Classic picture. How can I get it legally?

June 4, 2010 8:04 AM

Classic picture. How can I get it legally?

Hey, you know that classic picture of a 1950s movie audience sitting there wearing 3D glasses? You've seen it hundreds of times. I can find it all over the web, but where can I find it so I can use it rights-free?

posted by lpsguy to media & arts (11 answers total)

Have you tried looking for it at some place like Getty Images? Or even some of the generic stock photo places.

Legal will likely end up costing you money, however.
posted by micawber at 8:12 AM on June 4, 2010

If the image is under copyright, you can't get it rights-free anywhere; you have to license it. If you want rights-free, look for another picture.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:13 AM on June 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

I understand that it's probably available for purchase. But it's so pervasive I wonder if it had slid into public domain ... or if there is a rights-free version. Almost none of the ones you find are marked or copyrighted or referenced in any way. I guess I'm trying to avoid paying for something that's already out there free.
posted by lpsguy at 8:20 AM on June 4, 2010

Perhaps one of these these is the image you're looking for? If so, you'd have to check with Getty Images. I'm not sure whether copyright for photos lasts as long as it does for books, but if it does, then this is almost definitely still under copyright. Just because people are posting the image however they want online doesn't mean they're doing so legally.
posted by divisjm at 8:29 AM on June 4, 2010

The image in question is probably 3-D Movie Viewers, 2, 3.

You can use it legally by paying money to Getty Images & Time, Inc.
posted by zamboni at 8:29 AM on June 4, 2010

Info is here on where to purchase/license the image originally published in Life magazine. Copyright for photos is the same as (c) for books.
posted by TishSnave at 8:32 AM on June 4, 2010

Just because its "out there" in no way means its in the public domain. What is it you want to do with the image anyway? You can buy a large framed version from Life for about $100 or license the image from Getty at varying rates - which if you're just using at web size, are absurdly inexpensive.

http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&family=editorial&assetType=image&p=movie%20audience%20bwana
posted by blaneyphoto at 8:35 AM on June 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

It will be in the public domain in 2047, assuming that it was initially published in 1952 and had its copyright renewed in 1980.
posted by Rhomboid at 8:44 AM on June 4, 2010

If you want a photo of an audience wearing 3D glasses that's in the public domain, there's this picture of Barack Obama and family.
posted by zsazsa at 8:45 AM on June 4, 2010

Try a flickr search for creative commons licensed photos.
posted by msbutah at 8:49 AM on June 4, 2010

Thank you. This is all very helpful. I'm making a fast TV commercial, very fast. In the end, I think the best thing might be for me to take a picture of myself and use that.
posted by lpsguy at 8:57 AM on June 4, 2010