Images for Blogs.

I think this is a really interesting and slightly taboo topic in the blogging world. As a regular reader of lots of different types of blogs it's easy enough to sit comfortably on either side of the fence - either completely against using any images, linked or not, to avoid any copyright infringements and then the opposite fence where it's in the public domain and frankly 'everyone else does it'.

I'm somewhere in the middle and i do my absolute best to get permission where i can, link every image owner and follow up after i've posted to check i'm super covered. I completely understand that a disclaimer and links are not in any form a way around copyright. I've built some great relationships with companies and designers over social media who are more than happy for me to promote them - many high street stores also have great PR/Media sections on their corporate websites full of beautiful professional lifestyle imagery and hi-res product cut outs.
A lot of it is around planning and scheduling - which i'm still learning and as my blog is slowly growing, i know i'll need to invest more time in to ensure i'm growing my content too. Will also need to invest time in building my own content too of course.

I'd recommend reading up on copyright before using images as it's much easier to make a considered decision based on facts, not just horror stories on the internet... It's not just blog imagery that's copyright, but Pinterest too, so any form of image sharing i'd do some background reading on if you're worried.

Finally i guess don't be afraid to approach company's to use their imagery to showcase their product - every single person i've spoken to has been thrilled and really supportive, even for a small blog like mine!

Thanks so much for these helpful tips. Personally, I love the writing part of anything, and can deal with all that OK, but after spending probably the last 48 hours exploring other female blogs, I realise that images really add so much to any post.
Because of the name of my blog www.hellosixty.com I think it perhaps lends itself to being a bit lifestylish (!)and that's the direction I want to take it....eventually, but of course the downside for me is that all you fab, gorgeous young things have grown up learning about technology, where to find things and how to use them. They had only just invented the wheel when I was at school.........!!

I've neglected my little blog for a few months simply because I kind of had to TAKE an image to go with what I wanted to talk about, rather than simply do a search for something suitable and use it, just in case it infringed some copyright or other. Thanks again girls, I'm sure this won't be the last cry for help I put out! JJ xx