally accessing and using the materials - even if it is for educational purposes, sometimes. This re-emphasized the importance of the commons for me. Also, I want to try adding some of my own images into a commons space for use by the public. I think it would be interesting to try out. Secondly, this project really opened my eyes to how prevalent the misuse of images probably is in our society. Something as simple as using a photo in a slideshow for a presentation at work could be illegal. This is good workplace knowledge to have.

Public Domain - Heather

I learned a few things doing this project the most beneficial was just finding out the many different locations where public domain images can be found! Mostly however, this project taught me the difficulty of gaining access to images are. It showed me how to identify whether images were in the public domain or licensed. To be completely honest, this project showed me the importance of practicing strict ethical guidelines when it comes to photo use online. This has often been an area I've fudged on in my personal life because honestly, it's always seemed like "just a photo". I now realize just how important it is to properly credit the sources. I also learned just how difficult it can be to track down the actual source of the photo and obtain permission. I actually had to contact 2 people before finding the correct person who could grant permission for me to use the copyright images for educational purposes. The process taught me the importance of giving yourself time to find usable photos for projects, and the difficulty of getting permission to use them. I also gained experience on unfamiliar software that added an additional creative touch.

The point of this project was to become a "photo researcher", to find images usable within the public domain for publication that tell a story. Furthermore, it was to show us the difficulties that copyright laws present and ways to succeed at finding photos despite the laws. I didn't realize how complicated the project would be, until i began looking and realized that very few photos were in the public domain. This project taught me the importance of persistence when trying to gain rights to use a photo.

Photo Archives-Ryan Stefani

First of all, I gained a considerable amount of insight into copyright laws and what constitutes material that is in the public domain. When Bettina gave us this project my first thought was that it would be incredibly easy, but I couldn't have been more wrong. This was one of the most difficult projects I have ever done, and a lot of that difficulty came from the fact that copyright laws can present a major problem to students and researchers who are trying to use online materials for their work. I also gained valuable experience from contacting a librarian and asking for permission to use their resources.
The point of this project is to teach us about copyright laws; between Bettina's media lit class and now tech and human comm I am learning a TON about freedom. I'm learning a lot about how the Internet came out with such promising opportunities in terms of freedom and creativity, and now it seems that some of those freedoms are gradually disappearing as commercialization is taking over. This project complemented our mashup project in an interesting way-- we started by bending the rules and relying on Fair Use for the mashup, and here we were doing everything by the book, making sure not to miss anything.

Photo Archives-Megan W.

I learned a TON from this project. I honestly did not know all of these public domains existed! I think it is so cool that people put images out there for anyone and everyone to use. It really really contributes to the creative commons and allows people to be the artists that they are. I also learned so much about copyright and public domain and the licenses in between. Again, before our discussions in class, and before this project, I really didn't know anything about any of this. But now I know how to research these things, and who to contact if I need further assistance. How can that not be useful?!?! It is! I have such a greater understanding for copyright regulations (and lack thereof). I know this will be useful throughout life. I also gained an appreciation for the people that organize and maintain these archives- and for the people that do this archiving thing for a living. It is not easy! It was stressful and irritating at times, but when I finally found some cool images it was so exciting!

I think the point of this project was for us to learn what is out there! I never knew any of these databases with thousands and thousands of images up for grabs existed! I also think that this project was about how to be informed about copyright and licenses. Learning how to look licenses up and understand terms and conditions and permissions was so valuable. Even if I don't understand everything (which I know I don't!) at least I know a few people to contact that may be able to assist me.

Public Domain-Brett C

From this project I gained several practical tools as well as a greater understanding of research conducted by Dr. Pablo Ben. The point of the project really seemed to form through my experiences and research. I can see how this project could mean different things for everyone, depending on the topic assigned. For me, I learned a little bit about Dr. Ben's research on the evolution of gay culture in Argentina. I learned multi-dimensional ways of searching for information on a specific topic; utilizing university resources as a tool for grabbing hold of useful information. I was able to use varying sources to gather insight into Dr. Ben's published research.
I used the research on my topic I gathered to search digital databases for relevant photos. I was introduced in digital archive sites, I became aware of how to look for quality photos as well as copyright licensing information. I appreciated photos and work that were provided as part of the public domain. It made my learning process easier and more successful. I had a very difficult time locating photos even remotely relevant to my project, however the process involved in the search made the project worth while; gaining understanding of searching capabilities, digital archives, and public domain material.
My slideshow was compiled with images I found to be most relevant. I tried to give visual references into life in Buenos Aires around the time period my research looked at. I think this pictures are interesting and shed light into the era of the research allowing people to visually imagine the time the research takes place.

Photo Archiving Project Discussion- Caitlin

1. This project showed me that it is so much harder to gain access to images in today’s society than ever before. I never knew that so many images were off limits for use. It was honestly quite frustrating and stressful to find 10 images in the public domain. I learned that you need to examine every image and see if it is for public use (in the public domain) or restricted. This project showed me that it is so important to credit your images, or you WILL get into trouble. One thing I really gained from this project was learning how to use unfamiliar software. I really enjoyed displaying my research in the audio slide show. It gave it the creative touch it needed.

2. The point of this project was to show us how important it is to credit images and only use those in the public domain. The mash-up showed us how to illegally use images, but this project was the exact opposite in that it made us follow the law in the most extreme manor. It also got us acquainted with only using those images in the public domain. I am sure that each one of us has never created a project using images only from the public domain. Today’s copyright laws make it impossible to have a collection of images for one topic. That is why it was so hard to come up with 10 images on Hrotsvit of Gandersheim.

Public Domain Photo Project

1) This project was a lot of work! I didn't think it was going to be that hard to find photos I could actually use. I definitely gained an appreciation for people who do this for a living. I found a ton of great photos that I wanted to use but there was a problem. Most of those photos didn't have any information to go a long with them. I had no idea who they belonged to or if they were under copyright. The Wikimedia Commons and other digital archives allowed me to find photos as well as all the information to go along with them. It would have been way easier if I could have just used any random photo I found when I Googled my topic, but I wouldn't have gained anything from doing that.
2) The point of this project was for us to find photos in the public domain and to realize how hard it is to find those photos. There are so many photos out there that are either under copyright and not available for all to use, or photos that don't have any information to back them up.
There are also a lot of photos available in the public domain and in digital archives that we are free to use. I had a hard time finding photos from archives that I liked. Did anyone else have this problem? The ones from the NYPL were all really old and I wanted photos that were a little more up to date.
I also think the point of this project was to get us to really understand copyright and public domain. Making the table showed me what has to be done to prove I am able to use the image.

Domestic Violence (Mashup)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILys3puKgaE

Reid- Youtube Mashup

For this project I was initially inspired by the cake-roll video I posted earlier. Taking two pieces of pop culture and juxtaposing them to provide a shocking experience to the audience. For the project I chose to bring together two pop-princesses. One who is still in theory shown with an innocent image (hanna montanna) and the new breakout success of Ke$ha. The theory is that all pop princesses follow the evolution of Brittany Spears, from mouse club innocence to sex being the only thing that sells their music. By mashing these two videos together I hoped to show that evolution in a jarring form to the audience.

What I learned in the process, music videos are really hard to mess with. You have to stick to the script of the music and that limits a lot of the flexibility that you would have otherwise. A better choice would have been to pick a different song and then start cutting together found images and videos of these two rather than try to stick with just a video. However this forced me to get very good at splitting images and audio apart frame by frame, and how to play with transitions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly3GXMSjZ9w

YouTube-Alison Muller

The purpose of my mash up is to show the difference in age and countries. I am from Pella, Iowa where we still "Dutch Dance" because we an to keep our Dutch heritage. But in Holland they are busy with new age songs that will be historical some day too. While we think the Dutch Costumes and slow dance moves are historic, eventually some one will find the Dutch Shuffle and less clothing historic as well. I can justify this as fair use because it is teaching people about the Dutch history while putting a new spin on it with the more recent Dutch Shuffle.

Here is my video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBDAKY70IrQ