Using other peoples graphics

What can you do and what should you avoid?

[mazdamx]

I am adding some graphics to my site right now and I have about 300 pages that all need unique diagrams and photos relating to health.

If I see a diagram that I like, I obviously cant use it without the permission of the website owner. However, if I modify the graphic enough, it becomes my original work with their concept. When I say modify the graphic, I mean basically tracing over their image, adding some other descriptive captions of my own and changing the colors and layout aspects on some parts of the picture.

Now if there is a picture of a man running down the street and I cut that man out of the picture and put him in a different setting, is this infringement?

What I basically want to know is how much do I need to change a graphic so that it legally becomes mine?

Any comments (good or bad) are welcomed and appreciated.

[LifeinAsia]

I suggest you take a good, long read about what copyrights are.

if I modify the graphic enough, it becomes my original work with their concept.

No, it becomes a derivitive work, for which the original copyright holder stills holds the copyright.

I have about 300 pages that all need unique diagrams and photos relating to health.

You basically have 4 options:
1) Get permission from the owners to use the images.
2) Create your own images from scratch.
3) Use royalty free images.
4) Use others' pictures anyway, knowing that you are violating their copyrights and that sooner r later it will come back to bite you.
Obviously, #4 is not recommended.

[mazdamx]

OK, that was my question. So even if I completely rebuild the image and it looks a bit different, it is still considered a derivative work?

Do you have any suggesstions on where to learn more about tihs?

I searched the government website about copryrights and it was just pages of legal jargon and I couldnt really find an answer to my question.

[Syzygy]

As a resource this is pretty good and may prove useful...

[fairuse.stanford.edu...]

Syzygy

[mazdamx]

Syzygy, thank you! That is exactly what I was looking for. The stanford site explains it in terms I can understand.

[Beagle]

Great resource, Syzygy - I've just subscribed to their newsletter.