Cemetery photos

Question

I have many photos that I took in a local cemetery to contribute to Find a Grave. I'm rather new to genealogy, and not sure about copyright, etc., nor am I familiar with all the amazing resources if Wikitree or how to locate it all. I was wondering what the best way was to upload and use my photos? I had considered a space for my local cemetery or something similar; would that be beneficial? Find a Grave obviously has more resources m but with the copyright issues, I thought it might help to have my own photos for others to use.

 

Again, I'm new and appreciate any suggestions of what to do or directions to tutorials, resources, etc.

 

Thank you!

Answer 1

Welcome Kim! Starting out with your own Cemetery space may be daunting. I know I started out by adding and sourcing/editing people before I tried larger projects. However, if you already feel comfortable with the WikiTree format here is the Cemeteries Project page. The coordinators there could help you set up your cemetery - there are a lot of wonderful people on WikiTree willing to help.

Thank you for wanting to share your photographs!

Comments

Thank you Patricia for best answer

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Your page for the Cemetery is now ready for photos to be added. We'll get the table started once you have some photos added. Thanks again for volunteering!

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:College_City_Cemetery

Answer 2

I think if one of the project members could set up a Cemetery Free Space page for you, that you then would find it reasonably easy to upload the photos to the Cemetery profile.

What, in particular, concerns you about copyright? You would retain the copyright of your photos if they are uploaded, but that should also be the same for Find-a-Grave.

I have to say, I had to contact Find-a-Grave about cemetery photos that had been posted there that had been uplifted from WikiTree (ones that I had taken) without my permission. However, I have also, in many cases, made my photos available on both sites. My expectation is to be contacted, whichever site is used, if people want to use them elsewhere.

Comments

I'd be happy to help btw if you want to have a cemetery page set up for your local cemetery if no page currently exists for it.

regards

Lianne

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I would love help in creating a cemetery page, as I'm both fascinated and overwhelmed by the resources here. As for copyright, I wasn't sure if Find a Grave allowed use of their photos directly on profile pages on WikiTree. Do you know that answer?

 

Cemeteries have been so useful for me, and I wanted to return the favor to others. Aside from the research aspect, there's an unexplainable emotional connection I've found in seeing ancestors' headstones, even if it is by photo.

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Hi Kim
You shouldn't use photos from findagrave unless you contact the contributor....assuming they took the photo....and get their permission. You will find more info in the WikiTree guidelines about images.
I'll message you regarding the cemetery details and we'll get something sorted.

Answer 3

I used to be a f-a-g creator and still do a little bit  but I have decided since ancestry.com has drastically changed f-a-g,   I love wikitree.  And sure would love it if you added your photos, that you want to share, here with us...  I too am a volunteer  Shutter-bug around Colorado...I set up and keep the Franktown Cemetery, Douglas County, Colorado.  Everyone has a photo, and then some.

Comments

Do you have suggestions for organizing your photos and how to document? Honestly, I just wandered down the rows and tried to remember where I had taken photos (using my phone.) They are just in random order so I'm finding it difficult to locate the ones I need without a long time searching.

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That's a good question. I get a bit distracted in my cemetery visits particularly if i am there to get the ones I want first.
If the cemetery has a record archive it is useful to work from that. I set up a spreadsheet on my computer to document the ones I have photographed and that can be later converted to a WikiTable.
Yes rather than random it is good if you can to take photos in order...but really we are happy to have them at all. And i do find them a good resource. There's benefit in seeing who is buried next to who as it often gives clues to relationships.

I try to photo the row markers if there are any when i start on a row and work down one side at a time. Some cemeteries are not very ordered so that might not work. Then with memorials i remember to take a photo of each side and a general photo to get context of the location. Some cemeteries have maps to work from too.

Answer 4

Kim,

     There's no copyright issues when it comes to photographs of cemetery headstones. Headstones are just as much public record as birth, death or census records. Find-A-Grave is by far the easiest way to post/distribute them.

     I have my family headstones all attached to my personal Rootsweb website, so if somebody looks at my page they more than likely won't have to go to FAG for the photo.

      It's great to do it here too but if you're a novice and the ideas/instructions previously listed seem too daunting FAG is just as good.

Comments

Hi Stephen,

While the *information* on gravestones (name, birth, death, etc.) can be considered as public record and either not copyrighted, or will be considered fair use, the *photo itself* will have automatic copyright by the author, which is the person that took the photograph.

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Yes taking photos of headstones is great but it isn't the same if you are using photos taken by others as it is still considered their work. The safest approach is to seek permission when using headstone photos taken by others. But you are permiited to link profiles to cemetery photos posted on wikitree by other wikitree-ers. One assumes they have followed guidelines and posted photos they took or had permission for.

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She was talking about using photos that she herself had taken and I assume that she was thinking that the "headstone print" was copyrighted. I work with copyrighted materials all the time as a graphic designer and if it doesn't have the © copyright or ® registered trademark symbols and or words on it, it's not illegal to use others' photos. It may not be polite etiquette but it is still legal.

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I agree, the text of the headstone is not copyright, however, as a photographer and artist, I do not include copyright symbols etc on my images, but that does not mean they are not copyright. Under law you no longer have to do that to have your work copyrighted. Putting a notice on work does make it clearer to people that it is, but it is not required under law. It is illegal to use a copyright work without permission, and the absence of a symbol does not mean that it is in the public domain, so establishing whether you are permitted to use the image (before doing so) is highly recommended.

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Okay. That's never been our company policy as it related to copyrighted materials, apparently out of our own ignorance. Will address that with my management though. Thanks for the info.

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Thank you! For these reasons I thought it would be nice to have my own photos available to anyone who chooses to use them. I will work with the Cemeteries project on making this happen.

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Just a reminder too - this information is from the WikiTree Cemeteries Project page: "As outlined in WikiTree’s Honor Code, we DO NOT knowingly copy source materials that are owned or authored by someone else without their permission. As it pertains to this project, the posting of grave site and/or cemetery photos originating from outside sources such as the Find-A -Grave and Billion Graves websites is expressly forbidden. Any use of such resources may result in removal from the group."

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FAG is good.  If you feel good about posting photos, don't forget Interment.com.