Photography Copyright Information

Even though I hesitate to make a serious business out of my photography I decided that it was time to research what I need to do to protect my pictures that are floating around on the internet via my blog.

I was inspired yesterday after perusing a website built by another Navy wife here in Sicily, Pinch My Salt. She has built an amazing site based on food and life and recently won an award for best food blog.

As I scanned her "about me" section I noticed the copyright information she had posted. The link led me to creativecommons.org. Still unsure as to what their purpose was I navigated to the FAQs and then clicked a link to the copyright.gov website and clicked on Copyright Basics.

Here are a few of the things that I learned (items in bold are quoted from the copyright.gov website):

1. Copyright protection subsists from the time the work is created in fixed form. Basically this means that from the moment I put pen to paper or click the shutter on my camera and an image exists on my memory card that work is protected by copyright law.
2. No publication or registration or other action in the Copyright Office is required to secure copyright.
3. The use of a copyright notice is no longer required under U.S. law, although it is often beneficial.
4. The notice for visually perceptible copies should contain all the following three elements: The symbol © (the letter C in a circle), or the word “Copyright,” or the abbreviation “Copr.”; The year of first publication of the work; The name of the owner of copyright in the work. (Example: © 2006 John Doe)
5. Copyright registration is not a condition of copyright protection...however copyright registration provides several advantages such as before an infringement suit may be filed in court, registration is necessary for works of U.S. origin. (Visit copyright.gov for complete list)

Once I had a general understanding of the basics I went back to the creativecommons.org website. Reading through their FAQ I discovered the following:

Creative Commons licenses give you the ability to dictate how others may exercise your copyright rights—such as the right of others to copy your work, make derivative works or adaptations of your work, to distribute your work and/or make money from your work.

I decided to utilize their website to develop code to post on my personal blog, establishing what uses my photos may and may not be used for. I was also able to download graphics to imprint onto my pictures as a reminder that they are protected by copyright laws and are licensed for limited uses.

I feel like a weight has been lifted. I knew that I needed to research and understand copyright basics but, as with anything legal, I was intimidated and didn't want to misunderstand or miss something. It was much simpler than I expected.

Disclaimer: This website does not offer legal advice. If you are interested in copyrighting your work please start by visiting copyright.gov to see how the laws apply to you.

The things I think about when I'm trying to sleep

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." Confucius

How many times have you heard this quote or some derivative of it? It sounds good in theory, but my personal experience has been that doing something you love and trying to earn a living at it can bleed the passion from what you once loved.

When I applied to colleges I was convinced that I wanted to major in music. I loved music. I played piano, clarinet, and had played with a number of accomplished ensembles. Making a career out of my passion seemed like a great idea. Unfortunately the reality wasn't what I expected.

My freshman year of college completely changed the way I looked at my talents, and drained a great deal of the passion that I had for music. In the past I had always excelled in music classes and in my lessons. Even through the classroom work in college I did well, but it was in my college level lessons that I faltered.

I took lessons from the department chair, supposedly the best teacher on campus and was sorely disappointed. I was hardly his star pupil and though he was never outright rude he made it known in other ways that I wasn't very high on his priority list. For example, he rarely showed up for my lessons on time. When I asked about this he said it was my responsibility to find him...I ran this by a couple of my peers, other pianists that were far more accomplished than I and were also taking lessons from him, and they were appalled and expressed that they had never had a similar problem with him. Little things like this hit my confidence pretty hard.

I switched teachers and found a great instructor. He was attentive and I felt like I was finally starting to make progress and my love of the piano was being revived. Unfortunately when I received my report card I was stunned to see that I had received less than an 'A' (I don't remember what the grade was, only that it wasn't an 'A'). I was crushed. I had worked so hard but when I asked my instructor about the grade I was told that I hadn't made 'A' level progress.

My decision to switch majors didn't happen overnight, but a less than good grade in piano lessons was the catalyst that started me thinking in new directions. I needed a career that I didn't dread waking up to do every day and one that I was good at. That is why I chose business. I love my business, my job. I enjoy the customers that I've worked with and the work that I've done for them. It isn't what I'd choose to do in my time off but I've discovered that mixing my artistic passions and the demands of a career can drain me of my inspiration.

The decision to pursue a business degree was made about ten years ago and again I am facing a similar dilemma. I love photography. I love it when others see my work and it makes them feel something positive. It is a tremendous compliment when someone buys my work. Lately my husband has been encouraging me to do more to market my pictures, but I'm scared that making it a "job" will take the fun out of it. I don't want my artwork to become something I have to do.

Artistic inspiration cannot be forced and the moment I'm put on the spot I get a mental block about what to do next. I need to be inspired, without that my work is lifeless, forced, and mediocre.

I'm still trying to find a way to follow Confucius' advice, but until I figure it out I probably need to keep my job and hobbies separate. I still play music, but not at the level or with the passion that I once did. I don't want to lose my passion for photography.

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Now playing: James Horner - Through The Fires, Achilles... And Immortality
via FoxyTunes

New SLO Plastering, Inc. Website Launched

The new SLO Plastering, Inc. website is up and running! I have been promising my parents for several years that I would build a website for their business and I have finally finished it. I would love to know what you think and if you have suggestions for improvements.

Return to Productivity

After several months of silence, I'm back!

My husband & I have successfully moved to Sicily and are finally set up. I've been playing housewife for several weeks and I'm finally going crazy. I miss feeling productive. Since there are a shortage of opportunities for a self-employed military spouse in Europe I have decided to go back to school. I am planning on enrolling this week in University of Phoenix for my MBA!

University of Phoenix has an amazing program set up for the military that spouses can take advantage of. Basically, the dollars and cents work out in such a way that it doesn't make sense for me NOT to! It is not free by any stretch of the imagination, but the price is so reasonable that I can't ignore it.

Three months ago I read an article in Business Week about the top business schools in the U.S. My dream had been to attend Northwestern for my masters degree, but I saw in that article that they were up to $45,000 a year for tuition. I became completely discouraged and put getting my masters out of my head. I didn't want to work as hard as I'd have to, to make a $90,000 degree worthwhile - there are too many things to do and see in this world to spend the rest of my life cooped up in an office working to repay student loans!

When the opportunity from University of Phoenix first presented itself I must admit I was skeptical. It seemed a bit too good to be true. Plus, I wasn't bored yet so I didn't seriously consider it. Once we got settled and I fell into the daily routine of clean house, cook, do laundry, watch Dr. Phil, etc. I decided that I was pathetic and something needed to change, NOW. I made a few phone calls, visited the college office on base and I now have the documentation in hand. I plan to apply this week and start classes January 2, 2007!

Wish me luck! It's been a few years since I was in school, and I'll admit that it makes me a little nervous, but I'm so excited!

I love my job

Nothing makes you realize how much you like your job until you have to give it up.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be one of the few people who LOVE what they do for a living. Thanks to the support of my wonderful husband, about a year and a half ago I had the courage to quit my day job and start my own business. I had initially wanted to focus more on the art and graphic design side of my interests, but I ended up doing very little of that and focusing on financial consulting for local businesses.

I built up a great regular client base in record time and was off and running. Working with different businesses, different people and different issues every day is what I love about being a consultant. I NEVER get bored.

I really enjoy fixing companies that are a mess. Don't get me wrong, working with healthy companies is great because you get to move above and beyond the day to day and take it to the next step, but there is something very gratifying when a company is a mess, really needs you, and you are the one that picks it up and makes it healthy.

Today I am off to Las Vegas to sit in on a meeting for one of my primary clients AttorneyGuide.com. This will be the last major project that I participate in with them for a few months. I truely hope that while I am overseas I can continue to work with this company and be a part of the changes taking place.

Giving up the bulk of my business to move is tough. I didn't expect to feel such a loss at quitting my job and being a "kept wife" for awhile, but I'm really going to miss it.

Gratification in a Hard Day's Work

There is something so gratifying in a long hard day at work. Walking to my car I felt elated. No, not just because I was done for the day, but because I worked hard and finished a HUGE project! When I work I put everything in to what I am doing. To see the payoff feels so good.

It is my impression that there are way too many people in the world who go to work and do the bare minimum to take home their paycheck. I'm not saying that work has be consume you entire being, I'm all about working hard and playing hard, but while you work, you should wholly apply yourself.

Although I like to receive praise for a job well done, ultimately I am the one who has live with myself. If I perform poorly, even if I get away with it, at the end of the day I know that I didn't do my best. Sometimes my extra efforts go unnoticed, but more often than not, my clients and former employers notice that I go above and beyond. It is great to know that I, and my work, are appreciated.

Keep the Knowledge Flowing

Andrieux Consulting, as it has been since inception (a little over a year ago) will change significantly in the coming months. My husband's transfer to Sicily has necessitated restructuring my business and moving on to other aspirations and challenges.

Although I will continue to support my current clients in whatever capacity possible, I will be dusting off my more artistic ambitions and plan to use my new found "free time" for personal and professional development. The purpose of this blog is to reflect on all manner of business issues and help me formulate philosophies to further my business in the future and bring innovative ideas to my clients.