Let's get serious

I learned a lesson on Web Etiquette today. A blogger whose photo I used to show my readers what Maple Blossoms look like emailed me and asked me to remove the photo. Even though I had given this person credit and linked to their blog, I had neglected to get permission to use the photo. My apologies, I feel yucky about it. While ignorance is no defense, I just had no idea what a faux pas I was commiting. But it makes me wonder how the blogosphere keeps on rolling if everyone has to ask permission to use a photo from another site. If I were using this person's photo to sell something, or claiming it as my own - that would be shitty, super shitty. But I wasn't. And other people have emailed to thank me for blogging about them. Bottom line, I guess, is that I do not own that photo, the other blogger does, and they have all the right in the world to control that photo. The mister says that people should ask permission, and that this and other issues regarding Creative Commons are hot topics in the blogging world. So, I will learn this lesson and change my ways, for sure.