[WikiEN-l] Wikimedian image restorations exploited on eBay

[Michel Vuijlsteke]

2009/9/18 Durova <nadezhda.durova at gmail.com>

> A new creative copyright is generated each time a tourist stands beneath
> the
> Venus de Milo and takes a snapshot due to the inherent creative decision in
> choosing angle and lighting when photographing three dimensional artwork.
> Creative copyright also attaches when the same tourist heads over to the
> Mona Lisa and takes another snapshot, since the frame around the Mona Lisa
> is three dimensional (there's also the creative joy of capturing dozens of
> tourist ballcaps in the periphery).
>
> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Derivative_works
>
> Compare that creative effort to--for example--the creative intuition of
> reconstructing Admiral David Farragut's eyes.  This was the man who said,
> "Damn the torpedoes.  Full speed ahead!"  Working on his portrait at 700%
> resolution, I was fascinated by that quote.
>
> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AdmFarragut.jpg
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adm2.jpg
>
> At the time of that work I was thinking if it came out right, a viewer
> might
> imagine for an instant that Admiral Farragut was capable of turning and
> ordering another assault on New Orleans.  Of course with eyes a few pixels
> moved and the expression could have turned out entirely different.
>

Er... yes, *and*?

Yes, restoration can be a lot of work (Farragut's eyes don't strike me as
particularly hard to tackle or controversial, but that's perhaps just me --
I did a much trickier one the other month that arguably crossed the line of
OR, where I corrected a double exposure, brr).

Sure, photography can be very easy to do. And sometimes it's very hard to
do. Sometimes there's no creativity involved, and sometimes there is.

And?

I'm terribly sorry, but still don't get your point. Are you begrudging
photographers their rights?

I get that you're frustrated that many people don't realise hand restoration
can be a lot of work in terms of man-hours and that there's some skill
involved a the occasional judgement call, but what would be your ideal
outcome?

An additional field in photo credits (if and when they ever show up in
articles) for the restorer(s)? A different type of license?

Michel